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In this post, I attempt to lay out the symbolism of the Serpent in the Harry Potter series, by comparing it with its symbolism in mythology and Biblical texts.

Symbolism of the Serpent in mythology and Harry Potter

SYMBOL OF HEALING AND MEDICINE

• The Serpent is associated with healing and medicine:

In Greek mythology, the Rod of Asclepius is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicine

Snake venom is both a deadly poison and an antidote, and also has many other medicinal properties—having been used, for example, to control pain or stem haemorrhage.

• Similarly Snape:

Snapes healing abilities are demonstrated throughout the series-

1) He was the one who helped Madam Pomfrey make the Mandrake Draught , to help un-Petrify the students, who were Petrified by a serpent as well. I explore this more in the Dual Nature section.

2) He was the one who healed Dumbledores hand, preventing the venom from spreading

3) He saved Katie Bell

4) His book saved Ron ( when Harry remembers it to use a bezoar)

5)Draco is suffering from haemorrhage(excessive blood loss) in the Bathroom scene. Snape saves him here. Just like snake venom does.

SYMBOL OF DUAL NATURE

• The dual nature of the Serpent in mythology :

In opposition to all that was good in ancient Egypt, the most preeminent of all the demons, evil gods, or evil powers

was Apophis, who was represented by a snake. Apophis was “the serpent of darkness,” the supreme opponent of

the great sun god Re.

Counterbalancing Apophis is the snake Mehen (“the coiled one”), who was the helpful attendant of the sun god Re.

Mehen assisted Re on his journey through the realm of night so he would reemerge unharmed morning after

morning, day by day.

Thus the plans of a supreme spiritual adversary,represented by a serpent, were foiled by

the powers of good, also represented by a serpent.

• This has a very distinct parallel in Harry Potter. Snape, who embodies the good qualities of a serpent helps bring down Voldemort , who embodies the more sinister qualities of a serpent.

• Also, Snape , who embodies the healing part of the serpent, cures the students who have been harmed by the Basilisk (and by extension Salazar and Voldemort) who embrace the vicious and venomous nature of the serpent.

• Another reference

And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of

Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against

the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed

for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall

come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent

of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld

the serpent of brass, he lived. (Numbers 21:5—9)

The agent of both harm and healing, death and life, is, in this instance, the serpent.

• Snape created Sectumsepra, which nearly killed Draco, and he healed it as well.

• Its also interesting that though Snape most likely developed Sectumsepra as a means to protect himself against James and wound James, his last intended use of the spell is to protect the good people and harm the Death Eaters.

• When Harry asks why Madam Pomfrey didnt cure Katie, Dumbledore says Snape knows much more about the Dark Arts than Madam Pomfrey. However, he (Snape) is putting his knowledge of the Dark Arts to heal, not to harm.

• A controversial example of this would be Salazar Slytherin. He had anti muggle views ,yes, but he also helped create Hogwarts, a school which would go on to be known as the best wizarding school and produce outstanding students.

• Even Harry shares many of Voldemorts qualities( Parseltoungue, same feeling towards Hogwarts, manipulative) but he ultimately chooses to fight him because of his ability to love.

SYMBOL OF REBIRTH

The shedding of a snake's skin is a symbol of transformation and rebirth.

• Regulus is a good example of this. In his early days, he was fanatically devoted to Voldemort. He had pictures of Voldemort all over his room and he also was a Slytherin, the same as Voldemort. However, due to harm to a loved one (Kreacher) , and the knowledge of what Voldemort was doing (making horcruxes) he changed his way. He got hold of one of the horcruxes and sacrificed his life in the process.

• Snape. He held Voldemort as a father figure. Read more on this in u/straysayake s beautiful meta https://www.reddit.com/r/harrypotter/comments/mg96yg/the_abandoned_boy_and_problematic_father_snape/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share. But when Voldemort threatened to kill Lily, his world shattered. Voldemort did something he never expected a father figure to do. So what does he do when Voldemort kills Lily anyway? He joins Dumbledore and brings down Voldemort. He is effectively reborn as one of Dumbledore’s men.

• When Dumbledore says, "I sometimes think we sort too soon", he is effectively saying that he believes Snape has renounced the sinister qualities of the serpent inside him and has changed for the better. This also opens up vistas of discussion. What if Snape was sorted differently?

The Serpent is also a symbol of salvation

In the Gospel of John 3:14–15, Jesus makes direct comparison between the raising up of the Son of Man and the act of Moses in raising up the serpent as a sign, using it as a symbol associated with salvation: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life".

THE SYMBOLISM OF THE SERPENT IN SNAPE’S EARLY YEARS

• Snape was greatly attracted by Voldemort as a young person. The reason was 7 years of continued bullying. Every muggle he knew had treated him like scum(Tobias,Petunia) except Lily. The "Champion of Muggleborns" Dumbledore had told HIM to keep quiet about the werewolf incident instead of reprimanding Sirius. In these circumstances, who is he attracted to? The cunning Voldemort.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

• The crafty serpent here is Voldemort, who tempts a young and impressionable Snape towards the Dark Arts. Voldemort offered him a sense of identity. Protection. This leads to Snape being banished from the Garden of Eden of the innocence of a child and Lily's friendship.

• Voldemort is also known to spread mistrust among people, something Satan was associated with. Satan was also associated with the Serpent.

SYMBOL OF WISDOM

The Serpent is also associated with wisdom in the Bible :

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves"

• Snape and Voldemort are the best examples of this. Both experimented with magic beyond textbooks. For all their flaws, both of these men were exceptionally talented and innovative people. They didnt seek textbook knowledge only. Snape managed to create 7 of his own spells. Creating even one spell is a mark of a proficient wizard. Voldemort made 7 horcruxes. Snape was also exceptionally good at potions, having an intuitive understanding of the way it worked and thus managing to make shortcuts. He also values originality- this is why he doesnt say Hermiones answer was wrong, but says its almost copied word for word from the textbook. He also writes his own methods on the board while teaching.

THE SERPENTS ASSOCIATION WITH THE FEMININE

Both in mythology and Harry Potter, we see a heavy association of serpents with the feminine.

Inside the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, Michelangelo uses the snake that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, portraying the serpent with the upper body of a human female and the lower body of a snake

Medusa, one of the most well known mythological figures associated with serpents was a female

Nagini was a woman before she turned into a snake

• Compare this to Snape who

1) Identifies more with his mother( hes the Half-Blood *Prince*)

2) Embraces skills which have been associated with the feminine- Potions( associated with witches), spying ( the most famous spies are women) and healing.

3)Loved Lily, and changed because of her death

4)Has a doe(female deer) as a patronus.

• Snape clearly identified more with the female figures and feminine in his life. He also values brains over brawn( evident by train scene) and his insults are directed more to sting rather than lash out. He also rejects his father and every reminder of him.

SYMBOL OF IMMORTALITY

• In many cultures the Serpent is also considered a symbol of immortality.

The Ouroboros- a snake biting its own tail, is considered a symbol of immortality/quest for immortailty

Another immortal-like creature:

The Hydra was a mythological creature with 9 heads, one of which was immortal. Everytime a head was cut off, 2 grew in its place. Its teeth were also said to be able to raise the dead

• In HP, Voldemort desires immortality as well. His reasons are very specific(he wanted to be special and thought death a weakness) but the connection to mythology is interesting nonetheless. It also might be worth pointing out that the Hydra does exist in our world as well- as a sea plant. Its biologically immortal as well.

CONCLUSION

• It is therefore no surprise that one of Snape's final magic takes the form of a serpent. Nor is it a surprise that Voldemort uses a serpent to attack Dumbledore in the Atrium and that when Harry wants to attack Dumbledore he has a snake-like urge caused by Voldemort to strike

• Voldemort embodies the sinister qualities of a serpent(spreading mistrust, cunning, etc) while Snape embodies the good qualities(healing , rebirth ,etc). Dumbledore, who taught both these men, knows this and helps Snape atone and bring down Voldemort.

This is also one of my very first analysis posts. Any criticism on how I can improve my writing is welcome!