The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 20.0244  Monday, 18 May 2009

From:       Donald Bloom <
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Date:       Friday, 15 May 2009 12:25:50 -0500
Subject: 20.0229 Playing Iago
Comment:    RE: SHK 20.0229 Playing Iago

In response to Joseph Egert's rather mystical reply ("Like the dyer's 
hand, many a soldier's soul (even in the best of causes) is left tainted 
by the blood he has shed -- his nature 'subdu'd to what it works in' and 
'pity chok'd with custom of fell deeds.' To that extent every victory is 
a defeat, and every battle won is a battle lost.") I have nothing 
further to say. I guess I just don't know what he means by a "serial 
killer."

On the other hand, Iago, Edmund, and Richard III all fit the general 
profile of the psychopath -- that is, they are without affect or 
conscience, and yet are extremely plausible, charming and persuasive. 
Fortunately, relatively few psychopaths have the sadistic sexual 
impulses characteristic of the serial killer, for they are peculiarly 
difficult to capture.

Of course, there is also no particular reason why a sadistic psychopath 
couldn't be a professional military man, but equally none why he might 
not be a college professor, playwright, or actor. I'm not sure I want to 
know which is more likely.

Cheers,
don

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