Greatest Shakespeare Characters

The Top Ten
1 Hamlet (Hamlet)

Hamlet's motives are undoubtedly what make him so complex. Is he mad, or simply pretending? Is he a hero or a villain? He has such a fascinating psychological backstory.

Most relatable character ever

2 Iago (Othello)

From the play "Othello, " Iago is by far the most complex and devious character Shakespeare put to paper. His actions (including deft manipulation) coupled with great depth of emotion catapult Iago to the top of the list.

Iago is one of the best villains in Shakespeare. In the production I saw of Othello, he was Irish, which somehow made him even more entertaining to watch.

3 Lady Macbeth (Macbeth)
4 Macbeth (Macbeth)
5 Cordelia (King Lear)
6 Prospero (The Tempest)
7 Henry V (Henry V)
8 Viola (Twelfth Night)
9 Romeo (Romeo and Juliet)

He's stupid he had a relationship with a 13 year old girl and commited suicide over her

10 Mercutio (Romeo and Juliet)

The Newcomers

? Lady Capulet (Romeo and Juliet)
? Lord Capulet (Romeo and Juliet)
The Contenders
11 Bottom (A Midsummer Night's Dream)
12 Katherine (The Taming of the Shrew)

She was a bitch at the beginning but, she turned out to have more character than her stuck up sister near the end of the play.

13 Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing)

The best part of this show is the dialogue between Benedick and Beatrice.

14 Puck (A Midsummer Night's Dream)
15 Juliet (Romeo and Juliet)

From absolute impassioned love and happiness to devastating loss and sorrow, this character experiences heaven and hell.

She has one of the hardest rolls in Shakespeare plays. I am a boy, I tried to play her, IT... IS... HARDER... THAN... IT... LOOKS.

16 Friar Laurence (Romeo and Juliet)

He I the one who had the idea to give Juliet the potion that made her appear dead so she could avoid the wedding with Paris.

17 Ophelia (Hamlet)

Is great and deserves to be on the top spot

18 Banquo (Macbeth)
19 Malvolio (Twelfth Night)
20 Benvolio (Romeo and Juliet)

I was asked by a director if I wanted to play this role. I was drunk at the time and declined. In retrospect, that was the fifteenth worst decision I've made in my life.

21 Lysander (A Midsummer Night's Dream)
22 Sir Toby Belch (Twelfth Night)
23 Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Twelfth Night)
24 Feste (Twelfth Night)
25 Hotspur (King Henry IV)
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