Great literary villains are complex and often have identifiable motivations. Shakespeare’s Iago is a prime example of a “thinking villain” who influenced many writers. Voldemort from Harry Potter is irredeemable, but his past and rise to power make him compelling. Some villains act on impulse or for their highest good, while others may be likable but flawed. Ultimately, the best villains remind us of our own humanity.
A great literary villain isn’t just anything; some are mustachioed or evil geniuses, some are tormented and darkly complex souls, while others are amoral lunatics who act entirely on impulse. There are many ways to write a literary villain, but one unique feature often ties truly memorable anti-heroes together: They’re at least as complex as the heroes.
Some of the first and greatest literary villains come from William Shakespeare. While literature has certainly featured villainous characters before, Shakespeare had a talent and an interest in developing their characters and the motivations behind their evil deeds. In Othello, Shakespeare offers us perhaps the most iconic literary villain of all time: Iago. The play revolves entirely around his schemes, and Iago often speaks to the audience, explaining himself and his plans. This tradition of a “thinking villain” has influenced many writers throughout history and led to the creation of dozens of notorious literary evildoers.
A great literary villain can almost entirely be pure evil; in the groundbreaking Harry Potter series, much of the climax hinges on the idea that the villain, Lord Voldemort, is truly irredeemable and beyond help. Yet the simple motivation of gaining ultimate power is the most basic thing about Voldemort; what makes him a compelling villain is the meticulous explanation of his past and his rise to power. The depth of his evil makes him a powerful and memorable figure, one that will haunt the nightmares of many for a long time to come.
Other villains are complex in their apparent amorality. These characters are particularly frightening as they seem to live chaotically, choosing actions on impulse or for their highest good at any cost. Sometimes, these characters are portrayed as gray or anti-criminal. Sometimes they will do good if need be, but may suddenly decide to do harm or do deeds harmful to the hero. The seemingly random pathos of these villains is unnerving and memorable, as is the defiance of concepts of ordered systems by their very existence.
A good literary villain can also be one with easily identifiable and, to some extent, universal motivations or characteristics. Creating a villain who is likable offers readers a powerful contradiction of emotions. While they don’t want the character to succeed in their dastardly plans, they do feel true remorse for the pain or fatal flaws that caused the villain to backlash with evil. In Macbeth, the villain arguably does a good thing, ridding the kingdom of a weak and frail king and replacing him as the nation’s hero. Yet Macbeth is overwhelmed by his own love of power and, almost against his will, falls into darkness.
For the most part, the best literary villains remind us that they are human too. No matter how twisted or dark they may be, they’re not that different from you or me. The paths between hero and villain are complex and uncertain, and great writers are often able to accurately describe not only the evil done, but humanity forsaken.
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