SEVERUS SNAPE AS THE TRAGIC HERO IN HARRY POTTER …repository.usd.ac.id/36053/2/154214008_full.pdf · 2019-11-25 · the Tragic Hero in Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling Yogyakarta:

SEVERUS SNAPE AS THE TRAGIC HERO IN HARRY

POTTER SERIES BY J.K ROWLING

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

ROSA VIRGINIA DHAYINTA PRATAMA PUTRI

Student Number: 154214008

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

YOGYAKARTA

2019

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

ii

TITLE PAGE

SEVERUS SNAPE AS THE TRAGIC HERO IN HARRY

POTTER SERIES BY J.K ROWLING

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

ROSA VIRGINIA DHAYINTA PRATAMA PUTRI

Student Number: 154214008

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

YOGYAKARTA

2019


A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis

SEVERUS SNAPE AS THE TRAGIC HERO IN HARRY POTIERSERIES BY J.K ROWLING

Drs. Hirmawan WijanarICa;Advisor

Arina Isti'anah, S.Pd., M. Hum.Co-Advisor

iii

September 16, 2019



-,

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been

previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that,

to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material which

has been previously written by any other person except where due the reference is

made in the text of the undergraduate thesis.

September 10, 2019

Rosa Virginia Dhayinta Pratama Putri

v


LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAHUNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma

NamaNomor Mahasiswa

: Rosa Virginia Dhayinta Pratama Putri: 154214008

Demi pertimbangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada PerpustakaanUniversitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul

SEVERUS SNAPE AS THE TRAGIC HERO IN HARRY POTTERSERIES BY J.K ROWLING

beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memerikankepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,menga1ihkan da1am bentuk media lain, mengolahnya dalam bentuk pangkalandata, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet ataumedia lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada sayamaupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama sayasebagai penulis.

Demikian pemyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

Dibuat di YogyakartaPada tanggal September 10, 2019

Yang menyatakan


vi


vii

MOTTO PAGE

HAPPINESS CAN BE FOUND, EVEN IN THE

DARKEST OF TIMES, IF ONE ONLY REMEMBERS TO TURN

ON THE LIGHTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Praise to the Lord for the great blessing and presence so that I finally

finished my undergraduate thesis. I thank God as He always protects and loves

me. To my father and mother who give me unconditional love, I am very thankful

for their support both emotionally and financially during this past four years of

my college life.

My deepest gratitude goes to my advisor, Drs.Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.

Hum., and my co-advisor, Arina Isti’anah, S.Pd., M.Hum., for the guidance,

patience, and support during the writing of my undergraduate thesis. I also send

my thanks to all lecturers of English Letters Department for giving me the

opportunity to learn and grow to be the best version of me all this time. I am also

thankful to Universitas Sanata Dharma for providing me with a friendly

environment to study.

To my dearest friends, I would to express my sincere gratitude, especially

Ingin Cepat Lulus who are Valen, Adel, Ejhon and Julius, and also Bibi Bohem

who are Igna, Falin, and Tyas for giving me happiness and holding my hand

through the hard times. To Titus Arga Widiastana, thank you for giving me your

shoulder and hug whenever I felt tired. Last but not least, my thank goes to all my

friends who have helped me in this journey.



ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ........................................................................................................ ii

APPROVAL PAGE ............................................................................................. iii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ........................................................................................ iv

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY .................................................................... v

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH

UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS .............................................................. vi

MOTTO PAGE ................................................................................................... vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................... viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................... ix

ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... xi

ABSTRAK ............................................................................................................. xii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1

A. Background of the Study ..................................................................................... 1

B. Problem Formulation ........................................................................................... 3

C. Objectives of the Study........................................................................................ 3

D. Definition of Terms .............................................................................................. 3

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................... 5

A. Review of Related Studies .................................................................................. 5

B. Review of Related Theories ................................................................................ 9

1. Theory of Character and Characterization .................................................... 9

2. Theory of Tragedy .......................................................................................... 13

3. Theory of Tragic Hero ................................................................................... 14

C. Theoretical Framework ...................................................................................... 16

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .................................................................. 17

A. Object of the Study ............................................................................................. 17

B. Approach of the Study ....................................................................................... 19

C. Method of the Study ........................................................................................... 20

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ............................................................................... 23

A. The Description of Severus Snape Presented in Harry Potter Series .......... 23

1. Outward and Physical Appearances ............................................................. 23

2. Personality ....................................................................................................... 26

a. Being Sarcastic ................................................................................... 26

b. Being Cruel and Mean ........................................................................ 29


x

c. Being Brave ........................................................................................ 32

d. Being Loyal and Trustworthy ............................................................. 35

B. Severus Snape as the Tragic Hero .................................................................... 37

1. Having an Unrealized Mistake or Tragic Flaw (Hamartia) ...................... 37

2. Proud of Himself (Hubris) ............................................................................ 40

3. Fate Must Be Greater Than Deserved ......................................................... 41

4. Having a Reversal of Fortune (Peripeteia) .................................................. 42

5. Realizing Something About himself (Anagnorisis) ................................... 43

6. Evoking the Reader’s Pity and Empathy (Catharsis) ................................ 44

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION .......................................................................... 46

REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 49


xi

ABSTRACT

PUTRI, ROSA VIRGINIA DHAYINTA PRATAMA. (2019). Severus Snape as

the Tragic Hero in Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling Yogyakarta:

Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letter, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Harry Potter is the famous series written by Joanne Kathleen Rowling

telling about the wizarding world. Besides Harry Potter as the main character,

other characters also take part to the story, especially Severus Snape who holds

many secrets. Due to the mistake he made, he has to live a secretive life that lead

him into his tragic ending. Tragic hero has appeared in many Greek tragedies,

such as Romeo and Juliet and Oedipus Rex. Tragedy can happen to a character

who has particular characteristics. There are hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis,

hubris, chatarsis, and the character’s fate that must be greater than deserved.

The objectives of this study are to answer two main problems. First, the

study analyzes the character of Severus Snape. Second, the study finds and

describes how Severus Snape can be a tragic hero by analyzing and observing his

past life, actions, and decisions.

This study applies the structuralism approach in order to analyze the

tragedy of Severus Snape in Harry Potter story because it refers to the character

and all aspects outside the character, theory of tragedy and tragic hero, and the

actions that the character decides to do. This study applies library research method

to collect the information and analyze the problem.

The result of the analysis shows that the character of Severus are being

sarcastic, cruel and mean, brave, loyal and trustworthy. Severus Snape is a

complicated character because of his actions and behavior, his choice to be a

double agent, to sacrifice himself and protect Harry Potter. Based on Aristotle’s

theory about tragic hero, Severus Snape fulfills the characteristics of a tragic hero

which are hubris, peripeteia, catharsis, hamartia, anagnorisis, and people’s

expectation of greater fate. Severus Snape is a tragic hero because he is flawed, he

is making mistake, he is too proud of himself (excessive pride) but despite it all,

he is a special character due to his truest and purest love towards people he really

loves.

Keywords: Harry Potter, Severus Snape, tragedy, tragic hero.


xii

ABSTRAK

PUTRI, ROSA VIRGINIA DHAYINTA PRATAMA. (2019). Severus Snape as

the Tragic Hero in Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling Yogyakarta: Program

Studi Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Harry Potter adalah seri terkenal yang ditulis oleh Joanne Kathleen

Rowling yang menceritakan tentang dunia sihir. Harry Potter merupakan karakter

utama dalam cerita, namun karakter yang lain juga banyak berperan, terutama

Severus Snape yang memiliki banyak rahasia. Kesalahan yang ia buat di masa lalu

membuatnya harus hidup dengan penuh rahasia yang membuat hidupnya berakhir

tragis. Kisah pahlawan tragis telah muncul dalam banyak tragedi Yunani, seperti

Romeo dan Juliet dan Oedipus Rex. Tragedi dapat terjadi pada karakter yang

memiliki karakteristik tertentu, yaitu hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, hubris,

katarsis, dan nasib karakter yang seharusnya lebih baik.

Tujuan-tujuan dari studi ini adalah untuk menjawab dua permasalahan

utama. Pertama, studi ini menganalisis karakter Severus Snape. Kedua, studi ini

berusaha menemukan dan menggambarkan bagaimana Severus Snape dapat

menjadi pahlawan yang tragis dengan menganalisis dan mengamati masa lalu,

tindakan, dan keputusan-keputusan yang ia buat.

Studi ini menggunakan pendekatan strukturalisme untuk menganalisis

tragedi Severus Snape dalam cerita Harry Potter karena mengacu pada karakter itu

sendiri dan segala aspek di luar karater tersebut, teori tragedi dan pahlawan tragis,

dan tindakan yang lakukan oleh karakter. Studi ini menggunakan metode

penelitian kepustakaan untuk mengumpulkan informasi dan menganalisis

masalah.

Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa Severus adalah seorang bersifat sarkas,

kejam, berani, serta setia dan dapat dipercaya. Severus Snape adalah karakter

yang rumit karena tindakan dan perilakunya, pilihannya untuk menjadi agen

ganda, pilihannya untuk mengorbankan dirinya sendiri dan melindungi Harry

Potter. Berdasarkan teori Aristoteles tentang pahlawan tragis, Severus Snape

memenuhi karakteristik pahlawan tragis yaitu hubris, peripeteia, katarsis,

hamartia, anagnorisis, dan nasib yang seharusnya bisa lebih baik. Severus Snape

adalah pahlawan yang tragis karena kekurangannya, dia membuat kesalahan, dia

terlalu bangga pada dirinya sendiri (kebanggaan berlebihan) tetapi terlepas dari itu

semua, dia adalah karakter yang istimewa karena kebenaran dan cinta yang murni

terhadap orang yang sungguh-sungguh dia cintai.

Kata kunci: Harry Potter, Severus Snape, tragedy, tragic hero


1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Joanne Kathleen Rowling or known as J.K. Rowling as her pen name,

is a famous British author and screenwriter who creates Harry Potter fantasy

series, one of the popular books and films in history. The first series of Harry

Potter, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in 1997.

This was the first time J.K. Rowling shared her thought about her fantasy of

the wizarding world to the readers. J.K Rowling introduces Harry Potter as

the main character and his friends, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley.

Other characters who also appear are Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter’s main

enemy, Professor Albus Dumbledore as the Hogwarts’ famous headmaster,

and Severus Snape, a great wizard who has many secrets.

Severus Snape is a wizard who was born from Tobias Snape (a

muggle or human) and Eileen Prince (a witch). He was a friend of Lily Evans

(Harry Potter’s mother). Among other characters, Severus Snape is the

popular one. He plays an important roles in the story as the head of Slytherin

House and a master of Potions in Hogwarts. He is known for his dislike

towards Harry Potter and his friends, for his cruelty toward others, and for his

abiding love for his own friend, Lily Potter. J.K Rowling has created Severus

Snape with some characteristics which are brave, dedicated, and loyal.


2

However, his attitude towards other characters, especially Harry

Potter as the main character is considered as “bad and cruel” even though he

has a reason behind his behavior. His secretive life is also interesting and full

of mysteries. Nevertheless, his acts and secrets lead him to the tragic fate in

the end of the story.

Analyzing Severus Snape as the tragic hero is chosen to be the topic

of the study in order to analyze Severus Snape’s characteristics and the

reasons that lead him into his tragic fate in the Harry Potter series. Tragic

hero is,

a person of exalted position who, on account of some errors or flaw,

suffers a ‘total reversal of fortune’, arousing a feeling of ‘pity and

fear’. The calamities befalling him are ‘exceptional and unexpected’,

and generally lead to his death (Aristotle as cited in Misra, 1992, p.1).

Aristotle also defines that there are some specific characteristics of tragic

hero, such as the character must have hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis,

hubris, catharsis, and the character’s fate must be greater than deserved. This

research finds and analyzes the characteristics of Severus Snape that fit with

the traits of tragic hero.

Severus Snape’s complexity as a character can be seen from his

actions and words. Therefore, it can be said that Snape’s character is affected

by his behavior on how he acts and talks. His actions are sometimes different

from what he is thinking. It means that he hides something behind his

behavior. Severus Snape takes many risky actions because of the

circumstances and choices he has made before. The decisions he made makes


3

his life full of mystery and secrets, thus making many people often

misunderstand on him.

Further, by doing this analysis, the writer can find out that J.K.

Rowling has created Severus Snape’s character elegantly even though he has

a tragic ending. Snape’s character which fits with the characteristics of tragic

hero is also revealed through the reasearch.

B. Problem Formulation

From the background of the study stated previously, two problems are

formulated as follows:

1. How is Severus Snape described in Harry Potter series?

2. How can Snape be categorized as a tragic hero?

C. Objectives of the Study

This study tries to understand some matters. The first is to analyze the

character of Severus Snape that is made and created by the author, J.K.

Rowling. The second is to explain the character of Severus Snape that makes

him fit as the characteristics of a tragic hero defined by Aristotle.

D. Definition of Terms

The first term that mostly appears in this research paper is tragedy. The

word tragedy is broadly famous in literary terms. Some works which are

familiar with the tragic fate of its character are Oedipus the King, Hamlet, and

Macbeth. Abrams said that tragedy is dramatic and serious actions that


4

represent the painful and disastrous ending for the protagonist (Abrams, 1999,

p. 321).

The second term that is used is tragic hero. A tragic hero is those who

fall because of his or her fault and mistake. Tragic hero theory is defined by

Aristotle, describes the characteristics that are particular with a tragic hero.

Those characteristics lead the character into his/her tragic ending. Tragic

heroes are effectively evoking the reader’s pity because the character is the

mixture of bad and good (Abrams, 1999, p. 322). However, the bad side can

evoke the terror. This dark side, or usually called hamartia or the fatal flaws

that leading to the downfall of the heroes or heroine.


5

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies

This present research analyzes Severus Snape as a tragic hero in J.K.

Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Therefore, this part explains some related

studies that are relevant to the study. Related studies conducted in this

research are taken from other theses, journals and articles.

The first study, which is related to this topic, from the undergraduate

thesis of Broto (2012), the title of his thesis, is Michael as a Modern Tragic

Hero of Wordsworth’s “Michael”: An Application of the Theory of Modern

Tragedy. He analyzes how the main character in the poem made by William

Wordsworth named Michael described in the poem. He shows about the

contribution of each character in leading the main character’s tragedy and

how Michael’s character fits the modern tragic hero.

This study uses structuralism approach in order to analyze the poem.

The approach analyzes Michael’s tragedy from inside and outside the poem.

Intrinsic and extrinsic factors such are form, structure, content, element, and

outside things of the literary work are also being analyzed in order to explain

the tragedy.


6

The first analysis is about Michael’s character which described in the

poem in two conditions, as a boy and an old man. The analysis can be seen in

the quotation below,

As a boy, he is not clever or smart boy. He is lazy to study. He loves

to live freely with the nature. After that, Michael is described as an old

man. He is a shepherd in Grasmere Vale. He lives near the forest. He

is described as a strong man and has keen mind. He is prompt, stout of

heart, and strong of limb. He has the ability to watch the shepherd

better than others. He can know everything which will happen by

noticing the nature. He is a cheerful person and so lively. He is kind

and skillful as a shepherd. He has many experiences as a shepherd, joy

and fear. He has a big responsibility as a shepherd. He can be said as

the friend of nature. His age is around eighties (Broto, 2008, p. 21).

Michael’s fate as the tragic hero is also affected by the contributions

of other character in the poem, such as Isabel who is his wife, Luke who is his

only son, Richard Bateman who is his relatives in London. These three

characters influence Michael’s fate because of their own choices.

Michael also fulfills the characteristics of tragic hero according to

Arthur Miller which are a common man, ready to lay down his life to secure

his sense of personal dignity, the consequences of his total compulsion to

evaluate himself justly, having fear of being replaced, acting against the

scheme of things degrading him, and having a tragic flaw.

The second related study is entitled The Tragic Hero of the Classical

Period by Adade-Yeboah (2012). This article analyses five aspects which are

the plot and the imitation of the action, the tragic hero and fate, Oedipus’

tragic situation, the denouema, and the tragic hamartia. The story that is used

by the writer to explain the tragic hero of the classical period is Sophocles’

Oedipus Rex.


7

Among the classical dramatists, it is Sophocles who was much

concerned with drama as an art form. His main preoccupation is that

of art as verisimilitude. This is clearly demonstrated by his play, King

Oedipus, one of a trilogy of Theban plays. In this play, one can find

the best example of the Greek classical order. The ingenuity of the

dramatist lay in his skill at arranging the plot to present the best tragic

situation, based on the existing myths and legends. Sophocles

however, took the fundamental Greek concept of law, crime and

punishment into consideration. In a sense, the tragic drama in ancient

Greece was an enactment of a ritual (Yeboah, 2012, p. 10).

Tragedy is a concept that has been analyzed as a literary genre and justified as

a philosophy. The story of Oedipus the King also fulfills the Aristotle’s idea

about hamartia of the classical period.

The third related study is taken from a research paper that is related to

Severus Snape in Harry Potter series. The title is Severus Snape: The

Complexity and Unconventional Heroism of Severus Snape in the Harry

Potter Books by Gustafsson (2016). This paper focuses on Severus Snape for

his complexity and heroism behavior using the theory of endings and plot

twists by Frank Kermode.

Severus Snape is known for his allegiance for both Voldemort and

also Dumbledore. Being a secret or undercover agent for both side makes his

character seems complex to the readers. His complexity sometimes confused

the readers whether he is evil or maybe a hero. Readers always expect

something for the ending of the book; it can be happy ending (mostly) or

good ending for one character. In Harry Potter, readers are served by a

character named Severus Snape who is mysterious, dark, but loyal. From the

beginning, Snape is portrayed as the one who hates Harry Potter because he is

resemble his father that Snape hates so much.


8

Harry Potter’s books are known for its main character’s bravery.

However, Harry Potter’s bravery is pushed by his surroundings and

circumstances, yet Severus Snape is being brave for love and his feeling of

responsibility of Lily’s death. A turning point of Severus Snape fate is in its

ending. It is called peripeteia. The revelation of true Severus Snape is the

peripeteia in Harry Potter because his clear motives of being in-between evil

and good is shocking the readers (Gustafsson, 2016, pp. 1-3). In the end, his

mistakes, wrong choice, and failure force him to pay the price and lead him

into his own sacrifices for Harry Potter and Lily makes Snape as the one

greatest hero in the Harry Potter series (Gustafsson, 2016, p. 12).

The topic that is analyzed in my research is different from these three

related studies. The difference is in choosing the book and character to be

analyzed. The journal about the tragic hero of the classical period uses

Oedipus as an example to explain and find about the characteristics of tragic

hero. Oedipus the King has been used as the example of tragic hero many

times. On the other hand, my object is different. People rarely look at Severus

Snape as a tragic hero because Snape is not the main character of the story of

Harry Potter. Meanwhile, the similarities that can be found between related

studies and this research are using the same topic with the first and second

related studies which is about tragic hero. The third related study is related to

the book series and the character that is used in this research, which is

Severus Snape. The title is chosen because the writer would like to analyze


9

another side of Severus Snape and look at his characters that can fit as the

tragic hero with the application of structuralism.

B. Review of Related Theories

This section discusses some theories that are related to the study.

There are three theories to support the study, which are theory of

characterization, theory of tragedy, and theory of tragic hero.

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

Harry Potter is novel with many characters. Severus Snape is one of

characters whose character is fully developed by Rowling. Rowling describes

Severus Snape in detail. She includes Snape’s appearance, his past life, and

his personalities which are affected by his long and complicated life.

Character is used as a medium to show the value of the whole story that

wants to be delivered by the writer. Through character development, the

writer wants to raise the readers’ curiosity. According to Abrams, character is

persons in a literary work that is endowed with moral, intellectual, and

emotions and the ability to speak and act (Abrams, 1999, pp. 32-33).

Character is related to other aspects of novel, such as plot, theme,

moral, atmosphere, and other characters. Therefore, character is an essential

part of a novel, movie, or drama. It is divided into two, which are, flat and

round character.

Flat character is a character that has simple characterization, easily

recognized and remembered by the readers, the character which stays or does

not change, and usually a minor character. On the other hand, round character


10

is defined as a complex character. It is usually a major character that its

character is fully developed by the author and need a deep introduction. This

character is capable of surprising in a convincing way (Forster, 1927, pp.

100-118).

Character is also related to the characterization. Characterization is the

representation of human actions, desires, features, intentions, and traits in the

novel and how the readers interpret the character (Martin, 2004, p. 10).

Characterization is used to see how the author describes a character. In

describing the character, the author can use direct or indirect characterization.

Direct characterization is used when the author explains the character

specifically. The author reveals the character’s traits directly and

straightforward. Meanwhile, indirect characterization is used when the author

describes the personality of a character through his/her actions, behavior,

speeches, and appearance toward various situations and conditions.

According to Murphy, there are many ways to understand the

character through characterization (Murphy, 1972, pp. 161-173). This section

explains all possible ways that are commonly used to understand the

character,

a. Personal description

In personal description, the author usually describes the character

through its physical appearance such as clothes. The author also can tell the

details; the skin, eyes, body, face. Through this description, readers can

develop the imagination of the character (Murphy, 1972, p. 161).


11

b. Character as seen by another

The author is describing the character through another character’s

eyes and opinion. The other character sees and judges the image conveyed by

the character (Murphy, 1972, p. 162).

c. Speech

The character is described in the book though what that person says.

The readers may know the character through the conversation with others or

whenever he/she speaks (Murphy, 1972, p. 164).

d. Past life

The author is letting the readers learn about the past life of the

character. The past life can shape a person’s character. It can be revealed

through the author, the person’s thoughts, the conversation, and another

character’s thought (Murphy, 1972, p. 166).

e. Conversation of others

A person’s character can be explained by letting the readers know

about what other character think about the character. People talk about other

people and give a clue about the person’s character (Murphy, 1972, p. 167).

f. Reactions

By giving some situations to the character and the readers may see

how the character reacts to various situations and events. The hints are


12

delivered through the reaction whenever the character faces some

circumstances (Murphy, 1972, p. 168).

g. Direct comment

The author tells the readers about a person’s character directly, this

means that the author gives direct explanation about the character’s

personality without any medium (Murphy, 1972, p. 170).

h. Thoughts

The readers are given the privilege to know about what a person is

thinking about. Therefore, the readers may know about a person’s character

through what the character is thinking (Murphy, 1972, p. 171).

i. Mannerisms

The author describes a person’s character through his/her manner,

habits, and idiosyncrasies that can lead the readers to know something about

the character (Murphy, 1972, p. 173).

There are many ways to describe a person’s character.

Characterization and character is always contiguous. Therefore, from the

theories of character and characterization, the personality of the character can

be seen by analyzing whether it is indirect or direct characterization and

points of ways of characterization by Murphy that have already been

explained above.


13

2. Theory of Tragedy

The second theory that used is theory of tragedy. There are many

stories that contain the theme of tragedy, such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth,

and Oedipus Rex. Tragedy is a common term in literature, especially in

drama. Defined by Aristotle in Ross, tragedy is an imitation of a complete

action and an imitation of incidents arousing pity and fear (Ross, 1959, p.

277). It means, in a tragedy story, there is a change from happiness to

unhappiness or called reversal of fortune. The tragedy happens when the

character experiences things that never expected before that arousing pity

toward the character. In tragedy, the character holds a great responsibility and

must make a big decision that ultimately endangers himself. Meanwhile,

Aristotle in Abrams stated that tragedy is the imitation of an action that is

serious, as having magnitude, complete in itself (Abrams, 1999, p. 321). The

character in tragedy is often committed serious crime or did something

terrible without realizing its consequence.

There are two kinds of tragedy which are modern and classical

tragedy. Classical tragedy developed from the ancient Greek dramatists such

as Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides (Abrams, 1999, p. 322). On the other

hand, modern tragedy is the form written and performed today such as Arthur

Miller’s The Death of Salesman (1949).

A tragedy is connected to other aspects in the story, such as plot and

character. In tragedy, plot of the story must be followed because it connects

the whole story (Aristotle, 1996, p. 36). The plot connects the beginning,


14

middle, and the end which in tragedy, it can change from good fortune to bad

fortune or viceversa. Character in the tragedy specifies as someone with good

moral that they finally should be changed into someone with bad moral

unnecessarily (Aristotle, 1996, p. 43).

Severus Snape is a complex character among others. According to the

theory, Snape has a bad luck when he is actually a good person. His life plot

lead him to misfortune and misunderstanding. This is why the writer uses

theory of tragedy in analyzing the character.

3. Theory of Tragic Hero

Heroes or heroines are usually become the center of the story as the

major character. Novels have three types of heroes, traditional hero, comic

hero, and tragic hero (Murphy, 1972, p. 157). This study discusses theory of

tragic hero. Therefore, theory that will be used is theory of tragic hero. In

Murphy, tragic hero is a person with outstanding characteristic that live in

peace and has respect for others. However, due to his/her little flaw, force

him/her into the bad and tragic ending (Murphy, 1972, p. 159).

A character in literary works can be categorized as tragic hero based

on these characteristics:

a. Hamartia/tragic flaws

Hamartia is usually called tragic flaws. This is something that rarely

noticed by the character which leads him/her into the tragic ending in the end

of the story (Aristotle, 1996, p. 33).


15

b. Hubris/excessive pride

The character mostly known as someone who has higher position in

the society he/she lives in. Therefore, the pride over them is too much which

makes him/her feels superior to others.

c. Fate must be greater that deserved

Due to the character’s great personality, its fate should be greater or

happier than being tragic.

d. Peripeteia/the reversal of fortune

Peripeteia is something that shocking the readers. It happens because

the character who has the tragic fate reveals something (a secret) about

him/her or something he/she doesn’t know about is finally known by the

whole characters (Aristotle, 1996, p. 30).

e. Anagnorisis/the realization of something about himself

Anagnorisis is usually happen because the character realizes

something about him/her. It can be his/her flaws, mistakes, and something

bad that he/she did in the past or something that will happen in the future

because of his/her actions. Due to this realization, the character will do

something to hamper the bad things that will happen next (Aristotle, 1996, p.

30).


16

f. Chatarsis/evokes readers’ pity and empathy

This point is taken from the readers’ point of view. The tragic ending

of the character arouse the readers’ pity and empathy because in the end, the

truth is revealed and sometimes it describes that the character doesn’t deserve

the bad ending (Aristotle, 1996, p. 37).

These 6 characteristics are the most common and popular about tragic

hero that is defined by Aristotle. Those characteristics lead the character into

his/her tragic ending. Other characteristics of tragic hero is evoking the

reader’s pity because this character usually has a good behavior yet bad

ending. However, it can evoke the terror because it also has the dark side or

his or her behavior are difficult to understand by other characters. This dark

side (hamartia) is leading ‘that’ character into the downfall.

C. Theoretical Framework

This section summarizes how the theories are used to analyze and to

answer the research questions. This study is analyzing what Severus Snape’s

character are and how Severus Snape is categorized as tragic hero in the

Harry Potter series.

The theory of character and characterization will be used to answer

question number one, which is the description of character of Severus Snape

in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Theory of character and

characterization can be used to analyze about Snape’s actions and speech in

the two novels. Character is the player who does the action, while

characterization is the devices to analyze the character through its actions and


17

speeches. Therefore, the revelation of Severus Snape’s character will be

explained with the help of theory of characterization.

Furthermore, the second question is answered by the theory of tragic

hero. In Aristotle’s definition of tragic hero, this hero has six characteristics,

which are hamartia or tragic flaws, anagnorisis or the realization of something

about himself, hubris or excessive pride, catharsis or evokes readers’ pity and

empathy, peripeteia or the reversal of fortune and fate must be greater than

deserved. The character of Severus Snape will also be analyzed using the

theory of tragic hero to know that he fits the tragic hero characteristics.


18

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter provides a detail description of the methodology

employed in this research. The methodology covers object of the study, the

approach that will be used, and the method.

A. Object of the Study

This present research deals with the famous and popular fantasy series

by J.K. Rowling, which is Harry Potter. All the series of Harry Potter are used

in this study.

The first book was released on 26 June 1997. Since the first book,

Harry Potter has found its popularity worldwide. Harry Potter was able to

gain children and teenager’s attention. As a modern literature, people all over

the world had gone crazy over the books and making it into the most popular

book and also best-seller worldwide. The story of Harry Potter had brought

the readers into the imagination world filled with wizards and magic. Harry

Potter has many genres, including romance, friendships, drama, fantasy, and

horror. It can be called a complete book with many complex characters

involved. Rowling is successful to gain all the attention through her books.

She can create an imaginary world beautifully in the unity of words.


19

On the other hand, the last book was released on 27 July 2007 as the

last series of Harry Potter. It holds the Guinness World Record for most

novels sold within 24 hours of release, with 8.3 million sold in the US alone

and 2.65 million in the UK. This last book becomes the real struggle of Harry

Potter finding Horcruxes and killing his one and only enemy, Voldemort, and

also the revelation of truth about Severus Snape who turns out to be someone

who cares about Harry Potter and hide something about his past.

Harry Potter series are chosen because Severus Snape is the most

complex and complicated character. The traits of tragic hero will be easier to

find if the writer uses all the books of Harry Potter series because all the

books are in connection. It helps the writer to analyze Severus Snape based

on his actions and words that are shown during Harry Potter’s journey.

B. Approach of the Study

In doing the analysis, the writer uses structuralism approach in order

to analyze the tragedy of the focused character, which is Severus Snape.

Structuralism helps to reveal the characteristics of tragic hero within the

character. Barry states that structuralism implies that things cannot be stand

for itself without support from the other elements outside or larger aspects

they are part of (Barry, 2009, p. 38). On the other words, the essences of that


20

things are not from the inside or the core only yet from outside. It can be said

that the characteristics of a character in the story can be

influenced by its surroundings such as theme, author’s life, spiritual things,

meaning, etc. Structuralism used in this study is connecting the elements of

the literary work in constructing the life story of the character.

A literary work is something considered as the relationship between

the author and the reader where they can share emotions, ideas, and truth

(Bressler, 1999, p. 95). Structuralism connects the intrinsic or the core of

literary works with its extra-textual features. Structuralism is used because

the research paper is going to discuss the character as the tragic hero in the

novel (Harry Potter series) with a combination of the aspects of literary work

and the author’s life.

C. Method of the Study

The writer applied a library research as the method of the study. The

writer was collecting data by reading some books that were relevant with the

topic. There were three main sources that are used to support this present

research. The primary resources were the Harry Potter book. The secondary

resources were taken from books from the library. The third resources were

taken by gathering information from internet browsing.

In doing the analysis, the writer took a few steps. The first was

choosing and reading the books that were going to be analyzed and

interpreted the focused character. After reading the books, the writer found


21

the traits of tragic hero in the character. By finding the traits, the writer was

interested to analyze the character.

The second was choosing the topic and problem formulation. The

third was gathering and reading the possible resources about the approach,

which was structuralism, and the theories, which were theory of tragic hero,

theory of tragic hero, and theory of character and characterization, that were

going to be used in order to support the analysis. The theory of character and

characterization is used to analyze the character. The theory of tragedy and

tragic hero are used to analyze how the character fulfills the traits of tragedy

drama and tragic hero. The approach is used to analyze the structure of the

story and find the connection between the character and the author’s life (the

outside aspect).

The fourth was analyzing the focused character and its connection to

the whole work using the related theories and approach. After analyzing the

character, the tragedy of the character was finally found within the character

with the support from his past life and surroundings. The last step was

making the conclusion based on the analysis that had been done before. The

conclusion summed up the information from the introduction until the

analysis.


22

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

Rowling’s Harry Potter series had been popular since the first book

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was released in 1997. The center of

the Harry Potter universe is Harry Potter’s struggle and journey against Lord

Voldemort, a dark wizard who is trying to conquer both wizarding and non-

wizarding world and becoming immortal. Many characters with theirs unique

characteristics pop out. Severus Snape is one of the characters that well-

known for. He is known as a master of potions, the enemy of Harry Potter’s

father, a death eater and Dumbledore’s henchman. This research focuses on

Severus Snape and his tragic ending so that he can be called tragic hero using

structuralism approach and theory of tragic hero by Aristotle. This chapter

discusses the analysis and the answer of the problem formulation. The first

part discusses the characteristics of Severus Snape. The last part analyzes

Severus Snape character that fits as tragic hero.

A. The Description of Severus Snape Presented in Harry Potter Series

Severus Snape is one of the fictional characters made by J.K. Rowling

in Harry Potter series. The portrait of Severus Snape is taken from Rowling’s

former chemistry teacher when she was 9. The former head of science at

Wyedean School became the inspiration in building Severus Snape. Snape is

one of the round characters in the story due to his complexity. Snape is a


23

professor in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a magic school.

Since the beginning of the story, Snape is someone who hates Harry Potter

and his friends due to Potter’s resemblances to his father, James Potter, who

bullied him when they were students at Hogwarts. Losing his only love, Lily

Evans, also makes him look more miserable. Snape’s mistake takes him to the

character that is mysterious and forces him to be a double agent for both

Voldemort and Dumbledore.

The characteristics of Severus Snape are mentioned repeatedly in

Harry Potter series. His character is more complicated and full of mystery due

to his personality. He appears since the first book, Harry Potter and the

Philosopher’s Stone. However, he mostly appeared in the sixth and seventh

book because the true identity about him, his past life and sacrifices, will be

revealed. It all started when the character of Snape who is evil in the

beginning turned out to be a hero and have an unrequited love with Potter’s

mother, Lily Evans. Those characteristics are divided into two specifics

discussion. The first is his outward and physical appearances and the second

is his personality.

1. Outward and Physical Appearances

The first discussion about Severus Snape is his outward and physical

appearances as seen through Harry Potter series, from the first book until the

last book. However, not every book has the explanation about Snape’s

physical traits and the potrayal of Severus Snape is consistent since he was a

kid.


24

As a kid, his appearance was different form the other kids. He has a

shoulder-length black hair, his small body was covered with a shabby and

overlarge coat which might belonged to a grown man, and has a sallow skin

(Rowling, 2007, p. 663). This depiction appeared when Severus Snape met

Lily Evans for the first time. The things that made him different from the

other kids was his outward appearances which had already worn-out made

him looked like a child without being well taken care of. His characteristics is

described from the personal description given by the author.

Snape grew up without any different than before. Snape’s appearance

in the first book was seen when Harry Potter was being sorted into Gryffindor

House in Sorting Ceremony. Harry looked at his new teachers and spotted

that Professor Quirell was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a

hooked nose, and sallow skin. (Rowling, 1997, p.126). This description is

also supported by Percy, the prefect or the leader of Gryffindor House. “Oh,

you know Quirell already, do you? No wonder he’s looking nervous, that’s

Professor Snape” (Rowling, 1997, p. 126). A pale and sallow skin did not

describe the warmness of Severus Snape. His greasy hair made him look like

someone who did not care much about his appearance that made his hair

looked oily and dirty. Rowling describes Snape’s physical appearance using

Harry Potter’s opinion. In Murphy’s theory of character, it is called character

seen by another, it means the author describing the character through another

character’s eyes and opinion.


25

Another Severus Snape’s physical trait can be seen from the personal

description, given by the author. In the sixth book, Rowling illustrates

Severus Snape when Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange came to

Spinner’s End which was known as Severus Snape’s house. Severus Snape

was portrayed as a silver man with long black hair and a sallow face and

black eyes (Rowling, 2005 p. 27). Snape’s dark appearance comes along with

his room’s description. His room surrounded with a dark padded cell and

books which most of them bound in old black and brown leathers, with an old

arm chair (Rowling, 2005, pp. 27-28). His room was illustrated as a gloomy

room with dim light and old properties. The place seemed to be lack of air

and felt stuffy, as though it were not inhabited. The author characterized

Severus Snape as mysterious person and seemed like he shielded himself

from his true intentions.

The same description was also given in the fourth book. Snape’s body

parts that were given most attention were his face, nose, and hair. Due to his

unique body-shape, his sallow face, hooked-nose, and greasy black hair

(Rowling, 2000, p. 175) became the special features of Severus Snape that

made him different from the other characters. Severus Snape is also described

as someone who had a soft voice as explained in the fourth book (Rowling ,

2000, p. 276). Having a soft voice meant that Severus Snape had such an

calm character. His soft voice and low tone indicated his cold personality

came along with his mysterious appearance. His appearance is mostly


26

described through personal description as explained by the author and how

the other characters see him as an individual.

From the explanation above, the potrayal of Severus Snape is related

to darkness, coldness, and mystery. To sum up, his appearances are pale and

sallow, covered in black and overlong bat-like coat, greasy hair and shadowy

personality. In order to complete his coldness, he has a soft and low tone

voice.

2. Personality

Among characters in Harry Potter universe, Severus Snape is the most

complex and complicated character. Snape’s tangled past life affects him in

making decisions and taking actions. Since the first book, his personality is

even depicted generally as someone who is bitter, coldly sarcastic,

vindinctive, and mean. However, Snape also owns other positive qualities,

such as brave, loyal, and trustworthy. His character develops in line with the

story.

a. Being Sarcastic

Severus Snape may be remembered as a teacher who is sarcastic to

everyone. Being sarcastic is truly Snape’s forte. His sarcastic comments keep

Harry Potter in distant and even hate him without realizing Snape’s true

identity. The first meeting of Snape and Harry Potter happened in Potions’

class and Snape started being sarcastic to Harry Potter, “Ah, yes,” he said

softly, “Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity” (Rowling, 1997, p. 136). Severus


27

Snape sarcastically mentioned that Harry Potter was the new celebrity in

Hogwarts. Celebrity is referring to Harry Potter’s reputation as the boy who

lived, the one who survived the Dark Lord or Voldemort’s aggression. The

word celebrity shows his hatred toward Harry Potter’s father. Therefore, he

treated Harry Potter in a bad way. Snape’s speech helps the readers to take a

conclusion that he is a sarcastic person.

Severus Snape is also being sarcatic to his students, especially to

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. It occured when

Professor Snape replaced Professor Lupin in Dark Arts class due to Professor

Lupin’s illness (Rowling, 1999b, p. 170). Snape was giving questions to the

students about werewolf and the class remained silent, except Hermione

(Rowling, 1999b, p.171). Hermione answered the questions because no one

could, however, Snape with his superior tone said,

That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger,”

said Snape coolly. “Five more points from Gryffindor for being an

insufferable know-it-all.” (Rowling, 1999b, p. 172)

Hermione was being judged to be someone who knew everything and

arrogant. Insufferable is referring to Hermione’s enthusiasm to answer the

question and it iritates Snape. It showed that Snape was never like someone

who was curious. His way of speech describes himself as a sarcastic person.

In the sixth book, Severus Snape’s personality was still consistently

sarcastic. Since the first book Harry Potter was being called as ‘the Chosen

One’, meaning that he was the one who survived from the killing curse Avada

Kedavra that being done by Voldemort. Despite Harry’s special nickname


28

was great, it did not make Snape directly adore him. Due to his hatred toward

Harry Potter, Snape often made a detention for Harry, he did not even care of

Harry as the Chosen One. He said he did not take cheek from anyone, not

even ‘the Chosen One’ (Rowling, 2005, p.180). Snape bluntly stated his

dislike to Harry Potter. The way Snape said ‘the chosen one’ was really

sarcastic, even Rowling wrote it in italic font in order to make the readers

knew the stress. In this sentence, Snape was meant to mock and humiliate

Harry. Using Harry’s nickname, Snape was clearly offending Harry. Being

sarcastic was usually used to saying the opposite of what was actually meant.

For other people, ‘the chosen one’ might sound great. However, Snape really

did take it as something to mock. Snape’s way of speech had described his

own character.

Sarcasm towards other people could be regarded as cruel. However,

this was unwritten in Snape’s dictionary. His sarcasm reappeared in the fifth

book when he mocked Sirius Black, Harry Potter’s godfather and a friend of

James Potter. Snape taunted him using Sirius’ forced inactivity. “I am in

rather a hurry, Black . . . unlike you, I do not have unlimited leisure time. . . .”

(Rowling, 2003, p. 519). Sirius was one of the bullies who bullied Severus

Snape when he was a kid. No wonder that the relationship between the two

was not good. Sirius was once a prisoner who had escaped. Therefore, he was

usually hiding in his family house called Grimmauld Place number 12 and did

not have activity except to make sure Harry’s safety. Due to Sirius’ inactivity,

Snape with his sarcastic tone indirectly said he did not have much time to


29

relax as Sirius did. Snape was trying to humiliate Sirius and saying that he

was a busy person who had countless activities. His character which is

sarcastic often described by his own words and the way he speeches toward

other characters.

b. Being Cruel and Mean

Another Snape’s personality is cruel and mean. These characteristics

occur due to the bitterness life Snape had experienced since his childhood. He

was born from a Muggle-born father or non-wizard human being, named

Tobias Snape and a witch mother named Eileen Prince. His father tended to

hate a wizard and magic-things-related (Rowling, 2007, p. 667). It is

explained in the seventh book which means J.K. Rowling let the readers

know about Snape’s past life.

His cruelty toward a Muggle-being can be seen how he treated

Petunia, Lily’s sister who could not do magic. “Wouldn’t spy on you,

anyway,” he added spitefully, “you’re a Muggle.” (Rowling, 2007, p. 665). In

the seventh book, the word ‘you’ is typed using italic referring to Snape’s

suppression toward another person who did not equal to him, in this case is a

muggle-born. His cruelty was born within him. He thought that Muggle had

lower social status and did not even equal to those who were born as a

wizard. Therefore, he looked down at Lily’s sister, a Muggle-born. J.K.

Rowling describes Snape’s characteristics using his past life and how he talk

to other characters.


30

Becoming target of bully was never be a pleasant memories to Snape.

During his school time in Hogwarts, he was bullied by James Potter, who was

Harry Potter’s father. Their first meeting was in compartment inside the train

to Hogwarts, arguing about Houses they wanted to be sorted into. Snape

chose to be a Slytherin, a House that filled with pure-blood wizards. On the

other hand, James prefered Gryffindor, a House symbolized a brave heart

(Rowling, 2007, p. 671).

‘Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!’ Like my dad.”Snape

made a small, disparaging noise. James turned on him. “Got a problem

with that?” “No,” said Snape, though his slight sneer said otherwise.

“If you’d rather be brawny than brainy — (Rowling, 2007, pp. 671-

672).

Snape was mocking James that Gryffindor just a bunch of people who were

stubborn while Slytherin were a group of clever students. He was giving a

slight sneer, meaning that someone who disagreed with him deserved to be

pouted. In this case, Snape still felt superior toward others. In Murphy’s

theory of character, how Snape reacts to the situation given by the author is

the proof of Snape’s rudeness.

His hatred for James grew bigger when Lily prefered James Potter

over him. Due to his jealousy and grudge toward James Potter, Severus Snape

was being rude to Harry Potter as well. His bitterness was more like

reciprocation of bullying he would not forget. In the third book, Snape clearly

stated the similarity between Harry Potter and his father, which was

exceedingly arrogant and this resemblances was uncanny (Rowling, 1999b, p.

284). Snape’s past life really affected in many ways. He treated Harry with


31

hatred due to his bitter past life. In this case, Snape was truly mean to Harry

just because of the similarities between Harry and his father, he assumed his

nature was the same as his father without thinking about other factors. His

ignorance made him seem cruel and mean. How he described Harry Potter’s

behavior is directing to how the author illustrates Snape’s character which is

using his past life. The past life can shape a person’s character and because he

held grudge toward James Potter, it affected how he treated Harry Potter.

Being rude was really Snape’s expertise by using offensive words to

Harry Potter. He was never terribly fond of Harry Potter. “To me, Potter, you

are nothing but a nasty little boy who considers rules to be beneath him”

(Rowling, 2000, p. 516). The word ‘nasty’ is one of cursed words using by

Severus Snape in front of Harry Potter. This word describes how Snape was

irritated with Harry Potter and he also humiliated him by comparing him to

nothingness. In Murphy’s theory, the author describes Snape’s character

using his speech and diction. Words chosen by Snape pointed that he was

cruel and mean.

Degrading others seems to indeed be a hobby of Severus Snape.

Humiliated someone was considered as something mean. However, it became

Snape’s favorite things to do, even to his students. In the second book,

chapter 11, Snape humiliated Neville Longbottom by saying that he caused

devastation even with the simplest spells (Rowling, 1999a, p. 193). Neville

was one of Harry’s friends. He was described as someone who was very

lacking in academics and often had difficulty in class that made him unlucky


32

and sometimes caused facilities and infrastructure’s damage. Due to his

shortcomings, Snape considers himself inferior and did not deserve a duel

because Snape was feared that Neville might cause damage to the

surroundings. His diction and speech seemed always described him and his

nature which was cruel and mean. His cruelty was legit.

c. Being Brave

The lexical meaning of “brave” is having or showing mental or moral

strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty (Merriam-Webster). Another

meaning of “brave” is to deal with an unpleasant or difficult situation

(Cambridge Dictionary). According to the definition of brave, bravery needs

someone who is mentally strong and confident to face a very hard situation.

Snape’s positive personality is brave. He was willing to do something

dangerous in order to compensate for his sins.

Snape’s bravery was evident through his actions and decisions when

he chose to be a double agent which was continuously motivated by his love

for Lily Evans, Harry Potter’s mother. His choice forced him to be brave and

took every risk that came to him. In the seventh book, he protested toward

Dumbledore for being putting himself in a mortal danger due to

Dumbledore’s command (Rowling, 2007, p. 687). Snape told Dumbledore

that he put himself in mortal danger, meant that he had sacrificed himself to

be a spy for Dumbledore and endanger himself all this time. According to the

lexical meaning of brave that brave means willing to do something dangerous

with full awareness. Thus, it could be said that Snape dared to choose to


33

endanger himself for the sake of his love for Lily. Snape wanted to live an

undercover living as a double agent so that Harry would be safe. His bravery

is decribed by Rowling through his speech. How he worried about himself

and what he had been through show that he was braver than anybody.

In the end of the story, Harry also admitted that Snape was a brave

person.

Albus Severus, you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts.

One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I

ever knew (Rowling, 2007, p. 758).

The epiloque scene depicted Harry’s son was afraid to be sorted into

Slytherin and Harry told his son that he was named after one of Hogwarts'

bravest headmasters who was a Slytherin and it was referring to Severus

Snape. Harry had finally found out that Snape did all the things he could to

save him and proved his love to Harry’s mother even though it risked

anything Snape had. Snape was even willing to betray Voldemort, the ruler of

darkness. It was insanely brave of him to double cross the Dark Lord. Snape

character is described used character as seen by another. Through Harry’s

opinion, Snape was the bravest among other people he knew.

Severus Snape was always facing difficult situation in order to hide

his true identity. His colleagues knew him as someone who supported the

Dark Lord, while he was actually working for Dumbledore. In the fifth book,

Snape tried to deceive Umbridge Dolores, someone who tried to control

Hogwarts due to misunderstanding of Dumbledore so that the Ministry of

Magic sent Umbridge to take control. When Umbridge asked for a


34

Veritaserum, a potion to force someone to tell the truth. From the beginning,

Snape was never fond of Umbridge and how she controlled all the things

inside the school. Therefore, he deceived Umbridge by giving her a fake

veritaserum (Rowling, 2003, p. 833). His action considered as brave because

deceiving Umbridge also took a serious mental courage in order to not being

found out by the Ministry and other Death Eaters. His character is seen

through his reaction and how he deals with something difficult.

Another brave action done by Severus Snape was when he killed

Dumbledore with his own hands (Rowling, 2005, p. 596) even though

Dumbledore himself asked Snape to kill him because Dumbledore had a year

to live. Dumbledore was using a ring known as Horcrux or something cursed

that was made by Voldemort (Rowling, 2007, p. 681). Dumbledore made

Snape promise to carry out whatever the mission was, even to kill

Dumbledore (Rowling, 2007, p. 685). Killing someone who was close really

needed a big amount of bravery and courage and it just could be done by

someone who had a big heart and very dauntless. His bravery was being kept

until the end of the story and finally found out by Harry by seeing

Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him himself inside Snape’s memory. His

choice to be courageous was due to his guilty feeling toward Harry and his

mother, Lily. Therefore, it could be said that his past life shaped him into the

character he is now.


35

d. Being Loyal and Trustworthy

Snape’s true loyalty is one of the most significant matters in the Harry

Potter series. There is such a contradiction that Snape seems loyal to

Voldemort and Dumbledore. Many readers assume that Snape is loyal to

Voldemort, it might be true and might be not. Snape was a clever man who

played his role very well.

He was a Death Eater, since the propechy was made. Snape

eavesdropped the propechy and he was the one who delivered it to Voldemort

(Rowling, 2005, p.545). His past life which was dark and lack of loves

affected his choice, which made him became a Death Eater. Becoming a

Death Eater was his choice, even since he was kid. Lily Evans realized that

Severus Snape was attracted witht the dark arts and he even be friends with

other Death Eaters from pure-blood family and Slytherin’s progeny (Rowling,

2007, p. 675). Lily hated him for being rude and did not like him on

becoming a death eater. Lily Evans was the proof that Snape had been

changed into different person who interested in dark magic. His interesting in

dark magic was similar to Voldemort. It made sense that he was really grew

up in a dark environment that made him into a loyal death eater for

Voldemort even though his loyalty was changed because of the prophecy he

delivered to.

Snape managed to make Voldemort believed that he was loyal to him.

In the sixth book, chapter 2, Narcissa Malfoy came to Snape’s house in

Spinner’s End to ask for help. It become the evidence that Voldemort trusted


36

him. “The Dark Lord trusts him, doesn’t he?” (Rowling, 2005, p.21). In order

to make Voldemort believe him, he delivered the propechy. Because of

Snape, Voldemort knew that someone who might kill him was born.

Conveying the propechy could be the evidence that Snape wanted Voldemort

to be the ruler of the wizarding world. This is the fact that Snape was once

loyal to Voldemort. On the other hand, Snape was also working for

Dumbledore. His loyalty to Dumbledore seen in,

I have spied for you and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for

you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potter’s son safe

(Rowling, 2007, p. 678).

Snape said that he have spied for Dumbledore. It means that he was working

for Dumbledore to protect Harry. In the last book, Harry Potter was finally

knew that Snape was on Dumbledore’s side. When he finally faced

Voldemort in the last book, Voldemort thought that Snape was loyal to him.

However, Harry said that Snape was never Voldemort’s servant after the

propechy, but Dumbledore’s. Voldemort did not realize and understand that

Snape betrayed and spied on him (Rowling, 2007, p. 740).

From those evidences, the fact that Snape was loyal to Dumbledore

could not be ignored. Harry’s explanation clarified that Voldemort mistook

Snape for being his servant. The fact was Snape risked his life in order to

protect him and become a spy for Dumbledore to defeat Voldemort. Snape’s

loyalty explains by Rowling through another character’s speech who

describes indirectly that Snape was loyal and trustworthy, from both sides.

Other Death Eaters believed that Snape was also a loyal Death Eater.


37

Meanwhile, Harry knew that Snape was also working for Dumbledore against

Voldemort since her mother dead.

B. Severus Snape as the Tragic Hero

A tragic hero must have several characteristics. As stated in Poetics by

Aristotle, tragic hero has six categories that must be filled. These

characteristics are mostly found out in the sixth and seventh book because

Severus Snape’s true identity will be known. Although the sixth and seventh

book are most important, other books will complete the discussion by giving

another supporting statement. This discussion will discuss Severus Snape fits

as a tragic hero.

1. Having an Unrealized Mistake or Tragic Flaw (Hamartia)

Hamartia is derived from Greek term, hamartanein, which means “ to

miss the mark”. This term is commonly used in classic tragedy, such as in

Oedipus Rex. Hamartia in classic theory of tragedy means tragic flaw.

Aristotle referring exclusively to intellectual errors—to ignorance and

mistakes of fact (Aristotle, 1996, p. 32). Tragic flaw or hamartia usually leads

to the downfall of the character. The character makes mistake out of

ignorance or without realization that finally lead him/her into the tragic

ending.

According to Aristotle, hamartia is done out of ignorance. In Severus

Snape’s case, his mistakes also happen because he did not realize what

happened after he made it. He has hamartia that affects his actions and

choices.


38

Snape’s hamartia is he overhearded the Lost Propechy by Sybill

Trelawney, a Seer, to Dumbledore, in Hog’s Head when she applied for a job

as Divination teacher. It is explained in the sixth book, Harry Potter and the

Half-Blood Prince, chapter 25,

Yes, there was a commotion outside the door and it flew open, and

there was that rather uncouth barman standing with Snape, who was

waffling about having come the wrong way up the stairs, although I’m

afraid that I myself rather thought he had been apprehended

eavesdropping on my interview with Dumbledore — (Rowling, 2005,

p. 545).

Sybill Trelawney realized that Snape was there outside the door when she

delivered the propechy to Albus Dumbledore. The Propechy was called The

Lost Propechy told about Voldemort’s destiny and the one who could

vanquish him and ended the dark time reign. The propechy mentioned about

the child that would born in the end of July whose father and mother had been

facing Voldemort three times and the boy was the one who could defeat

Voldemort (Rowling, 2003, p. 841).

Snape at that time was a Death Eater or Voldemort’s follower. After

he heard about the propechy, he foretold Voldemort about the birth of a boy

whose parents defeated him and marked to be Voldemort’s equal.

Snape!” he said, very loudly, and Fawkes gave a soft squawk behind

them. “Snape’s what’s happened! He told Voldemort about the

prophecy, it was him, he listened outside the door, Trelawney told me!

(Rowling, 2005, p. 548)

Snape is telling Voldemort about the prophecy is becoming the main hamartia

that makes Snape becomes the tragic hero in the Harry Potter series. The very


39

first mistake that Snape made was that there were two boys born in the end of

July, who were Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, and one of them was

the child of Lily, the one and only person that Snape loved. Snape also did

not realize that he only heard the first part of the prophecy, therefore, he

could not warn Voldemort about the risk after attacking ‘the boy’.

Dumbledore himself explained to Harry that Snapewas heard only the first

part and Snape could not warn Voldemort that to attack Harry would be risk

transferring power from Voldemort to Harry and Voldemort did not know

that Harry would have ‘power the Dark Lord knows not’ (Rowling, 2003, p.

843).

In the sixth book, Dumbledore explains about the errors Severus

Snape had made. As Severus Snape delivered the propechy, he was still in

Lord Voldemort’s employ and Snape did not have the idea that Voldemort

would hunt Lily Evans and murdered her (Rowling, 2007, p. 549). However,

Severus Snape felt guilty that he tried to fix it,

You have no idea of the remorse Professor Snape felt when he

realized how Lord Voldemort had interpreted the prophecy, Harry. I

believe it to be the greatest regret of his life and the reason that he

returned — (Rowling, 2007, p. 549)

From the explanation above, Snape’s decision is a mistake which lead into a

tragic fate that Snape must fulfill. His ignorance and carelessness in making

decisions has changed his life which influences all aspects of his life and

future life choices.

Severus Snape’s complicated reason is difficult to understand. His

past life was very influential and shaped his personality to become the person


40

he is now. His childhood, which is described in the last book, had enlighten

the reader about Snape’s actions and decisions he made. His personality is

affected by his childhood. Growing up and living with his toxic parents made

him grew as a lonely kid with no love. Therefore, his personality tend to be

mean due to his experience as a mistreated kid. This personality made him

interested in a dark magic and joined the Death Eater which finally made him

live in misery and suffer caused by Lily’s death.

2. Proud of Himself (Hubris)

Hubris is one common form in Greek tragedies. According to Abrams,

hubris is the pride, overweening self-confidence owned by the character

which disregard a divine warning (Abrams, 1999, p. 322). Being too proud

can be hurtful to other person. Snape also has hubris or excessive pride over

himself. This quality makes him feel superior and always looks down on

others. it also makes him transform into a person who is full of sarcasm

because of the arrogance that exists in him. His past also influenced the

formation of this trait. Being a child who is always exposed to harassment

and bullying, affects his personality. Due to his position as a professor, he

wants everyone to respect him.

His hubris is he was too proud of being Slytherin students and

hanging out with the pure-blood family related. This pride led him to the fact

that his friendship with Lily must come the an end. “I don’t need help from

filthy little Mudbloods like her!” (Rowling, 2003, p.648). The words

Mudbloods was refering to Lily because she was born from Muggle (non


41

wizard) family. In Harry Potter series, the term Mudblood was really terrible

term and usually used among pure blood family. This was the first mistake

Snape ever made to Lily which made her angry.

Hubris is a fatal mistake that lead the charater into his downfall. Every

tragic hero has hubris as the trait. However, in Severus Snape’s case, his

hubris is not the major traits that lead him into his downfall, but rather a

minor trait.

3. Fate Must Be Greater Than Deserved

Tragic hero is the one who was actually a good person but has a bad

fortune or ending. Based on the characteristics he had, he was a loyal and

brave person, taking every risk that people did not want to and risking his life

for being double agent. He was respected by other teachers and students too,

even though he was also cruel and very coldly sarcastic. Due to his mistakes

about the propechy, he promised Dumbledore to take care of Harry and

always had his eyes on him, he was even saving Harry without other teacher’s

knowing even though he had his own way and ended up being misunderstood

by Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger because they thought that Snape

would have made danger for Harry (Rowling, 1997, p. 192).

Having such a great personality makes him deserves another fate. As a

spy, he would have wished that the ending of his life would be greater than he

deserved. Being a spy that had risked him and even cost himself his own life,

Snape must have hoped that his time as a spy would end if Harry won the

battle of Hogwarts. Snape wanted to be loyal to Dumbledore, paying his sin


42

towards Lily due to his deep love. His plan was pretending to be Voldemort’s

loyal servant and ended up with the victory of Harry in order to end

Voldemort’s dark reign and not being found out by Voldemort. It was turned

out that he finally dead killed by Nagini due to Voldemort’s

misunderstanding about the wand,

The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not

its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its

last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus,

the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine. (Rowling, 2007, p. 656).

Voldemort’s careless choice and misunderstanding have killed Severus

Snape. His fate was tragic because all of the things he had done during his life

were ended tragically. Therefore, Snape is suitable as tragic hero because his

fate is much worse than deserved.

4. Having a Reversal of Fortune (Peripeteia)

Hamartia can cause peripeteia. Peripeteia is derived from Greek term

means reversal. Peripeteia is the reversal of protagonist’s fortune leads to the

protagonist’s failure or destruction (Abrams, 1999, p. 227). Aristotle states

that peripeteia is a change to the opposite in the actions being performed

(Aristotle, 1996, p. 30). This means that there is a change in actions and

behavior that results from an error previously made.

Snape’s peripeteia is losing Lily because of mistake he made. He

delivered the propechy and ended losing Lily murdered by Voldemort. First,

he wanted to be a loyal servant to Voldemort by giving the propechy he

eavesdropped before. The fortune was not on his side. He did not know that


43

the propechy was about Lily’s son. His love for Lily was so great that he was

willing to do anything to make up for the mistake he made. His great love is

seen in the seventh book when Harry realized that Snape’s patronus was a

doe, the same as his mother’s because Snape loved her for nearly all of his

life and Snape did even ask Voldemort to spare Lily’s life in order to make

her safe (Rowling, 2007, p. 740). Snape, who was Voldemort's follower,

changed his mind after he knew that he made a mistake, by giving important

information to Voldemort about the propechy that caused the life of someone

he loved to be threatened. He was willing to do something dangerous to make

amends.

5. Realizing Something About himself (Anagnorisis)

Anagnorisis originally meant recognition in Greek context means that

is a change of ignorance to knowledge (Aristotle, 1996, p. 30). Recognition

reveals that, because things are not what they seemed, what a person has done

or is about to do is not what he thought it was (Aristotle, 1996, p. 30-31).

The realization can affect the good and bad fortune of the person involved.

Severus Snape’s anagnorisis is when he realized Voldemort’s

interpretation of the prophecy he told him about was causing the death of his

lover, Lily Evans, or Harry Potter’s mother.

But he did not know — he had no possible way of knowing— which

boy Voldemort would hunt from then onward, or that the parents he

would destroy in his murderous quest were people that Professor

Snape knew, that they were your mother and father —” (Rowling,

2005, 549).


44

The evidences stated that Snape deeply regretted his actions which resulted in

something bad. He realized the mistake he made so that he run to

Dumbledore, admitting his mistake and begged him to save Lily and her

child. Anagnorisis made Snape realized his own nature as someone who was

really cruel and careless. He also discovered how the situation got worst due

to his mistake. This realization affected Snape’s character, choices, and

actions for the rest of his life. His realization affects his personality of being

brave. Due to his guilt, he has a strong urge to make amends and motivates

him to make an insane decision as a double agent to help Dumbledore and

Harry.

6. Evoking the Reader’s Pity and Empathy (Catharsis)

Catharsis is effecting through pity and fear the purification [katharsis]

of such emotions (Aristotle,1996, p. 37). It means that the story line of a

character which has a tragic ending can affect the reader’s emotions.

Catharsis can be a combination of fear and pity. Fear and pity can come

continuously. The catharsis may appear after all the factors of tragic hero

have happened. Due to the tragic ending, the readers may gain pity toward the

character.

Because of snape’s tragic death, murdered by Nagini, Voldemort’s

snake due to Voldemort’s misunderstanding about the true owner of Elder

Wand (the strongest wand in the world). Voldemort thought that Snape was

the owner of the Elder Wand because he was the one who killed Dumbledore

who was the former owner of Elder Wand. The truth is, before Dumbledore’s


45

death, Dumbledore was disarmed by Draco Malfoy, and Malfoy was finally

disarmed by Harry Potter. Therefore, the rightful owner of the Elder Wand

was Harry Potter, and Voldemort did not know this. (Rowling, 2007, 743).

Catharsis is taken from the reader’s perspective, in this case, using the

researcher’s interpretation. Seeing Snape’s miserable-pitiful life and full of

hypocrisies make the researcher feels grateful and Snape’s pain can raise the

highest feeling of pity. All this traits lead Snape to do the most difficult tasks

which was being double agent and resulting to his death. After knowing

Snape’s true identity, how he saved Harry from the beginning, and how he

truly deeply loved Harry’s mother, all the pitiful reason behind Snape’s true

identity evoke the readers’ pity and emphaty, and also fear.


46

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

The analysis of Severus Snape is focused on his characters and traits

in Harry Potter series as a tragic hero. As defined by Aristotle, tragic hero is

someone who has a tragic ending due to his own mistakes. In studying the

character, the writer is using the theory of character and characterization by

Murphy to analyze Severus Snape’s character as portrayed in the story. The

theory of tragedy and tragic hero are used especially to analyze Severus

Snape as the tragic hero in the Harry Potter series.

Severus Snape is a professor in Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and

Wizardry as a Master of Potions. He is described as a person whose

appearances is distinctive. His greasy black shoulder-length hair, a hooked

nose, a sallow skin, and an overgrown black cloak become his trademark.

Severus Snape is known for his dislike toward Harry Potter and his friends,

unrequited love with Lily Evans, and someone who has a relation with the

Dark Lord. However, he has a great personality that make him worth which

are very brave, loyal, and trustworthy even though he is also coldly sarcastic,

cruel, and mean toward almost everyone.

The analysis proves that Severus Snape fits the classic tragic hero as

defined by Aristotle (1996). Snape is someone who has a noble position in


47

Hogwarts as a professor who is respected by the students. However, he has

done something unforgiveable by eavedropping the propechy of the boy who

may kill Voldemort and delivering that propechy to Voldemort in order to

become the most trustful servant. He does not realize that Voldemort’s

interpretation is directing to the death of his one and only love, Lily Evans

who is Harry Potter’s mother. He asks Voldemort to spare her life, but

Voldemort doesn’t want to listen. This mistake called hamartia or tragic flaw,

one of the traits of tragic hero.

The consequences of giving Voldemort a precious information is he

becomes a double agent, an agreement between Snape and Dumbledore, in

order to protect Harry Potter from Voldemort. Despite his duty to make sure

Harry’s safety, he is cruel and mean toward Harry Potter due to his

resemblance to his father, who bully Severus Snape when he was a student.

His hatred is showed whenever he treats Harry Potter badly.

In Greek tragedy, hubris is a common form for tragic hero. Severus

Snape also has an overwheening pride. . He was a Slytherin and he doesn’t

like someone who is not in the same level. This terrible personality become

another trait that lead him into the downfall.

Tragic hero is a good person indeed with a bad fortune. Snape has a

great personality. He is brave to take risk for the rest of his life by becoming a

double agent in order to protect Harry and take responsibility of Lily’s death.

By protecting Harry, his plan is to end the dark reign of Voldemort even


48

though in the end of the story he is killed by Nagini, Voldemort’s snake. This

tragic ending evokes the pity and empathy toward Severus Snape and also

that he deserves a greater fate due to his great personality and willingness to

do something dangerous.

Other traits of tragic hero is the realization and reversal of his fortune.

Snape realizes that his mistakes is causing the death of Lily Evans. Losing

Lily makes him in misery. Due to his deep love to Lily, he is willing to betray

Voldemort and working for Dumbledore. All the things he has done is the

representation of his love for Lily.

Despite his deep love and great personality, his unrealized mistake

leads him into the tragic ending of his life. He has to pay for his sin and live

in misery due to his mistake about the propechy. In the end, he has to die by

Nagini’s poisonous bite because of Voldemort’s misunderstanding about the

wand and loses everything he has fight for.


49

REFERENCES

Abrams, M.H.(1999). A Glossary of Literary Terms: Seventh Edition.Boston:

Heinle&Heinle.

Aristotle.(1996). Poetics.London: Penguin Books.

Barry, Peter. (2009). Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural

Theory Third Edition. New York: Manchester University Press.

Bressler, Charles E. (1999). Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and

Practice.New Jersey:Prentce-Hall

Broto, Cosmas Andi Irianto.(2008). Michael as a Modern Tragic Hero of

Wordsworth’s “Michael”: An Application of the Theory of Modern Tragedy

(Undergraduate Thesis). Universitas Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta.

Forster, E.M. (1927). Aspects of the Novel. New York: Harcourt, Brace and

Company.

Gustafsson, Emma. (2016). Severus Snape: The Complexity and Unconventional

Heroism of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter Books (Journal). Karlstad:

Karlstads Universitet.

Mahmud, Asep S.S., M.Pd. (2017). The Character Study of Severus Snape in J.K.

Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Journal). Retrieved from

http://journal.stbatechnocrat.ac.id/?p=62.

Martin, Patrick B.A., M.A. (2004). Characterisation in the Novel: An Aesthetic of

the Uncanny. Dublin: Dublin City University.

Misra, Karuna Shanker M.A., Ph.D.(1992).The Tragic Hero Through Ages.New

Delhi: Northern Book Centre.

Murphy, M.J. (1972).Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry

and the English Novel for Overseas Students.London: George Allen &

Unwin Ltd.

Ross, W.D. (1959). Aristotle: A Complete Exposition of His Works &

Thoughts.NewYork: Meridian Books.

Rowling, J.K. 1997. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. London:

Bloomsbury

Rowling, J.K. 1999a. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. London:

Bloomsbury


50

Rowling, J.K. 1999a. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. London:

Bloomsbury

Rowling, J.K.2000. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire . London: Bloomsbury

Rowling, J.K.2003. Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. London: Bloomsbury

Rowling, J.K. 2005.Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince.London:

Bloomsbury.

Rowling, J.K. 2007. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. London:

Bloomsbury.

Yeboah, Asumua Adade, Kwaku Ahenkora & Adwoah S. Amankwah.(2012).The

Tragic Hero of the Classical Period.Journal of English Language and

Literature Studies;Vol.2, No.3.


Documents

SEVERUS SNAPE AS THE TRAGIC HERO IN HARRY POTTER …repository.usd.ac.id/36053/2/154214008_full.pdf · 2019-11-25 · the Tragic Hero in Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling Yogyakarta: