It was an interesting read, I always wondered how much of Severus attitude in classes in early books was decided by Rowling needs of a character to embodies everything negative in contrast to more positive character like Dumbledore, Hagrid, McGonagall (in order to quickly make the reader pick the "good side" and like them), because as soon as Dumbledore portrayal turned more "dark", Severus one by contrast turned less dark. Just a thought that crossed my mind will reading the essay. In world explanation, I suppose been a double spy for so long without anyone except Dumbledore knowing (and not very supporting it seems), and needing to keep the play for so long tired Snape psyche, and plus it's not like he could play any benevolent role in front of other than the one expected of him as a fake agent because Voldemort isn't the not so parano and quick to distrust people and I guess Dumbledore at least warned Severus to keep going on with the play even after the fake death because he knew Voldemort wasn't really dead ?
DH was a very mess truly, when Harry talked about a quest I really thought that she was going for a classic monomyth, but since the hero came back from underworld without any metamorphosis or new knowledge to share with humanity, it all ring empty. HBP could qualify too for the mess party (OK OoP and GoF too I swear), seriously asking Severus to kill you Dumbledore when you could drink a mortal poison and don't burden anyone with murder ? Proposing to help Malfoy when you could have proposed your help earlier, in a position of power, and not when he witnessed that he was stronger (and his side) than you, when everything is already too late ? Hmmm...
About Rowling influences, I tought that Rowling drew her some inspiration from Arthurian cycles, between the sword that only a "true Gryffindor" (peww) can draw, the lac where it was found, Dumbledore playing the Merlin mentoring part, and the names of some characters (Arthur obviously, Ginny is the italian short name for Guinevere, Percy can be a shortening of Percival a round table knight...Even Ron can be the shortening of Rhongomyniad King Arthur's spear....maybe I forgot somes references). But honestly I don't think the author decided for one defined thread of inspiration and direction for her story, she played with many references from other litterary works like pointed by others (Tolkien, Lewis for examples, that themselve drew influences from various religions writing, myths especially greek-roman ones, old english tales that are inspired by northen legends)...
From "Another"
In world explanation, I suppose been a double spy for so long without anyone except Dumbledore knowing (and not very supporting it seems), and needing to keep the play for so long tired Snape psyche, and plus it's not like he could play any benevolent role in front of other than the one expected of him as a fake agent because Voldemort isn't the not so parano and quick to distrust people and I guess Dumbledore at least warned Severus to keep going on with the play even after the fake death because he knew Voldemort wasn't really dead ?
DH was a very mess truly, when Harry talked about a quest I really thought that she was going for a classic monomyth, but since the hero came back from underworld without any metamorphosis or new knowledge to share with humanity, it all ring empty.
HBP could qualify too for the mess party (OK OoP and GoF too I swear), seriously asking Severus to kill you Dumbledore when you could drink a mortal poison and don't burden anyone with murder ? Proposing to help Malfoy when you could have proposed your help earlier, in a position of power, and not when he witnessed that he was stronger (and his side) than you, when everything is already too late ? Hmmm...
About Rowling influences, I tought that Rowling drew her some inspiration from Arthurian cycles, between the sword that only a "true Gryffindor" (peww) can draw, the lac where it was found, Dumbledore playing the Merlin mentoring part, and the names of some characters (Arthur obviously, Ginny is the italian short name for Guinevere, Percy can be a shortening of Percival a round table knight...Even Ron can be the shortening of Rhongomyniad King Arthur's spear....maybe I forgot somes references).
But honestly I don't think the author decided for one defined thread of inspiration and direction for her story, she played with many references from other litterary works like pointed by others (Tolkien, Lewis for examples, that themselve drew influences from various religions writing, myths especially greek-roman ones, old english tales that are inspired by northen legends)...