Hamlet and King Lear: Villians Shakespeare's Hamlet and King Lear the respective villains commit horrible acts of violence and manipulation. Although both Claudius and Edmund share many similar qualities their moral worth is not equal. Edmund exhibits a total lack of morality whereas Claudius exhibits faint signs of a moral standard. This faint difference shines through upon analysis of each character's language, actions, and thoughts. It must be noted that not each expression can be evaluated equally. Speeches by a villain in the presence of others is usually deceitful. The audience must be critical of anything said or done by a character in the presence of ot