Critical Magic Theory: An Analytical Harry Potter Podcast
Prof. Julian Wamble
60 episodes
1 day ago
Instead of seeing criticism as an indication of not liking something, Professor Julian Wamble invites listeners of Critical Magic Theory to explore the things about the characters, plot points, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter broadly that have always given them pause or made them smile without knowing why. It is in this navigation of the positive and the negative aspects of a world that we find true magic.
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Instead of seeing criticism as an indication of not liking something, Professor Julian Wamble invites listeners of Critical Magic Theory to explore the things about the characters, plot points, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter broadly that have always given them pause or made them smile without knowing why. It is in this navigation of the positive and the negative aspects of a world that we find true magic.
Prof Responds: The Repentance, Regrets, and Reality of Severus Snape
Critical Magic Theory: An Analytical Harry Potter Podcast
1 hour 7 minutes
1 week ago
Prof Responds: The Repentance, Regrets, and Reality of Severus Snape
In this Prof Responds episode, we dive into nearly 400 listener comments about one of the most polarizing figures in the Wizarding World: Severus Snape. From debates about repentance versus regret, to his abuse of students, to his obsessive devotion to Lily, listeners wrestled with whether Snape’s choices were acts of love, selfishness, or survival. We also unpack how trauma shaped his radicalization but didn’t excuse his cruelty, and how Alan Rickman’s unforgettable performance softened the character through what fans call the “baby girlification” of Snape. Finally, Professor Wamble reflects on the gendered double standard in how fandom forgives male characters like Snape while condemning women like Petunia, Umbridge, or Merope with little grace. This episode asks: are we really forgiving Snape—or are we forgiving what he represents?
Critical Magic Theory: An Analytical Harry Potter Podcast
Instead of seeing criticism as an indication of not liking something, Professor Julian Wamble invites listeners of Critical Magic Theory to explore the things about the characters, plot points, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter broadly that have always given them pause or made them smile without knowing why. It is in this navigation of the positive and the negative aspects of a world that we find true magic.
