[HPforGrownups] Snape as greasy bastard WAS: Re: Nitwit? - Remus John Lupin

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 167999

>Alla:
>
>LOL. I do think you are joking, but just in case you are not. ;) I 
>would not want anybody to think that I would call dear Snape a name 
>incorrectly.
>
>Bastard:
>1. an illegitimate child
>2 : something that is spurious, irregular, inferior, or of 
>questionable origin
>3 a : an offensive or disagreeable person -- used as a generalized 
>term of abuse 
>
>I meant and mean the meaning 3a. I think it suits him really well, 
>except of course I am not using it as a term of abuse, but to 
>express what I honestly think of this character.

Bart:
Well, although forced marriage between people originally from countries where such things are legal are currently de facto recognized as genuine in England (even if the marriage ceremony occurs in England), foced marriages were illegal back when Tom and Merry were married, and therefore their marriage is illegal, making Voldemort a bastard in more than one way. 

The etymology of the term is revealing; in pre-Christian Europe, along with other tribal cultures, it was believed that characteristics like loyalty to the tribe were inherited. If a woman has a child of unknown fatherhood, then the father may well have been a member of another tribe, meaning that the child is a potential traitor. Hence, bastard as a person not to be trusted; as one who claims friendship to your face while stabbing you in the back. 

Snape DOES make an excellent bastard.

Speaking of analysis, I've been doing some reading on psychopathy and sociopathy (it appears that the main psychological references do not differentiate between these conditions). Voldemort has more than his share of psychopathic traits, but one that is missing is key: Psychopaths tend to be inconsistent, and often unable to see a plan through to the end. Voldemort, on the other hand, is capable of spending years in planning and executing (although you can see how he is his own worst enemy in many cases, like failing to obey the Evil Overlord manual by not just executing Harry in GOF. 

It is also the reason why he has made 7 horcurxes; he is so out of touch with his soul that missing most of it makes little or no difference to him. That is why he is unredeemable to Dumbledore; he has cut himself off from what might have been able to redeem him, regardless of how unlikely. 

Bart