I, Claudius Villain #5: Messalina

[cathschaffstump]

This would be the last of the I, Claudius villain series. Claudius' young wife Messalina, turns out to also be a villain, and I would say that she combines the worst of Livia and the best of Caligula.

What makes Messalina work is that she has deluded Claudius to her character. She appears to be a sweet, innocent wife, but she is really a lusty viper with plans of her own. She lies and manipulates, and Claudius always believes her innocence. She actually marries another man while Claudius is away, with the intention of making him emperor.

Another facet of all this is that Messalina flies into poisonous fits of rage. She reminds me of Livilla. But to Claudius, she is always the sweet girl he loves.

Indeed, it takes another woman Claudius trusts to tell him the truth, and it hurts him mightily. His secretaries have Claudius sign Messalina's death warrant when he is drunk, and they dare not let him see her, because they know she will be forgiven.

She has to be executed. Her mother tells her to commit suicide for the family honor, but she will not. She continues to yell and protest even as the sword connects with her neck. This, by the way, is a great scene.

***

I would recommend a viewing of I, Claudius to anyone who needs to understand villain motivations. Although I love Claudius as one of the best developed protagonists of all time, the antagonists are equally well-developed and multifaceted, and a writer can learn a lot from them.

Catherine

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.