What is poetic justice? WAS: Re: Snape-the Hero -- Snape-the Abuser

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 143300

> Betsy HP:
> 
> > It's a question of power.  Watching someone powerful stick it to 
> > someone weaker is not a great example of poetic justice, IMO.  
> 

a_svirn:
Much that I share you dislike of big and powerful bullying small and 
weak, I don't see why it couldn't qualify as "poetic justice" on 
occasion. Poetic justice means quite simply that the punishment fits 
the crime. Like the Serpent's punishment was "eat the dirt", because 
he tempted the woman to *eat* the forbidden fruit. It can be cruel 
alright, even though it sets a certain limit on punishment:  "You 
shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for 
hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for 
stripe [Exodus 21:23-25]" 
Of course the "eye for eye" principle is open to virtually limitless 
interrelations, so everybody seems to have their own version of 
what "poetic justice" really means.

 
> Alla:

> Again, I interpret " vicarious retribution" as retribution for 
> something bad which character did, but terms of the story will not 
> let the author punish the character directly.

a_svirn:
And how do you interpret the word *vicarious*?  

>Alla: 
> Let's look at Dudley. Hagrid indeed gave him a pig tail because he 
> was mad at Vernon ( quite deservingly, I'd say, but of course 
Hagrid 
> should have done it to Vernon), BUT I can also interpret Hagrid 
> doing to Dudley as carmic retribution for all those years 
of "Harry 
> hunting" Dudley and gang engaged in.

a_svirn:
I don't know about "karmic", but in this instance "vicarious" would 
be a perfectly right term. Because Hagrid used Dudley vicariously: 
as a substitute for Vernon.