Evil, mystery, and redemption A comparative study of Severus Snape and Mrs Coulter

Severus Snape and Mrs Coulter are probably the two most significant villains in the fantasy world in recent decades. They are representative of an ambition to break with Manichaeism and participate in a real education in complexity. But both characters also both question their life choices out of love. In this light, they therefore carry the humanist convictions of their authors and their success is indicative of the ethical expectations of young contemporary readers.