Magnificent Bastard/Theatre: Difference between revisions

|'''Iago'''|''[[Othello]]'' }}

 

* Iago from [[Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Othello]]'' is a super [[Magnificent Bastard]] and a [[Complete Monster]] at the same time. He's been described as a "[[For the Evulz|motiveless malignity]]". Indeed, the reasons he gives for manipulating everybody just aren't big enough for justification - in the end, it probably has to do with the fact that he finds it ''fun'' to control everyone and have them believe his every lie. Nevertheless, despite his despicable nature, Iago is such a witty evil genius that like Heath Ledger's Joker, he ultimately upstages the eponymous good-guy. Othello has no chance against his sneaky intellect. Just to complete his magnificence, he goes through almost the entire play with the nickname "honest Iago."

* A more restrained Shakespearean example of a [[Magnificent Bastard]] (and, in fact, a real-life example) is Octavius Caesar in [[Antony and Cleopatra]]. He pulls a string of [[Xanatos Gambit]]s, such as marrying ''his own sister'' to Antony to force him either to [[Thicker Than Water|shame Caesar (and thus provide him with an excuse for war) or bend the knee]], [[Manipulative Bastard|manipulates nearly everyone he meets]] (bar [[Femme Fatale|Cleopatra]]), defeats the more militarily adept Antony through a [[Batman Gambit]], [[Visionary Villain|has truly grandiose plans]], and, unlike most of the other examples here, {{spoiler|ends up as the most powerful man in all the world and Emperor of the Roman Empire.}}

*** This play was basically Shakespeare's idea of putting an ENTIRE CAST of Magnificent Bastards on one stage and watching them (literally) eat each other.

* ''[[King Lear]]'' has Edmund of Gloucester. A bastard in every sense of the word, Edmund is an evil manipulator of the Iago variety, but he's also way cooler than his legitimate half brother Edgar, who, while not (particularly) stupid, is a total stiff. Edmund lies, forges, betrays, and seduces his way to the top, but part of you still can't help liking him. Especially since he actually ''says'' in a speech, "Stand up for bastards!" No apologies. A ruthless but deeply charismatic schemer who plays everyone for his own benefit, Edmund frames his brother for treason and convinces him to flee into exile while manipulating his father into granting him Edgar's legitimate birthright, before exposing Gloucester's sympathy for King Lear and handing him off to the Duke of Cornwall. As the Duke of Gloucester, Edmund schemes for the throne of Britain itself and seduces Lear's own ambitious daughters to further his own power. Even on his deathbed, Edmund finally finds the grace to defy his own bastardly nature and rescinds the order he had previously given to execute Lear and Cordelia—a sentiment which, tragically, is too late.

* The Black Knight in Middleton's ''A Game At Chess.'' When told "Your plot's discovered!" he smirks "Which of the twenty thousand, nine hundred/fourscore and five, canst tell?"

* Harry Roat Jr. from ''[[Wait Until Dark]]'', right from the very first scene when he traps Talman and Carlino into his plot and all the way to the end where he refuses to die even after getting stabbed.