Why Shakespeares Villains Are the True Heroes - Essay Example

Why Shakespeare’s Villains are the True Heroes Introduction Each play has hero and villain characters. William Shakespeare seemed to have a good understanding of human nature, both bad and good, and his characters look best when they are not described as one thing or the other. While most of the villains are considered as being evil, it is interesting that the villains in many of Shakespeare plays are not necessarily evil. This author created many fascinating characters many of who are regarded as the “villains”. However, the villains in his plays have remained to be the famous bad men and girls, which the world of literature and theatre has ever known. Shakespeare’s characters include those with extreme negative human characteristics. However, the themes, which these characters bring out are very factual and are essentially easy to relate in real life. They include bitterness, heartbreak, jealousy and other bad aspects that bring out the worst things in humanity. Shakespeare reminds people not to judge some cases too harshly since according to him ‘The quality of mercy is not strain’d, it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven. Upon the place beneath, it is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes’1. It is only in some cases where people are required to shudder in thinking that even characters derived from imagination can actually do such horrors. Some of the villains in Shakespeare appear to be facing some type of moral dilemma and not the typical evil plotters like those in many other stories. Alongside the aspect of characters being depicted as villains, there role is not necessarily evil ones that are mostly thought of when that term is heard. Some of the best plays by Shakespeare include the most notorious characters in history. Shakespeare is also noted for trying to make his audience have fine sympathy for evil characters such as Julius Caesar. He was particularly famous for causing sensational emotions in his audience2. The villainous characters in Shakespeare seemed to be incredibly real as they struggled with common life issues such as heartbreak, jealousy, bitterness and greed. This author seems to have thrived on showing his audience, the irony of judging others since there is no person who does not do mistakes. We will examine how the characters of Richard 111 and Othello can be turned into “heroes” though they are considered as “villains” in Shakespeare villains. Richard 111 The character of Richard 111 in Shakespeare plays is one example that can be derived from this aspect of a villain turned hero. Shakespeare depicts him as being mean, hunchbacked and ugly. In getting back to the world, he offers a bribe to the soothsayer to testify that his brother is a murderer, leading to his brother be imprisoned at the Tower of London. He cajoles and woos Ann Neville in order to marry him, despite the fact that he was the one who killed his father and husband. Richard 111 kills anyone who does not agree with him and he arranges for the beheading of his two nephews for good measure. A tyrannical and morally vacuous Richard III arranges for the execution of his own brother and the murder of two children who were innocent because they appeared to be obstacles to his ambition of being a king. However, his horrific act ends when he is murdered by Richmond at Bosworth filed battle3. The play in Richard 111 is a straightforward tragedy. However, it is a particular type of tragedy identified as “de Casibus tragedy”, where the protagonist seeks fame, glory or ambition, achieves it but falls because of his own tragedy4. In this perspective, the antagonist cannot be viewed as an evil person or “villain”, but the antagonist fights against the protagonist’s ambition or greed. Richard 111 is considered as a villain as he single handedly generates most of the violence and evils in the play. However, his role makes us to reconsider the definition of a hero since despite him being branded an “evil person”; he is certainly the protagonist in the play. The general plot in this play is established around his struggles to become a ruler and retain his power. More is established concerning his thoughts and mind in comparison to the thoughts and minds of another character. In essence, Shakespeare has stunned us with the operation in the mind of Richard 111. He even goes to the extent of requesting the audience to sympathize with his pain and jealousy, despite him being a sadist and murderer. Richard 111 is the most unsavory character in the play whose psychological depths persuade us to understand his actions5. This play therefore, makes us to explore our own human values. Though Richard’s action can be identified as heinous, we are tempted to keep hoping that he will succeed in his endeavors, and the skill he demonstrates in manipulating other characters fascinates us. At the beginning of the play, Richard appears to be in control of the situation around him. Having been alienated from others and filled with rage, he nonetheless becomes intimate with the audience, frequently pausing to make us understand his thoughts. It can therefore, be said that Richard has a closer relationship with the audience than he does with other characters in the play, especially in his early acts6. However, as the plot unfolds and Richard rises in rank, he changes his speech. His monologue suddenly stops and noblemen instead surround him most of the time. He as well stops using his restrained powers of manipulation and veers toward realizing his objectives through force. He does this by ordering blatant executions and no longer pretends to be a friend to all. Additionally, almost at his coronation, he disowns Buckingham, his long time friend, whom he later killed. He also does not appear to be concerned on love. He solicits it only to help in achieving his own ends. By the time of his downfall, all his lovers, friends, and family members are either dead with his hand or become enemies. This situation results into Richard’s sudden nightmare, and revelation. In Act V, scene v, Richard affirms, ‘There is no creature that loves me’ (V.v.154). Richard III’s villainous depictions by many scholars are generally due to the numerous evils he commits in the play. However, upon closer assessment in the criteria set forth by Aristotle for one to qualify as tragic hero, it could be realized that even characters that performs evil actions can be eligible in being considered as a tragic hero. Hence, Richard 111 could still be considered as tragic hero going by Aristotle’s definition, in spite of him having despicable actions. It becomes crucial to accept Richard 111 as a tragic hero, since this acceptance will expand the critics’ framework in applying the term “tragic hero” and will make it easy for the critics to view him in new perspective instead of having a stereotypical view of him as villain. Richard 111 acknowledges that he is actually not a villain and his opening soliloquy in the play creates a basis that portrays him as a tragic hero. In his opening speech, he says, “He is “determined to prove himself a villain” (1.1.30). This becomes an utmost significance to consider the wording in this phrase. He says that he will “prove a villain” (1.1.30) and does not consider himself as being a villain. This translates that Richard 111 may not be inherently evil and is not depicted, as a villain at the beginning of the play; otherwise, there is no reason for him to plan to “prove a villain”. Rather than being a villain, Richard 111 can be regarded as a tragic hero whose desire is to change himself into a “villain” through committing despicable acts. Crawford describes him as ‘a low-born, base-minded rustic, and a person of low or mean position and birth’ (1.1.30)7. Othello Othello is also another tragic play in William Shakespeare. With regard to whether Othello was a villain or tragic hero, it should be first noted that he held a crucial role in this play. He is a highly respected figure and admired by many. The second aspect is that, by way of a character flaw plus the complication of external forces that work against him, he suffers a dramatic fall from grace. He loses most of the things that were dear to his life including his status, wife, respect which others had held on him and so on. Eventually, he comes to the sense that there is a lesson to be learned in all his mischief and the audience is compelled to sympathize with him. We can see how the senators listen to him and values his message when he speaks. This is depicted by the comment of one of the senators, "Here comes Barbantio and the valiant Moor" (Act I scene 3, 47). This is simply one example of the numerous comments, which points out to Othellos character, his individual personality and as an officer. The senators label him as ‘one of the greatest leaders’8. Right at the play’s onset, Othello is first seen entrusting his wife Desmona with all things as a customary husband, and regards his wife highly. However, in the play, he is seen as gradually losing confidence in his wife. His contradicting reactions begin when he starts humiliating Desmona by showing her disrespect even in the presence of others. Throughout the play, Othello is portrayed as a gullible man as he is easily influenced by Lagos’ ideas. Seeing Othello’s gullibility, Lago endeavors to cause animosity between wife and husband. Compellingly, he consistently makes false allegations concerning his wife. One of such allegations is that she has an affair with one, Cassio. Obsession engulfs Othello, apparently causing an utter despair9. Othello eventually kills Desdemona since he thinks that another villainous character, Lago, had misled her. However, he finally admits liability and goes on to commit suicide. He comes to find love through the eyes of lago and not through his wife Desdemona. The two characters are a representation of the internalized features of Othello’s character. He rejects his generous and loving wife Desdemona, (a humanity aspect which makes society possible) in favor of Lago who represents his ill passion and self-centeredness10. Finally, the forces of trust and love regain their strength as Othello realizes Desdemona’s goodness. Othello can be considered as a “tragic hero” because of the aspect of being a self-centeredness figure as well as his gullibility. He allows Lago to manipulate him instead of sticking to his principles. Although he tries to redeem himself, it is however, too late to do it11. Meanwhile, Othello’s actions have shown the power of evil in the society. Additionally, the play represents an incessant tragedy, which has typically depicted Othello a role model of a “tragic hero”. Shakespeares Heroes are not All Heroes Shakespeare seems not to have wanted to display a simple perspective of existence; rather, he wanted to show his audience on life for the contradictory mess it mostly consisted. Even a good character such as Desmona who seems to be a perfectly behaved woman eventually does an outrageous “evil” by disobeying her father and going on to marry a man she chose by herself as her husband. Although she can presently be forgiven for her sin, this sin could have been viewed as “very bad” in some centuries back. In short, it is not easy to find a perfect character is Shakespeare plays. Factors Making Shakespeare’s Villains to be Appealing Speech William Shakespeare cannot be said to be the first or the last to depict villains as great talkers. It also does not mean that he did not give the heroes a quality verse because, he actually did. However, the villains in Shakespeare, particularly those who are more famous appear as specifically endowed in the department of speech. Deriving our example from Othelo, he is a villain who speaks for 275 times within a play and most of these instances, his speech appears as mind boggling and appealing12. This can be revealed in one of his statements, ‘If after every tempest come such calms/May the winds blow till they have wakend death!’ (II.i). There is no doubt that Logo’s speech, who speaks 272 times and with speeches that are more memorable would be remembered more vividly. This may be partly attributed to the fact that he directs most of his dialogue to the audience. It can also be attributed to the manner he has played with words in a sarcastic, cutting and witty way. We do understand that each word he utters is not true, but each of these words includes a delicious dramatic irony. An example of his lines is ‘Men should be what they seem; /Or those that be not, would they might seem none!’13 Richard 111, who is known for his calculated hypocrisy throughout the play, again depicts this speech eloquence. This is demonstrated in Act II, scene i. where, pretending to be a good person who is accused unjustly of having an ill intent, delivers the news of Clarence’s death with a sense of timing calculated for sending his brother Edward over with guilty, surprise, and grief. It is here where we see Richard’s skill of lying and his capability in manipulating other people’s emotions. His shameless hypocrisy makes him to say perfectly convincingly ‘Tis death to me to be at enmity. / I hate it, and desire all good men’s love. . . . / I thank my God for my humility’ (II.i.61–73). Although it may appear strange for the noblemen to believe him, this exposes us to Richard’s ability at convincing people14. Complete Characterization Another factor that makes Shakespeare villains to be appealing and popular is that characterization is not only that of the comic book buddies. They are flawed, deeply human and interesting. In some instances, they appear more interesting than the Bards heroes. We should also note that some of the best heroes in Shakespeare are also not squarely clean. A case in presenting this point would be Macbeth and Hamlet. This will make us to state that in categorizing a character as a hero or villain depends on the angle in which they are viewed15. Most of the villains in Shakespeare, except Lago have motives in performing evil deeds. Richard 111, the poor, old lad fails to play the role of the lover since he is hideous. Therefore, he opts to play the villain. Regan and Goneril understand that Lear had favor towards her younger sister. Lady Macbeth only wants the best for her husband. Shylock on the other hand, faced intense anti-Semitism from Christians and eventually lost her sister to them. Tamora could not also help herself after losing her sons16. Concerning Othello, there have been diverging views on the character of Othello. There are those who brand him as the most Romantic figure in Shakespeare plays while others describe him as the most "egotistical"17. This means that he can be described in different perspectives. In summary, Shakespeare’s villains could be sympathetic characters or could be one, depending on one’s point of view. The very essence that one could have a different viewpoint indicates that there are more than two-dimensional evil doors. This according to my perspective is the reason why the villains in Shakespeare can be used as a template for many present day characters. Conclusion Individuals are complex beings, with desires which in most cases wary against a sense of morality. It is this aspect which makes us to be interesting and it is by watching this war being played in the life of others which can make gripping entertainment. Shakespeare’s villains, such as Richard III, and Othello are universally recognized (popular) although depicted as “bad boys”. These villains have taken their own lives, independent of what the author had intended of them. In my perspective, the success of villains in Shakespeare’s work is derived from the sense that they are well-rounded people, and great talkers. Bibliography Ansari, A. A, Richard III and ‘the irons of wrath, The Aligarh Critical Miscellany. 1.1 (1998): 14-32. Alexander W. Crawford, Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear (Boston R.G. Badger, 2006) Barnet, Sylvan, Coleridge on Shakespeare’s Villains, Shakespeare Quarterly. 7.1 (1956): 9-20. JSTOR Arts & Sciences. (Marymount University, Arlington, Virginia.   2007). http://www.jstor.org Crawford, John W, Villain in Othello, Publications of the Arkansas Philological Association. 21.1 (1995): 21-37. Crawford, Alexander W. Hamlet, an ideal prince, and other essays in Shakesperean interpretation: Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear. (Boston R.G. Badger, 2008) Mabillard, Amanda. Top Shakespeare Villains. Available from http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/shakespearevillains.htm Price, Michael, Thou Elvish-Mark’d, Abortive, Rooting Hog: Journal of the Wooden O Symposium. 2 (2002): 136-149. Rippy, Marguerite H, Richard: Tragedy and/or History, (Marymount University, Arlington, Virginia, 2007). Stoll. E.E, Criminals in Shakespeare and in Science, Modern Philology, Vol. X, p. 59. Shakespeare Online. Available from http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/othello/othelloessay2.html >. Shakespeare, William, The Tragedy of King Richard the Third.  Ed. Peter Holland. (New York: Penguin, 2000). Turnbull, William, Othello: A Critical Study. (Edinburgh: William Blackwood and Sons, 2011). Read More