Deontological!Snape (Was: OPEN: Ultimate and Last Bragging Rights)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 171272

Carol a second ago:
<snip>
> I see a clash within Dumbledore between utilitarianism (the greatest
good for the greatest number, meaning in his case the survival of the
WW at whatever cost to the individual) and his personal love for
Harry, which may or may not be represented by deontology.<snip> He's
caught between placing his beloved Prophecy at a terrible risk and
keeping him safe at the expense of numerous other people, the whole
WW, in fact. 
<snip>

Carol again:
Eurgh. I meant "placing his beloved Prophecy *Boy* at risk"! I've got
to stop hitting Send before I've checked my post for absurd and
misleading errors!

mz_annethrope:
<snip>
> > But deontological (ethics of moral obligation) Snape is a 
possibility. Snape has various obligations: to Draco, to Harry, to DD,
etc., and he holds to them as tenaciously as a Saxon warrior to his
oaths. Deonotological Snape allows Snape to be a moral, if flawed,
person--perhaps a tragic figure <snip> 

Carol:

I forgot to address this part. I agree that part of Snape's behavior
on the tower was motivated by his obligations to Harry (solely as the
Prophecy Boy, the WW's only hope, Duty over antipathy), to Dumbledore
for giving him a second chance and trusting him and being Voldemort's
chief antagonist, Prophecy or no Prophecy, and to Draco for personal
reasons (as the friend of his family, as his teacher and Head of
House, as the reason he took the UV). He has a moral obligation to
save Draco, which he can't do if the UV kills him. It may be that
Draco's safety rather than DD's wishes and plans tipped the scale for
Snape and caused him to cast the spell that caused him such anguish. I
don't think the possibility of his own death influenced him or he
wouldn't have waited till DD begged him before raising his wand and
casting that spell.

I love the Saxon warrior analogy. I'm reminded, not of Beowulf but of
Gimli in LOTR, "Sworn word may strengthen quaking heart" and of
Elrond's response: "Or break it."

Carol, who thinks that sworn word broke Severus Snape's heart and
fears that he is indeed a tragic figure