In literary plays, every character plays a role that is important to the play. One of the most important roles that a character can have that can determine so many parts of a play is the role of the villain. William Shakespeare has been one of the best playwrights when it comes to tying villains into his plays to make them apart of the central focus in having them contribute towards the plot, theme, dramatic situations, and characterization. Shakespeare's plays, Measure for Measure, Twelfth Night, and Much Ado About Nothing all have a villain that contributes to the key parts of the play aforementioned. The villain in Measure for Measure is the Duke/Vincentio, Twelfth Night has Viola and Much Ado About Nothing has the villain of Don John.
             The Duke/Vincentio in Measure for Measure has a big part in the play by contributing to many major parts of the play. The first element in which the villain Duke/Vincentio affects the play is in the area of the plot. The Duke is the ruler of Vienna and decides at the beginning of the play to "pretend" to leave town. By doing this, he would pass his power to Angelo, a man who is very strict. The Duke stays in Vienna disguised as a friar named Vincentio so that he could observe how Vienna is being ran under the rule of Angelo. The Duke is a villain that knows human nature is weak and can be corrupted to a certain extent. He also knows that being a ruler requires that a person be fair and not punish people for their faults when in fact they have faults as well. The Duke's contribution to the plot is of course him "leaving town" and handing over power to his deputy Angelo. The Duke also stays in Vienna disguised as a friar named Vincentio to see how Angelo is handling the power he has inherited.
             By the Duke pretending to be a friar, he contributes to the plot by affecting the ruling of a major case in Vienna regarding Claudio and his fiancee Juliet. The ...