Contrast the manner in which Shakespeare presents the idea of villainy in his two plays Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth.

Villainy can be described as cruel, illegal or wicked behaviour with the deliberate intention to either obtain an advantage or to harm that which is the object of such behaviour. The villain is, therefore, a malicious character, more often than not remorseless and self-serving. Such a character would commit a pernicious deed without needing any motivation to do so.

We are confronted with two different kinds of villainy in Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. In the former, villainy is presented in the shape of a feud between two families. The basis of the fear is never fully explained, but we do know that it exists, as the prologue clearly states:

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

It is this grudge which creates 'new mutiny.' The opposing parties, represented by members of the Montague and Capulet families and their associates, have, once again, openly clashed with one another, causing disruption in the beautiful city of Verona. Many have apparently been hurt in these skirmishes. Because of this, members of both families, who would otherwise have been decent and law-abiding citizens, have committed criminal acts. 

It is the tension between these two households which forms the core of this drama. Events in the play and their consequences are determined entirely by the intense loathing the two parties have for each other, as the prologue confirms:

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage . . .

It is this pervasive malice that turns law-abiding citizens into villains. An example of this can be seen in the actions of Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, who so despises the Montagues that he sees Romeo's uninvited entry to the Capulet ball as an offense which demands action and severe sanction. It is only Lord Capulet's stern intervention which stops him from attacking Romeo during the party. Tybalt is extremely upset and declares:

I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall
Now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall.

Tybalt here expresses his deep bitterness and states that Romeo's unwanted visit will spur him on to vengeance. He later challenges Romeo to a duel. Since Romeo has by that time fallen for Juliet, he refuses to fight. This provokes Romeo's friend, Mercutio, into taking up the challenge. Tybalt kills Mercutio and Romeo later kills Tybalt, which leads to his banishment on pain of execution.

In this instance, it is Tybalt's villainy which starts a chain of events that leads to others becoming villains themselves. Romeo becomes a killer, for he dispatches Tybalt and later executes County Paris in self-defense. Friar Laurence, in his naive attempts to bring about goodwill, commits a number of deeds which, for a man in his position, would surely be frowned upon. Ultimately, our two protagonists commit suicide and a lifelong family feud is finally resolved. Ironically, all the villainy eventually results in something good.

In Macbeth, villainy is displayed in its most pernicious form. The brave Macbeth becomes a super-villain when he murders his much beloved liege, king Duncan, to achieve his selfish ambition. His wife, too, displays a vileness and malice which exceeds all bounds. The two manipulate, plot, plan and finally execute a most treacherous deed.

Unlike the situation illustrated in Romeo and Juliet, where circumstance led to circumstance, their villainy is bred from an inherent malice. The depth of their perfidy is informed by their greed. Macbeth becomes a remorseless and bloodthirsty tyrant who seeks to destroy all threats against his position with impunity. There is no redemption. Although at times he seems to display remorse, it is not bred from his concern about the damage he has done to others or his country; it is regret about his personal torment that he expresses. He remains arrogant and selfish to the end.

Lady Macbeth, however, is so overwhelmed by remorse and regret that she loses her sanity and commits suicide. She had become a villain by choice and suffered the consequences.

The witches present villainy in that they intentionally go out to deceive Macbeth and thus create a greater will in him to commit evil. They are malicious and take pleasure in seeing the gullible tyrant hanging on their every word, following their advice and willingly marching towards his own doom. They masterfully use paradox and equivocation to persuade the vile tyrant.

Since their purpose is to spread evil, they take much joy when Macbeth becomes even more ruthless, killing friends and innocents alike. He has Banquo murdered, wipes out Macduff's entire family and goes on a rampage, brutally killing all he deems a threat. Scotland is turned into a bloodbath by the merciless dictator.

In conclusion, the true villains in both plays get their just desserts. It is just a pity that so many innocents' lives are sacrificed in the process.