A Villain of a Definition

There are so many villanous people, places, and things in this world, not to mention ideas, that a place to discuss the best among them seems appropriate. Some are obvious antagonists, and some may switch sides as frequently as you may bother to review their intentions.

What is a villain? Definitions may very nearly become our first villain discussed if this is where we must begin. Nevertheless, an attempt to narrow the discipline of this blog is slightly necessary. Merriam-Webster cannot be blamed for the murkiness that remains. They are as ever simply a source for the facts.

Villain (noun)

There are of course five differing definitions based on the context. First, we encounter the relation to villein, which is “a free common villager or village peasant of any of the feudal classes lower in rank than the thane”. So above all else, we must choose to define villainy as something that originates in the lower classes. Sounds like something that is assumably a convenient definition created by the upper classes to smear those beneath them. After all, who do we think wrote the history on villainy?

The second definition is listed as an uncouth person: boor. So, villains are those who are rude and brutish. It is notable that villains are so far not defined by their actions, but by their personalities. Perspective may change, the world may or may not change their point of view, but a villain is and always will be a villain.

Third, a deliberate scoundrel or criminal. Ahh, the unknowing cannot be villainous. The intention to fulfill villanous shoes is of course what makes one guilty. One has to make the choice to be a scoundrel. The actionable now comes in to play to add to the definition. One has the personality of a villain and takes steps to convey this to others. What a winner.

Fourth, a character in a story or play who opposes the hero. Here is where we get into the gray area. When we start to work with opposites, there has to be a black to contrast every white. However people, issues, ideas; what are “things that are never as pure as black and white”. As the hero changes from ideal to flawed, so does our villain change from pure evil to hopeless case. Open to interpretation, of course!

Last but not least, one blamed for a particular evil or difficulty. So, one could be called a villain because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. You don’t have to be guilty of the particular evil, you just have to have blood on your hands to be considered a villain.

So far these definitions have just provided us with content, nothing in the way of parameters. And so the conclusion must be that villains are hard to define. One man’s villain is another man’s last hope. We’ll just agree to disagree on who and what we call “villainous”.

I will say that among the synonyms for villain, my favorite by far, without question, is “baddie”. It certainly simplifies the issue, as baddie would most certainly play opposite to “goodie”. Unless you are speaking of a goodie-bag, in which case I most certainly do not want to explore the contents of a baddie-bag.

Until our next day of circuitous logic!