Alright this will likely be controversial but here it goes. For reference of the original proposal:[1], I personally had a major issue as while the proposal does go into good detail at parts but it was created almost immediately after another very minimalistic one with the newer one being upvoted almost immediately while leaving out one minor thing: he doesn't plead for his own life just for that of his son who is still an infant.
What Is The Work?[]
Titus Andronicus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is a very dark play about two factions that despise each other with one woman raped and mutilated with a couple characters even mocking her but Aaron does orchestrate most if not all.
Who Is He and What Does He Do?[]
Aaron the Moor is a vile man who arranges the rape of a woman, for her mutilation to hide the fact and a couple murders. However in the play itself another man rapes the woman, some character if I ember right had their own children killed for honor. Throughout the play he is a card carrying villain who commits several petty crimes and shows no shame but rather joy in admitting his crimes claiming he only regrets he couldn't do more heinous acts. Throughout the play he is described as a devil-type figure who orchestrated most the vile acts.
Why He Shouldn't Count?[]
Alright here is the issue: he cares for his own son, he may be an irredeemable man who would gladly kill others including other children but his own son he will protect with everything he has. In the proposal there was a counter argument and it was upvoted before I could see it (back when you only needed so may votes, this was before the original was even done). Those counter arguments are that he merely saw his son as an extension of himself because he brags that his son is demonic, a "thick-lopped slave" and above others as since he's black he cannot blush thus much harder to tell when he lies (not even kidding the play has this said), he also compares said newborn son to himself and mentions how he will raise his son in secret to be like him. The issue is he blatantly killed the nurse who made a racist remark and mentioned how his child should be killed, Aaron goes so far as to say any who try to harm his son he'd kill by himself. Yes he doesn't kill the nurse until after it comes to mention that only her, one other woman and the empress herself know of the son's existence but that is likely him just wanting to get the info first while already pissed at her for said racial comments and desire to kill his child.
Even when he is captured in the climax and his enemies make it clear they plan to kill both him and said son, even saying they'd hang the infant first so he could watch as Lucius says: "Too like the sire for ever being good. First hang the child, that he may see it sprawl; A sight to vex the father's soul withal. Get me a ladder", Aaron merely asks they spare his son in return for an entire confession, when Lucius says only if what Aaron says is worth it to him but Aaron refused until they swear to all they hold dear will he confess.
As soon as they agree he does brag about his crimes and claims to repent any good deed he's done but never mistreated his son and went out of his way to ensure said son would live thus indicating some genuine care. To those who think that this is simply wanting a legacy keep in mind it's a newborn who wouldn't remember him nor does Aaron imply his son would. During the proposal said user compared it to Captain Vidal's desire for a son but here's the difference: Captain Vidal when he hears his child might be a girl he gets angry implying Vidal wanted a son solely to handle his own daddy issues and then asks that they tell his son who he was and give them his pocket watch before the heroes execute him. Aaron does not beg, does not ask that they tell his son of him or anything but only his enemies spare the child while walking to his own death. Yes he brags about his crimes and planned to teach his son to be his successor but in the end he was willing to die alone as long as his son is spared.
Him wanting a son to be like him if by itself in this case would be very vile and if it were simply a legacy or reflection of himself I doubt he'd try to save his son as a newborn when he knows he is screwed either way, had the child been older I could see it being the case but no its an infant who wouldn't remember him or likely learn the full truth of his father. His claim to repent any good deed? He is a person who delights in being evil and still he never seems to reconsider that he is doing this to save his child in a play were minimum one person killed his child for no apparent good reason. He has no other child unlike say Immortan Joe so one can't even use him given he treated a lot of people including his children as a pawn or property. Is Aaron a vile man who does crimes just because he loves being evil? Yeah he is chaotic evil to the core but he went out of his way to save his helpless son which in itself disqualifying at least to me.
Verdict?[]
He's close but no cigar, I'd say he's 98-99% evil but has one single redeeming quality.