Villainitis

I struggle to maintain my villains at a "pure evil" level. I've started a couple of books intending to introduce a gleefully wicked antagonist only to find myself understanding my character's motives. It's only a short step from there to discovering that your villain actually cares about something or someone, that he has a soft spot, that he has moments of shyness and self-doubt, that he's human. That he's not a villain at all; merely an antagonist.

We all know that the "hero" should never be perfect; flaws help to round out his personality and allow the reader to identify with him. We use the word "protagonist" more these days because a protagonist doesn't necessarily have to be the "good guy". And the antagonist doesn't have to be in the wrong. It's a statement of perspective. And, if you think about it, closer to reality too.

I'm reading Inkheart at the moment and I'm at the part where Fenoglio delights in the two main villains he created, reveling in their wickedness while he still feels safely detached. But I'm finding Capricorn and Basta extremely dull and lifeless. They make no sense to me. Maybe I'm just getting old.

My latest (non-fantasy) book has an antagonist I haven't quite sussed out yet. He's not really evil, but he is abusive. I'm finding it hard to get myself to think about his motivation because I just don't want to touch him. I find him slightly repulsive; sickening. But I have to go there eventually if I'm going to write an effective story. I think it is less a case that I don't want to dwell on his abusiveness and more that I just don't want to discover his humanity. If he becomes human then his abusive behaviour may become too startlingly realistic.

Villainitis
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4 thoughts on “Villainitis

  • Sunday at 5:36 PM
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    I haven’t read Inkheart but I think the fact that you find those two villains dull and lifeless shows that even a villain has to have some humanity.

    I love writing from a villain’s point of view. I think it gives me the chance to truly indulge my dark side and I like finding that little chink, that flaw that chips away at his evil character.

    I am not a fan of villains who try to excuse their behaviour by having had a terrible childhood or whatever the case may be, but I do love a villain who shows the occasional soft side. It makes his dastardly deeds seem even more unpalatable!

  • Wednesday at 5:34 PM
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    I don’t really care if villains are sympathetic or mustache-twirlers, so long as the author doesn’t write half the book from his/her POV. 😉

    My favorite “villains,” though, do tend to be the guys who aren’t necessarily evil, but just happen to be on the other side. One of my favorite examples is the Romulan commander from the old Star Trek episode Balance of Terror.

  • Friday at 5:05 AM
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    I realize this is an old post, but I stumbled across it and had to comment.

    The humanness of a villain can certainly be a weakness, but it can also be that which makes the villain truly terrifying. They might realize that acts they’re committing are wrong, but they usually claim that “the ends justifies the means.” It’s this twisted justification that creates the fear; if you find yourself agreeing with, or even understanding, your villain’s line of reasoning, make it more arbitrary or make the leaps of logic farther and less straightforward.

    People who commit evil acts, recognize that the acts are evil, and have no justification or reasoning for them are psychopaths. While psychopaths occasionally make great villains (e.g. The Joker), they are often difficult to write for and usually seem too unrealistic.

  • Friday at 10:01 AM
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    Thanks Andrew, that’s a helpful comment. I’ll have to mull on it a bit more.

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