I am trying to come up with a chess set where the white side is the most wonderful champions of justice and good in history, and the black side an infamous group of historical ne'er do wells who have a)been in the thick of events and B) performed atrocities
So far for the evil side, I have come up with this group
King - Hitler Stalin may have killed more people, but Hitler passes him easily in infamy, at least in this part of the world
Bishop - Rasputin I just want to see his wild beard on a chessboard, and of course the fact that he, as a madman, infiltrated and basically ran Russia for years helps.
Knight - Klansman Cavalry Think "Birth of a Nation"
Rook - Impaled Transylvanian A trademark of Vlad the Impaler, who once impaled an entire village of HIS OWN PEOPLE just to frighten away attackers who were approaching. It worked, incidentally.
Pawns - infantry from the various conquering armies in history. This would include all of the axis powers, and then some crusaders, romans, Assyrians, etc.
My dilemma is, I can not think of a historical woman who would be simultaneously be infamous enough to be recognized, and inarguably evil enough to place next to these others. I need Hatrack's help! Who should my Queen be?
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Lucretia(Lucrecia) Borgia
Posted by lcarus (Member # 4395) on :
BannaOj
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Uhhhhh, Marie Antoinette?
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
I thought about Marie Antoinette, but as my father put it, she isn't as much evil as ignorant, stupid, and powerful. I really want someone who is actively evil, and not passively, i.e. the woman who bought thousands upon thousands of pairs of shoes while her people starved to death. I just don't think I could put Marie Antoinette next to Hitler.
Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
That's great that Helen Gurly Brown is on there. And what a great picture.
Posted by IdemosthenesI (Member # 862) on :
That website didn't really help me much, since it's mostly obscure people who set the women's rights movement back a decade, not killed people or manipulated others into destroying nations. BTW, I must confess my ignorance as to Borgia. Elizabeth, who was she?
Other possible candidates: Madame Mao (Jiang-Qing)
I guess that's all I've got. I sure wish Madame DeFarge was a real woman!
Posted by HRE (Member # 6263) on :
Cleopatra...easily recognized, bone-chillingly evil and manipulative. Equal to Rasputin, if not more.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I think Helen of Troy and Cleopatra could be entered into the list. Both were the catalyst for much death and destruction mainly in pursuit of their own pleasure or power.
Whistler's mother has caused a lot of pain in art appreciation classes. And it'd look cool to have this woman in a rocking chair as part of your chess set.
Posted by IdemosthenesI (Member # 862) on :
Withdrawn. The Blood Countess was pretty bad, I suppose, but a bit obscure. Susan Atkins is evil enough, and has at least some infamy, but she also didn't really have any power. She didn't orchestrate any event larger than her own little "Family." So I'm still not there.
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
The most evil woman in Hatrack history - celia60 Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
I guess the big problem is that throughout history women tend to use more "behind the scenes" measures to get their way. They are less likely to come out into the open and commit atrocities. But they can do some pretty haneous (sp?) things in their own right.
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
They denounce Cosmo, but the graphic ad next to it depicts a tall girl named "sindy" who can't possibly have more than a 6-inch waist. Hilarious.
Lucretia is the illegitimate child of the "Borgia Pope" famous for incest, murder, and corruption. The Prince was written about her family, IIRC.
Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :
Asineth.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Well, she qualifies for infamy, but not so much for scope -- Lizzie Borden.
Posted by hugh57 (Member # 5527) on :
Martha Stewart Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
We have a winner!!
[ March 18, 2004, 12:36 AM: Message edited by: beverly ]
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
What about Bloody Mary? Queen Mary I, that is. Over 300 people were burned at the stake because they weren't Catholic just because she said so. Granted, this isn't as impressive (I use the term very loosely) as Hitler or Stalin, but I think she fits nicely.
Posted by Gottmorder (Member # 5039) on :
Jezebel? (more biblical, but that's history...sort of..I guess...I think...)
Posted by Suneun (Member # 3247) on :
how about Bloody Mary?
Posted by Suneun (Member # 3247) on :
*points at Javert* Thppppt!
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
I really don't want to derail the thread...but what does Thppppt mean?
Posted by Gottmorder (Member # 5039) on :
Stick out your tongue. Now blow outward through ytour mouth. Hear that noise? That's what thppppt! is.
A variation is Pthpthpth!
More on topic, on the matter of the chess set, if you don't mind me making suggestion or two.
For the knight, might I suggest a Mongolian of the Golden Horde? Nothing says calvary like the group that took over Asia and nearly conquered Europe.
As for the pawns, would the Crusaders really count as evil?
[ March 18, 2004, 12:56 AM: Message edited by: Gottmorder ]
Posted by Jaiden (Member # 2099) on :
I wanna say the woman (Delilah) who cut off Sampsons hair in the bible. But not sure if you can count her as evil or silly. Or if she's too obscure
Posted by skrika03 (Member # 5930) on :
Typhoid Mary? For all serious, I think Madame Mao caused the most people to die.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Thank you, Richard Berg, for summing up Lucretia so nicely.
Some people would think Omarosa from The Apprentice is the most evil woman.
How about Joan Crawford?
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
the blood countess maybe?
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
If you really want to inspire dread in every man who plays with it, double entendre intended?
Lorena Bobbitt.
Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
quote:Jaiden:
I wanna say the woman (Delilah) who cut off Sampsons hair in the bible.
Simpson's hair? Marge?
Posted by vwiggin (Member # 926) on :
My mother in law.
OK I'm not married. But if I were, I'm sure she would be pretty evil. Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
Well, you got that one right, Beren!
What a pity real people have to be used - Milady from The Three Muskateers would be a good one . . .
Okay - straight from Uppity Women of Medieval Times,by Vivki Leon - the following:
Wu Zhau (grade A concubine, 7th c. China, also gifted with assassination skills) who went from entry-level mistress to Empress through judicious murders and, well - you get the picture
Olga ( 10th c. Russian dame with a penchant for vengeance): live burials, boiling water baths and then your traditional sword and sleges . . . with the revenge of her husband's death accomplished, she then promptly introduced Greek Orthodox Christianity.
Schwarze Hofmannin (15th c. social reformer, credited with saying what fun it wold be to slash the clothes off of over-dressed high society women, visualizing them as a flock of plucked geese)
And so you know why the dominant figure in chess sets has been a Queen, it is in honor of Catherine Sforza (early 16th c. Italian lady)in honor of her martial exploits, many of which ocurred on horseback leading battles even while pregnant. At one time she is reported to have said that the captors of her children could keep them - she could always make more.
There's lots more! Check out the book!
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Jezebel. She also gets points for having the coolest name.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Tammy Fae Bakker! And Jim could be her king! Or her pawn.
Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
Catherine the Great... or alternately you could make her one of the knights...
I'm gonna burn for that one. Posted by T. Analog Kid (Member # 381) on :
nah... that was really funny Sopwith...
What about the good side?
Joan d'Arc as Queen, maybe?
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
I was going to say Erzsebet Bathory, but about a million people have beat me to the punch.
Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
The phlebotomist lady at the clinic, who turns your arm black and blue looking for a vein.
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Leona Helmsly
Tammy Sue Baker
Ma Parker
but the best, most dread inspiring image I could imagine on a chess piece....
Brittn'y Spears
or more literary--Lady McBeth?
Any female lawyer in a tight suit and dead cold eyes.
Generic 4 year old girl, choking a cat with her hug, and screaming relentlessly, "Mine! Mine! Mine!".
oops, was that last one out loud?
[ March 19, 2004, 11:07 AM: Message edited by: Dan_raven ]
Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
My grandma, who administered coffee enemas to unruly visitors.
Posted by lcarus (Member # 4395) on :
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I don't know her name, and I don't know if she's too obscure, but there was a really evil woman in vietname who liked to torture captured GIs by cutting off their privates, thier eyelids, etc..
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
quote: Bishop - Rasputin I just want to see his wild beard on a chessboard, and of course the fact that he, as a madman, infiltrated and basically ran Russia for years helps.
Doesn't this add an extra dimension to the game? You have to kill the Bishop several times in order to get him off the board. And worse still! There are two of him!
Posted by Gottmorder (Member # 5039) on :
Actually, it'd be invincible until you dunk it in water. So the chessboard will have to have a few squares filled with water to work.
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Well, they all pale in comparison to our celia60. Posted by Alexa (Member # 6285) on :
Because black is always evil. BrrrrrrbrbrbrbrDDDDUhhhhhhhhhh! One reason I like the Earth Sea Tilogy is because all the main characters are black. Go Ged go!
Posted by Alexa (Member # 6285) on :
I think you should make Pamala Anderson an evil women--at least you would increase sells. Posted by Zevlag (Member # 1405) on :
I've always liked the idea of the white being the chaotic, the evil. (read L.E. Moddesitt's "Magic of Recluce")
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Evil Laugh]](graemlins/evillaugh.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Laugh]](graemlins/laugh.gif)
Well, you got that one right, Beren!![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)