Friday, September 26, 2008

50 Greatest Villains in Literature

It's time to practice your diabolical laughter, gentle reader, as you read a (completely subjective) list of literature's 50 greatest villains.

The choices and the rankings are debatable, of course! Choose your favorite -- a villain you love (or love to hate).

I think Richard III, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and Cassius from Shakespeare all deserve a place of (dis)honor. I cannot believe that Claudius from "Hamlet" made the list and these other towering sinners did not. At least Iago is on the list at #4. Also, how about Sir Mordred (Malory's version? T.H. White's)?

On the distaff side of the list, where's the beautiful but evil Milady from Dumas' "The Three Musketeers"? Clytemnestra from Aeschylus or Euripides' Medea? The various versions of Morgan le Fay?

1 comment:

Pat Patterson said...

I would have substituted Dorian Gray, Napoleon from Animal Farm, the witch from Hansel and Gretel and of course Judas Escariot.