Last Updated on March 2, 2024
Of all Hogwarts houses in the Harry Potter film and book series, Slytherin probably has the worst reputation. It’s also the most widely seen and commonly mentioned house besides Gryffindor.
Slytherins are notorious for their sneaky and manipulative tendencies. Members of this house are also given to pride and arrogance. Besides, they inspire much of the evil that takes place throughout the series, which is unsurprising considering that the Slytherin House has produced the most sinister and villainous witches of the four Hogwarts houses.
But are the Slytherins as dark as they’re painted or is there any good in them? This article shall attempt to put that question into a better perspective.
What Is The Slytherin?
Slytherin is one of the four houses in the fictional Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Harry Potter movies and books by J.K. Rowling. The house was founded by Salazar Slytherin, who carefully handpicked members based on certain general traits that he required all of them to have.
The first mention of “Slytherin” is in the first book of the Harry Potter franchise – Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The house is represented by the water element. Its mascot is a snake while its emblematic colors are green and silver.
Slytherin had two notable house heads, namely Horace Slughorn and Severus Snape. Its patron ghost was the Bloody Baron.
Good Slytherin Traits
1. Ambitious and Goal-oriented
Ambition is undoubtedly the most defining quality of the Slytherins. It’s difficult to think of any member of this house who wasn’t a go-getter in some way.
People with a Slytherin personality have a powerful inner drive that nudges them to step out of their comfort zones and launch into new horizons. Their primary mission is to attain absolute wealth, power, respect, and health. And while this ambition can sometimes be unbridled, it’s certainly a good thing to be goal-oriented.
A perfect demonstration of ruthless ambition is seen when Severus Snape commits himself to annihilate Lord Voldemort after the latter kills Harry Potter’s parents. Lord Voldemort’s desire of attaining immortality, although a bit excessive, is another classic case of how far Slytherins can go to get what they want.
2. Hard-working and Success-driven
Slytherins are highly industrious people. How else would they realize their dreams?
The very colors that emblematize Slytherins – green and silver – resonate with hard work and success.
Green represents nature’s bounty, which is often seen as a reward for hard work. On the other hand, silver is a color of money and affluence.
It’s also to be noted that the Slytherin House produced some of the most successful wizards, their villainous characters notwithstanding.
3. Self-confident
Slytherins may have earned a bad rap for being self-centered. But on the flip side, those who identify with this personality type can be bold and brave in a positive way.
Snape and Draco exemplify bravery probably more than other Slytherin members. Snape is particularly confident in his intellectual abilities. In ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,’ we see him swiftly defending himself when Harry Potter calls him a coward.
Slytherins love to care for their well-being too. They prioritize self-care before dealing love and kindness to the outside world.
4. Resourceful
If your social circle comprises primarily of hangers-on, the chances are that you’re looking for more resourceful replacements. Well, how about you look in the direction of Slytherins.
What makes Slytherins so resourceful is that they’re natural-born thinkers. Although they may often stir trouble, they possess incredible problem-solving skills which help them wiggle their way out of any situation.
Slytherins are also known to remain resilient in the face of immense pressure. In fact, they pretty much thrive in crises.
5. Flexible
The Slytherin House in the Harry Potter series has a snake as its symbol. Snakes are known to slither through remarkably tiny spaces. You may have actually noted a similarity between the words “Slytherin” and “slither.”
Just like serpents, Slytherins can be quite flexible. People with this personality do not mind changing their opinions or adjusting to new ways of life for the greater good.
Slytherin colors, particularly green, also correspond with water. This lends more credence to the house’s association with fluidity.
6. Cunning and Strategic
Being cunning can be a positive or negative trait, depending on the angle you look at it from. In the case of Slytherins, cunningness is all about tact and strategy.
Slytherins are undoubtedly smart and talented. However, people with this personality also tend to embellish their abilities. The idea is to intimidate potential enemies and competitors into believing they’re a lot wiser or mightier than they are.
Slytherins’ cunning nature is also seen in their ability to cash in on every opportunity that comes their way. A striking example is when Draco Malfoy smuggles poisoned mead into Hogwarts using Madam Rosmerta as a conduit in ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,’ well aware that Rosmerta will not be checked. There’s also Severus Snape who casts the doe patronus to lure Harry Potter to the sword of Gryffindor in ‘Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows,’ ultimately defeating Lord Voldemort.
7. Loyal
Loyalty is probably not the Slytherins’ cup of tea. This trait is mostly a hallmark of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors.
However, there are quite a few Slytherins that demonstrated admirable levels of loyalty. Most notable are the Death-Eaters, who remained loyal to Lord Voldemort during his 13 years’ “absence.”
Another case in point is the Malfoy family in ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,’ who went to great lengths to remain true to each other.
8. Leadership
Leadership is an attribute that shines through most of Slytherins in the Harry Potter series.
Lord Voldemort, in particular, stands out as a charismatic leader. While his reign was marked by constant manipulation and unrestrained display of bravado, Voldemort’s persuasive skills had him establish a vast legion of loyalists.
Severus Snape is another Slytherin with admirable leadership skills. Despite his penchant for controversy, Snape epitomizes leaders with unwavering faith in their abilities and who’re determined to make their subjects see from his own points of view.
Bad Slytherin Traits
1. Manipulative
Slytherins are unapologetically manipulative. People with this personality tend to exploit their resourcefulness and cunningness to get a competitive advantage. Well, that may be acceptable if it’s not to the detriment of others.
Unfortunately, in a Slytherin’s world, it’s perfectly normal to have someone take the fall for your own wrongdoings. Their raw ambition often has them stepping on other people’s toes and feeling no remorse for it.
2. Self-centered
A Slytherin will always put their desires above other people’s interests, even if it means acting in total defiance to authority.
This attribute makes them the direct opposite of Gryffindors, who’re generally known to help others.
3. Apathetic
Since they’re given to minding their own wellbeing, Slytherins can be unforgivably apathetic too.
Lord Voldemort, a Slytherin, quickly comes to mind when discussing the most insensitive Harry Potter characters. It’s hard to pinpoint any scene that reveals his caring side.
There’s also Snape who cares for no one else but Lily Potter, and Draco who attempts to have Hagrid fired despite knowing he’s innocent.
4. Discriminative
Blood purity was a key criterion used by the Sorting Hat in picking Slytherin students.
Choosing members of a class based on their lineage is certainly one of the most blatant expressions of discrimination.
5. Proud and Arrogant
Slytherins are revered for their courage and assertiveness, which are edifying traits. However, their boldness can also manifest as outright pride.
The Slytherins in the Harry Potter series think so highly of themselves. They believe that their house is superior to all others and constantly look down upon members of the other three houses.
Draco Malfoy, in particular, comes across as the most arrogant Slytherin.
6. Sneaky
The Slytherin House is represented by the serpent, which is widely regarded as one of the sneakiest creatures.
While this quality may allow Slytherins to wiggle their way out of difficult situations, it also has them venturing into unauthorized quarters.
7. Scandalous
Slytherins seem to have an insatiable appetite for controversy. They thrive in stirring squabbles, both amongst themselves and among people that they generally look down upon.
A good number of feuds in the Harry Potter series can be traced to the Slytherins House. Students in this house notably antagonized their Gryffindor counterparts.
Wrap Up
Slytherins may be the most villainous of the Hogwarts houses. However, it turns out that people with this personality have numerous admirable traits too. It all depends on which side of the personality you allow to shine brighter.