One of the villains from my childhood that stands out most is the Sheriff of Nottingham of the Robin Hood stories. The Sheriff of Nottingham is certainly the villain of the legends, despite his position as sheriff to Robin Hood’s bandit. The Sheriff is typically considered to be a political appointee by Prince John, unfit to be sheriff, yet given the position for their mutual benefit. With a corrupt sheriff collecting taxes, the Prince could squeeze more money out of the townspeople and more closely control them, while the Sheriff benefitted by lining his own pockets. When threatened, the Sheriff resorted immediately to violence, hanging those who stood up to him and launching a campaign against his nemesis, Robin Hood. In our class discussion,