Villainy in Shakespearean Drama

Paper Summary:

This paper introduces the villain or villains from each work then highlights similarities and differences between each. It looks at how Iago from "Othello" and Shylock from "The Merchant of Venice" are both examples of very strong characters, while "The Tempest" exhibits no strong villains. The paper is peppered with quotes from each work.

From the Paper:

"The character Iago in Shakespeare's Othello is an excellent example of villainy in a tragedy. Iago is as ambitious as Hamlet's Claudius, as crooked and backstabbing and Julius Caesar's Brutus, and just as fiery and prone to emotion as Romeo and Juliet's Tybalt. He is the unmitigated foil of the protagonist Othello, and eventually his actions lead to the deaths of Roderigo, Emilia, Desdemona, and Othello; Iago also dies, but does so sneering at his work. It is interesting to note that Iago never demonstrates a concrete reason for his odium of Othello. Othello's passing over of Iago for lieutenant has some play, and Iago shows other subtle hints of Othello's mistrust and deceit, but never is there mention of a catalyzing event that creates a real reason for Iago to be as he is. It seems that he is in the business of villainy initially for Roderigo's money, but after Roderigo's death it is difficult to discern what stake Iago has to gain in Othello's downfall."

More papers on Villainy in Shakespearean Drama:

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• Term Paper # 140614 : "Lesson Plan on Shakespearean Drama"
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