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An Iron Rod in a Desperate Fist

Antony Sher is an actor that could probably play my villain quite well.

     Lord Ives is the external villain in my secret project.  He is an oppressive and harsh master.  In his mind, there is such a gulf between himself and his inferiors as to make their lives worth nothing.  He treats his dogs better than he treats his servants.
     With such a mindset, any appearance of servants trying to bridge his perceived gulf makes him incredibly angry.  With his dominant personality, he believes it his duty to squelch anything that looks like an uprising.  But there is also an intensity in his reaction that is almost like a panic.  It's as if he feels his position to be shaky and he is terrified to have it challenged.  He seems to believe that he would lose all that is dear to him and that he would fail countless generations of ancestors if he were to allow servants to do anything other than abject submission to his will.
     His servants, perhaps, do not see this.  They only see a master who is eager to ferret out any perceived rebellious attitudes, who is relentless in his oppression, and who will execute a dissenter on the spot without blinking an eye.  And they fear him.

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  1. KathrynJuly 28, 2014 at 12:56 PM

    Excellent. I like a dislikable villain, which, although out of vogue, makes for an exciting story.

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  2. Esther Brooksmith (wisdomcreates)July 29, 2014 at 8:09 AM

    Perhaps, if the story were written from his perspective, you might find some redeeming quality in him somewhere. He has two small children - perhaps he is a doting and indulgent father. But such a side of his character would not be portrayed in my tale (as my heroes and heroines are always on his bad side). In their minds, Lord Ives is utterly despicable.

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