Almost every tragedy has a villain, to provide the conflict that catapults the plot to its bitter end. William Shakespeare was a master at providing audiences with in-depth insight into the human psyche through the actions and words of his heroes, and even more so, his villains. Perhaps the two most infamous villains in all of Shakespearean literature are the characters of Iago in Othello and Claudius in Hamlet. Both main characters in their respective plays, Claudius and Iago, are driven by immoral ambitions. However, unlike many "evil villains" in literature, these two characters are much more complex than one might see at first glance, and Shakespeare manages to give us a unique three-dimensional view into their evil minds. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay First of all, when reading Hamlet and Othello, Iago and Claudius are both described as intelligent and conniving when they speak a soliloquy or otherwise think of themselves, but they give a friendly impression to the other characters around them. For example, in Othello, after convincing Roderigo that everything will be fine and promising to help him win Desdemona, Iago utters his first soliloquy saying So I never make my wallet ridiculous; with such snipeBut for my own amusement and profit. I hate the Moor... The main difference between Claudio and Iago, which makes Iago much more evil than Claudio, is simply Claudio's fault. Both men are capable of carrying out terrible acts, such as Claudio's murder and adultery and Iago's manipulation of everyone around him. Both are also able to present an outward show of poise and grace, but Claudio feels guilty for the wrongdoings he has committed while Iago feels not the slightest remorse for his actions. In fact, he constantly tries to convince the audience that he is righteous and is simply seeking revenge against those who have wronged him: Cassio for being promoted above him and Othello for promoting Cassio. His bitter jealousy is first exposed when Iago describes Othello's promotion of Cassio to Roderigo: "By Certes," he says, "I have already chosen my officer." And what was it? Of course, a great arithmetic, a certain Michele Cassio, Florentine, (a type almost damned for a beautiful wife) who has never fielded a squadron, nor the division of a battle knows more than a spinster... Knowing that the his The argument is rather weak considering the damage it causes, Iago also adds that he suspects Othello of sleeping with his wife Emilia, which is obviously false. A much more complex character than he appears at first glance, there is much more to Iago than meets the eye, making him a man who is not simply pure evil but rather a true villain in every aspect of the word. One of the most fascinating qualities of Iago's character is that, although he is driven by his motivation of revenge, the rationalization he uses to validate the damage he causes is not entirely convincing, and the way he deceives those who perceive him as a friend it's hypocritical. Claudio is similarly hypocritical. He has created a very cheerful court of admirers and, as Phyllis Rackin observes, Hamlet's black clothes, no less than his bitter sorrow, associate him with the cold night of the opening scene as opposed to the false brightness and warmth of Claudius' court. friendly and openly praises Hamlet, but internally he is planning ways to rid his kingdom of the prince. He demonstrates these ideas in his brief chat with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, I don't like it, nor am I safe with us Leave room for hisfolly. So get ready. Your errand will be sent immediately, and he will come to England with you. He is intelligent in the way he presents his evil, through verbal deception, to the courtiers and everyone around him in such a way that he appears good and generous. As Charles Norton Coe says in Demi-Devils: The Characters of Shakespeare's Villians, The measure of his uncle's success is that Hamlet, the only person who reacts normally to an abnormal situation, is made to seem abnormal. Bad guys are selfish. characters who set out to achieve their goals at the expense of everyone around them, perpetuating the main theme which is the confusion between what is real and what appears to be real. A scoundrel of this type is usually driven by self-realization goals. By manipulating those around them, both villains are able to give an outward impression of integrity and honor. One such example is when Iago describes Cassio's fight with Roderigo to his commander, Othello. Even though he intends to hurt Cassius, he gives the impression that he is simply doing the right thing by saying: I would rather have this tongue cut out of my mouth than offend Michael Cassius. Yet I convince myself to tell the truth. wrong. By negatively portraying Cassio's actions to Othello, Iago is able to make Cassio look bad in the eyes of his commander while, at the same time, presenting himself as a respectable man who does what he thinks is right in a situation like this. Iago is trying to avenge the wrong he believes was done to him by Cassio and Othello and is determined to hurt them both just for the sake of harming their lives. In contrast, Claudio, who is also driven by the need for self-realization, does not intend to harm anyone specifically. As literary critic Morris White notes, his government runs smoothly. He shows great tact towards his courtiers, a genuine interest in his wife, and even kindness, at least initially, towards Hamlet... and therefore cannot be considered completely evil. He simply has one goal in mind, which is to become King, and he will stop at nothing until he achieves it. In this way he is seen as a less malevolent character than Iago. Unlike Iago, Claudio has integrity and acts quite rationally when it comes to dealing with his actions. Furthermore, both men appear to have intricately and detailedly planned their course of action, but the truth is that they only planned the beginning of their campaigns and acted opportunistically throughout the rest of the work. They have managed to maneuver the course of other characters' actions to ensure that they act in ways that are beneficial to themselves. Claudius is determined to take his brother's throne and hatches a plan to kill the old king by pouring poison into his ear while he is sleeping. Once this act of murder is completed, he takes his brother's throne and, in a highly tactical move, marries Gertrude to secure his rights to the throne. He does not expect Hamlet to be such a complication to his plan and idea, so sending him to England and then killing him is a sudden decision. Claudio continues to cleverly hide his evil deed and it is this discrepancy between the honorable man the other character sees and the hideous villain the audience sees that helps turn Claudio into the hated scoundrel he was. As stated by DA Traversi, under Claudio's impressive ability to assume, on the surface and in the public eye, the appropriately judicious and authoritative mask, which has led even some scholars of the opera to downplay the full extent of his malignancy, hides the obsessive reality of insecurity, ruthlessness and hunger for power. Another common aspect of the character.