Comparing Heroes and Villains in Measure for Measure,...

Comparing Heroes and Villains in Measure for Measure, Othello, and Hamlet According to John Steinbeck, Heroes are innocent; villains are cunning. This statement likely regards the internal aspects of characters, such as intellect, reasoning/motivation, and morality/responsibility, as indicated by consistency in action and/or articulation, as in direct speech or soliloquy. An examination of the heroes and villains in Measure for Measure, Othello, and Hamlet can determine whether Steinbecks generalization is applicable. Although Measure for Measure is not a tragedy by standard conventions, Angelo can be considered a tragic hero since he falls because of his hamartia, hubris. While he fits into Steinbecks generalization of†¦show more content†¦Thus Angelo is not innocent, but rather, guilty of hypocrisy, dishonesty, and wrath. Just as Angelo is not a typical hero, the Duke does not obviously appear the villain of the play, yet he is certainly cunning. Although his motivation for promoting Angelo over Escalus is not clear initially, the Duke creates the scenario to test Angelo, and to use him to improve morality in Vienna. The Duke may set up Angelo to fall because he knows Angelo broke his marriage contract with Mariana, as indicated in his soliloquy of lines 261-82 in act III scene ii, and by Marianas familiarity with him: Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice/Hath often stilld my brawling discontent (9-10, IV.i). In disguising himself as a friar, the Duke gains access to private information, as characters speak uninhibitedly in their confessions and opinions of the Duke. For example, Lucio slanders the Duke to the friar, calling him A very superficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow (139-40, III.ii). Furthermore, to resolve Isabellas predicament, the Duke initiates the bed trick (Ken Tompkins, Shakespea re class), binding Angelo simultaneously to his contract with Mariana, and his promise to free Claudio. This may be dramatic convenience for Shakespeare, but it could also be evidence that the Duke has manipulated all of these characters in a plot against Angelo. The consistency of the Dukes scheming nature is further established when he tests