Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Drawing lines in the sand: the villain as "other" -- "Red in tooth and claw": the villain as nature -- Sybarites and savages : the villain as barbarian -- Tyrants, traitors and tramps : the villain as agent of discord and disorder -- "One who rules without law" : the villain as tyrant -- "Et tu, brute?" : the villain as traitor -- "Her arms are wicked and her legs are long" : the villain as femme fatale -- The bad seed : the villain as pathology -- Gangsters and grifters : the villain as sociopath -- Rippers and rapists : the villain as psychopathic murderer -- Epilogue: Marplots and madmen : the villain as metaphor.
Summary:
"This book explores how western societies have used villains to sort insiders from outsiders and establish behavioral norms to support harmony and well-being. The author also discusses two related phenomena: the dramatic paring down of what is considered villainous in the West, and the proliferation of over-the-top villains in pop culture and mass media"-- Provided by publisher.
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