The choices of the ten villains here are not only subjective, the list is also incomplete—I haven’t got to the end of all of Shakespeare’s plays yet. Some of them are villains because they take lives, many lives; some keep their hands clean, but they cause damage and ruin lives in other ways. Some are senselessly evil, there’s no reason for the cruel things they do; some regret and ask for forgiveness by the end. So
10. Don John from Much Ado About Nothing
Don John is the illegitimate brother of Don Pedro. He’s bitter towards his brother and his friends, especially Claudio, who is a successful and well-loved soldier. Jealousy and bitterness are his motives. He orchestrates a scheme to ruin Claudio and his fiancée Hero’s relationship. With the help of two accomplices, Don John arranges for Claudio to witness what appears to be Hero being unfaithful. As a result, Claudio the Simpleton shames Hero publicly at their wedding.
If you take Don John’s motives as the main consideration, his intention makes him as evil as Iago – he creates false testimony to ruin a woman’s innocence and a couple’s marriage. But he’s a minor character, the consequence of his plotting is stopped by Dogberry, and the couple’s happiness is not ruined in the end. He’s an unsuccessful villain. That’s why, though his intentions are dark, he ranks number 10.
A side note about Hero’s presumed death and later on coming back to life, it foreshadows the plot of Hermione in The Winter’s Tale. But in The Winter’s Tale, the villain who caused Hermione’s death is not a minor character but her own husband. I’m not listing Leontes here because he’s both the cruel villain and the grieving, repentant hero. Would you include him in this list?
9. Iachimo from Cymbeline
Cymbeline is a less familiar play by Shakespeare. The plot is so complicated I’ll only summarise the parts that involve Iachimo. A couple, Posthumus and Imogen are forced to separate. While the husband Posthumus is exiled in Italy, he boasts of Imogen’s faithfulness to Iachimo. They get into a wager: Iachimo bets that he can seduce Imogen. So he travels to Britain, tricks Imogen and creates fake evidence of her unfaithfulness. That whole scene is very creepy and strange. Iachimo then returns to Posthumus with his ‘proofs’, Posthumus believes him and writes a letter to his servant to kill Imogen. In the end, as a late Romance, the misunderstandings are cleared up, with the help of a repenting Iachimo and everyone lives happily ever after.
There seems to be a theme in Shakespeare’s villains and you’ll see it again later. Many of them seem to have no clear motive for their evil deeds. Iachimo doesn’t know either Posthumus or Imogen. They have no history, no grudge. Just for a stupid wager he puts the life of a good wife and the happiness of a marriage on the line. Fortunately there’s reconciliation all round at the end.
8. Angelo from Measure for Measure
Angelo is unique on this list. Most men are resentful and revengeful because of their inferior position, Angelo is superior. Most men’s motives are to grab power and move higher up and, for some of them, to become king. However, Angelo, already at a high place, abuses power downward. His villainy is an act of oppression against the weak, in this case, a young woman.
The Duke of Vienna appoints Angelo as his deputy to enforce the city’s neglected morality laws, especially those concerning sexual conduct. Angelo is known for his strict, puritanical reputation and is expected to rule with justice and integrity. The first thing he does is to sentence Claudio to death, for impregnating Juliet before marriage, even though they are in love and betrothed. Isabella, Claudio’s sister, pleads with Angelo for her brother’s life. Angelo becomes infatuated with her and promises to spare Claudio if she sleeps with him.
So villainy number one, Angelo is willing to commit the same crime himself, for which he is about to put another man to death. We then discover that Angelo was betrothed once and he abandoned the young woman because she lost her fortune. Shocking past catching up on him fast. Then breaking his promise, despite Isabella accepting the bargain, he orders Claudio’s execution.
Isabella is an incredible young woman, more people should know and talk about her. I don’t want to say more about her and the ending here because we WILL be discussing Measure for Measure in Shaketember this year. But because of her, we have a happy ending.
7. Cressida from Troilus and Cressida
You might have noticed that all the villains so far are men. I propose one woman here and this one might be a bit controversial.
Troilus and Cressida is set during the Trojan War, Hector is still alive, Achilles is still sulking in his tent, Helen is still snogging Paris. Troilus is Hector’s younger brother, an absolute hero on the battlefield. He seeks Cressida’s love and she returns it. However the morning after they consummate their love, they are separated by war: Cressida is to be sent to the Greek camp. There is a teary farewell and the next thing we know, Cressida abandons Troilus and gives herself to a Greek warrior. There are a lot of practical reasons why she does that—I know! And I understand she has to watch out for herself. But the way she so swiftly moves on is shocking. Troilus has misjudged her and given his affection to someone who is not worthy. And I’m just so used to the ‘love and faithfulness until death us do part’ in Romeo and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra, Posthumus and Imogen, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first read this. Cressida makes the list for breaking Troilus’ heart.
For the same reason, I’m tempted to list Prince Hal for breaking Falstaff’s heart. But I haven’t properly read that one, so I’ll let him off for now.
6. Claudius from Hamlet
Ok from this point on, things start to get serious, people start to die. We’re at No 6, Claudius from Hamlet. Hamlet is so familiar, I’ll be quick with Claudius. Claudius murders his own brother, seizes the throne and marries Queen Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, and makes Hamlet really unhappy. And then he keeps plotting Hamlet’s death too. He shows some remorse and he dies for it in the end. Watching David Tenant’s version however gives him a soft spot in my heart, he genuinely loves Gertrude. Is that just an interpretation? I don’t know, what do you think?
5. Aaron the Moor from Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus is another less familiar play, so here’s a brief summary of the story. Titus Andronicus, a Roman general, returns victorious from war against the Goths. He sacrifices the eldest son of Tamora, Queen of the Goths, as a tribute to his fallen sons. Titus supports Saturninus as the new emperor, who then chooses Tamora as his empress. An unpleasant surprise to Titus no doubt. Tamora’s sons, Demetrius and Chiron, rape and mutilate Titus’s daughter Lavinia, cutting off her hands and tongue to silence her. They also kill Lavinia’s husband and frame Titus’ sons. Titus pleads for his sons’ lives and cuts off his hand as a ransom for his sons, but they are executed anyway. The rest of the story is Titus’ revenge. He famously kills Demetrius and Chiron, bakes them into a pie, and serves it to their mother.
You might have forgotten that the villain’s name is Aaron the Moor, he doesn’t even appear in my summary. That just highlights his cunning manipulation. It’s he who pulls the strings of this tragedy all along and he keeps his hands pretty clean. He is Tamora’s lover all along. It’s he who advises Tamora’s sons to rape Lavinia; it is he who traps Titus’ sons at the crime scene and brings the emperor to discover the murder which they haven’t committed; it is he who tells Titus the fake message that if he cuts off his hand, his sons will be spared. He feels no remorse at the end and regrets only that he hasn’t had the chance to do more damage to humankind. He’s one of those who have no clear motive but do evil for fun. Absolutely awful.
4. Macbeth from Macbeth
Macbeth is the last one I added to this list. I wasn’t going to but remembering that he not only kills Duncan for the throne, but also his friend and comrade Banquo and Macduff’s wife and children, makes me change my mind. He’s not a scheming or manipulative person, like Aaron, or Claudius, or even Don John. He’s quite unprepared for what comes his way. For this reason I’m still not sure if Macbeth is a villain or a tragic hero. For the same reason I didn’t list Lady Macbeth. She is more calculating than her husband to start with, but she’s so conscience-stricken and feels so isolated by her husband that I feel sorry for her. What do you think? Should they be on this list?
3. Edmund from King Lear
Lear’s tragedy is ultimately a struggle not against others but against himself. But Edmund plays a key role in it. I did consider listing Goneril and Regan too but I realised Edmund is by far the more cunning between the three. Goneril and Regan flatter themselves into power and larger inheritance, and turn against Lear ruthlessly. Goneril and Regan can’t help being nasty and stop pretending as soon as they get the power. In contrast, Edmund makes a conscious decision to be evil.
Notice there’s another theme emerging that jealousy and covetousness of power is one of the main causes of villainy. He is the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester and the half-brother of Edgar. There is a point before which Edmund was a broody but harmless little brother, but after A1S2, he becomes a force of evil. And that point in time, when he decides to shake off the unfair treatment of a bastard and make a name for himself whatever it takes, is presented on stage directly to the audience, in a way that resembles Richard III’s opening soliloquy. He plots against Edgar and forces him into hiding; he gains Gloucester’s trust but betrays his father to torture. He promises love to both sisters, plays them against each other and causes their deaths. The worst crime he commits is ordering the execution of Cordelia. He does repent at the end trying to retract the order but it’s too late. Though he pays for it with his life, no one cares about his death by that point, like Albany says, ‘that’s but a trifle here’.
2. Richard III from Richard III
Richard III is not just one of my top villains, he is one of the biggest villains in history, and believe it or not, that reputation comes from this play. Richard gives us the reason and motive to become a villain from the opening soliloquy: He’s ugly. He says I cannot be a lover and enjoy this time of peace because I’m nobody and I’m not formed for love, so I’ll become a villain to make a name for myself. And he does. He’s ruthless and becomes the king. I made a dedicated video on this character, especially on his relationship with the women in the story and the true reason for his villainy, according to my reading. I don’t want to repeat the mechanism of how I worked it all out. For now I just want to say, believe me, Richard is not a straightforward bad person like the world thinks he is. There is evidence against that conclusion even in the play which gives him this reputation. But I put him pretty high up on my list, partly because he does cause probably the biggest number of deaths, partly because I want to honour him as a tragic hero.
1. Iago from Othello
We said earlier how Don John’s motives and intentions are very similar to Iago. The main difference then is the execution of their malice. Don John’s plot against Claudio is child’s play compared to Iago’s elaborate deception and lengthy manipulation against everyone. The play is nothing but the destruction of reputation, trust and relationships.
Iago had hoped to become Othello’s lieutenant, but Othello chose Cassio instead. That’s Iago’s external reason for hating Othello and Cassio. Internally, his nature is deceitful and self-serving. An honest and dutiful servant is his master’s ass. He commends those who thrive by their masters and line their own coats.
Iago first gets Cassio drunk and demoted by Othello, then he advises Cassio to go to the good and kind wife of Othello, Desdemona, to plead for him. When Desdemona willingly goes to plead for Cassio, Iago whispers to Othello that she has been unfaithful to Othello and is having an affair with Cassio – that’s why she cares about Cassio so much. There’s also the unfortunate handkerchief, which confirms Othello’s suspicion. Iago keeps feeding Othello misinterpreted and distorted truths, Othello becomes extremely jealous and angry, and eventually kills Desdemona.
I name Iago to be the chiefest of all villains, because firstly, he’s evil throughout, he has no redemptive actions or character traits at all; secondly, the consequence is fatal, both Othello and Desdemona died in the end; thirdly, the motive seems to not be in proportion to the damage he causes, and even until the end, his motive is unclear; fourthly, he is arrested but unpunished as the curtain falls.
Iago though a pure villain, I have to say, is an extremely intelligent villain, a master storyteller, who manipulates everyone with mere words. Compared to Macbeth for example, who is so unprepared for the murder that he carries the bloody knife back from the crime scene, Iago destroys everyone with each puff of air that comes out of his mouth.
Another thing to note, Desdemona, like Isabella in Measure for Measure, was under the threat of a man, but unlike Isabella, Desdemona doesn’t have the opportunity to accuse the villain face to face, she barely knows what is happening before she dies, which is extra tragic.
Iago ranks number one on my list because of the intensity of his evil manipulation, the impact on Othello, as well as the final tragic ending.
Have I missed anyone obvious? Who would you put on this list and who would you excuse? What other Shakespeare ranking by me would you like to see?
A Day of Small Things 