Is Snape good or evil?

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 148528

chrusotoxos:
> I've always thought that Snape was good, but
> in the light of DD saying "being more intelligent than most, my
> mistakes are bigger" (book 6), I'm starting to question my own
> judgement. It seems that every female reader over 5 believes in
> Snape's innocency, but it seems to me that the one good element we
> have about this is DD's word. 

zgirnius:
You haven't met Alla, have you...<g>

eggplant:
> 2) Snape killed Dumbledore but it turns out that Dumbledore was evil
> so Snape is good. (after 6 books I don't think any writer could turn
> > Dumbledore evil, not even JKR)
chrustoxos:
> Ok, definitely not.

zgirnius:
Certainly not as a statement about Dumbledore throughout his life. 
However, it has been proposed that the evil green goo of the Cave may 
have had a power to possess the drinker (sorry, I can't find the 
post!). If Snape saw him loseing this internal struggle (say, in the 
moment he 'gazed' at Dumbledore before he killed him) this would fall 
under this description. I don;t consider it all that likely, though.

eggplant:
> 3) Snape killed Dumbledore but did so on Dumbledore's orders. (very
> > difficult to find a viable reason Dumbledore would order such a 
thing
> > and even if he did Snape would still be evil, at least in my book)
> christoxos:
> Actually I found a very good reason for him to order such a thing, 
and
> I'm surely not the first: DD was dying.
<snip detailed explanation of plan>

zgirnius:
I agree.


eggplant:
> 5) Snape killed Dumbledore to aid himself so Snape is evil. (Snape 
was the third most powerful wizard in the world but he wants to be 
number one, he killed one and made sure Harry was alive and healthy 
to kill the other).

zgirnius:
What I don't get about this theory is what Snape gets out of it. So 
he is the best wizard in the British Isles now, so what? Is the idea 
that he wants to be a new Dark Lord? Then he'll have to deal with 
Death Eaters and other Dark hangers on...as big a bunch of 
dunderheads as a first-year Potions class. I can't see this being his 
dream.

I think a personal revenge motive for Evil, OFH Snape makes more 
sense. Either over Lily, or, if that turns your stomach even with 
Evil Snape, maybe having to do with Snape's family.


chrustoxos:
> And what about all the stuff he told
> Narcissa and Bellatrix? Why has he such an important position into 
LV
> circle? Mph....

zgirnius:
Well, the stuff about how he was never disloyal to Voldemort, and all 
teh ways he has helped the bad guys, could be either true or not. 
Evil Snape would of course be happy to discuss his accomplishments 
with his fellow Voldemort supporters. But Good Snape could hardly act 
differently without arousing more suspicions, right?

I actually don't buy that he has an important and secure position in 
LV's circle. Just by virtue of being, apparently, Voldemort's best 
spy on the Order he would have soem importance, of course. But I 
think Narcissa's comment about him being a 'trusted advisor' or 
whatever the phrase was, is either flattery on her part, or wishful 
thinking on her part, of both. I think Wormtail's real role at 
Spinner's End is to keep an eye on Snape for Voldemort, which would 
indicate a below-average level of trust for Snape on LV's part.