< Large Ham

Large Ham/Literature

Large Hams are always going to be found somewhere in a book series. These are frequently fan favorites.

  • Gustav II Adolph in 1632 and to a lesser degree, his Danish counterpart King Christian of Denmark. The hamminess is cranked to epic levels when the two are in the same room after the Danes are defeated and frogmarched into the Union of Kalmar.
  • The titular character of Howl's Moving Castle.
  • The tall, exuberant Dutchman Mijnheer Peeperkorn in Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain. (He was modeled after Real Life German author Gerhart Hauptmann.)
  • Also by Thomas Mann: Alois Permaneder, the Bavarian in Buddenbrooks.
  • Nicholas van Rijn, interstellar entrepreneur in Poul Anderson's Technic History stories. If these were made into movies, he'd have to be played by Brian Blessed. He talks and acts Big Ham, certainly, but is also large and fat, just so you don't miss the point.
    • Poul Anderson is fond of ham. The Ythrians in Technic History are something of a hammy race. And he writes other stories including some about Vikings who are by definition hammy. And of course Odin is a character in some of his Viking stories and Odin is the hammiest of them all.
  • Archchancellor Ridcully, wizard of wizards in the Discworld series is also another candidate to be played by Brian Blessed in any live-action adaptation, although in the Hogfather movie they went with Joss Ackland.
    • This trope is given a rather amusing nod in "Wyrd Sisters" when Granny visits the theater. While investigating the relative reality of theater, she catches a luckless former corpse backstage, still very much alive, and eating a ham sandwich.
    • Otto von Chriek the vampire photographer deserves to be mentioned as well. Especially during the moments in "The Truth" where he has to fight his addiction. And because he is from Überwald, his more dramatic lines often get accompanied by equally dramatic thunderclaps.
    • Mr. Boggis is in danger of being killed by the god of Over-Acting in Thud!.
    • Let's not forget Wolfgang from The Fifth Elephant. May be justified in his case, he is a werewolf who cares little for human culture or normalcy. His personality may be based on the speaking version of an annoying, constantly barking dog.
    • Are You Forgetting Someone?
  • There's one in the Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice - Lady Catherine du Burgh in any incarnation, but especially as played by Dame Judi Dench in the film version.
  • Ciaphas Cain, HERO OF THE IMPERIUM is actually a deconstruction of the Large Ham. He puts on one hell of a show for the average Imperial citizen, in reality, he just wants to get away from it all. He privately admits that he's never averse to being the center of attention when it doesn't involve incoming fire.
    • However, during his confrontation with a Chaos Warmaster (being recorded by said Warmaster and broadcast to the entire planet), he says he has no problem hamming it up.
  • Gilderoy Lockhart, in Harry Potter, who constantly assumes everyone in the world is asking for his autograph. Whenever Harry makes a mistake, he automatically assumes he did it for attention, like himself, and gives him advice about media and popularity. This troper gags at the memory of reading his scenes in Chamber of Secrets the first time.
    • It's fairly understated, but Draco Malfoy always gives the impression of playing to the crowd whenever he's taunting Harry, especially when he's described as drawling (which is fairly often). And Snape gets in on the act too, with his introductory speeches to Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts, or when he gets really angry and starts to rival Harry's own infamous love affair with CAPSLOCK. Then there's Voldemort's love of dramatic, long speeches (in a high-pitched voice this troper cannot help but hear as Starscream's)... apparently the Slytherin qualities are cunning and hambition.
  • "Excuse me! Elassar Targon, Master of the Universe, reporting for duty!" A pilot in the X Wing Series, Elassar has the odd distinction of always reacting hammily.

Thank you, thank you. Performances every hour, on the hour. Imperial madmen a speciality.

  • Mystery Science Theater 3000 subject The Sword and the Dragon has everyone talk like this. One of the host spots had Bill as the hero, "For it is ham that I seek! Ham! HAAAAAMM!!!" It actually comes off underplayed compared to the actual movie.
  • Several characters from A Song of Ice and Fire:
    • Aeron Greyjoy, AKA Damphair: NO GODLESS MAN MAY SIT THE SEASTONE CHAIR!
    • Viserys Targaryen: I AM THE BLOOD OF THE DRAGON! I'M THE DRAGON!
    • HODORHODORHODORHODORHODORHODORHODOR!
    • Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne would like you to admit that you murdered his sister EEEEEEEEEEELIAAAAAAAAAAAA!
    • The Lords of the Seven Kingdoms like to stick Ham into their titles:
      • King Balon Greyjoy, Iron King of the Isles and the North, Lord-Reaper of Pyke, Son of the Sea Wind and King of Salt and Rock
      • King Robert I Baratheon, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm
      • The crown of hammy titles has to go to: Queen Daenerys I Targaryen, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, Stormborn, Breaker of Shackles, Breaker of Chains, Princess of Dragonstone and Mother of Dragons.
    • Tormund Giantsbane, Tall-talker, Horn-blower and Breaker of Ice, Husband to Bears, the Mead-king of Ruddy Hall, Speaker to Gods and Father of Hosts. All of which are self-styled titles. He has the most boisterous, hammiest laugh in the series and he loves talking about anything to do with his member.
    • "STRONG BELWAS NEEDS LIVER AND ONIONS!"
  • Anton Zilwicki is usually somewhat stoic, but he has his moments.

"From the highlands!"

  • Doctor Impossible, when he's in Mad Scientist mode. Leads to some amusing scenes where he seems visibly annoyed that the heroes are forcing him to put on his game face and rant when he'd rather kick back and relax with a latte.
  • Professor Challenger in The Lost World.
  • The meat monster in John Dies at the End. Extremely fitting as the creature is essentially a possessed pile of meat, making it a Large Ham in more ways then one.
  • Spiro in My Family and Other Animals, it helps also that he was played by Brian Blessed.
  • Hank the Cowdog is this most of the time. He loves showing off his supposedly amazing charm, bravery, and intellect whenever he gets the chance.
  • Commissar Ibram Gaunt in the Gaunt's Ghosts novels does this all the time. He leads from the front and when inspiring his troops he usually yells "MEN OF TANITH!! DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER!!"
  • Ambadassador Varg from Codex Alera has his moments

I AM STILL THIRSTY! WHO WILL DRINK WITH ME?

  • In Death Star, Admiral Motti has a hammy Oh Crap when he realizes the title battle station is about to blow.
  • In The Dresden Files novel Small Favor, Harry hams it up when he's performing some carefully-controlled magic in front of a group of Muggles while evil faeries are assaulting the room they're in. Immediately afterward, Michael switches the ham up when he breaks down the door, and his holy sword Ammorachius erupts in white light so bright it blinds everyone watching and disintegrates the light-sensitive faeries while screaming a prayer to God in Latin that is literally being channeled from Heaven.

"LAVA QUOD EST SORDIUM! IN NOMINE DEI! SANA QUOD EST SAUCIUM!"

    • In other words, Heavenly Ham.
    • In Turn Coat, Big Friendly Dog Mouse loads on the ham when he takes a bullet for Molly due to her poor judgment, and she has to dig it out and clean the wound. The entire time he makes pitiful whines at the slightest touch, and treats the wound as something terrible and debilitating. When Molly is done and has to leave, Mouse promptly springs back up, apparently completely fine. Even Harry is impressed that Mouse was smart enough to deliberately ham things up to drive home the point to Molly.
    • Changes has a moment where Murphy is apparently channeling the voice of the Archangel Michael as she pronounces heavenly doom upon the Red Court.

"False gods! Pretenders! Usurpers of truth! Destroyers of faith, of families, of lives, of children! For your crimes against the Mayans, against the peoples of the world, now will you answer! Your time has come! Face judgment Almighty!"

  • Tigerstar and Brokenstar, main villains from Warrior Cats both qualify. It helps that there's a meeting every month where they can give hammy speeches, but when they die and go to the Dark Forest, they feel obliged to hold these meetings, just so their trainees know that a ham is in charge.
  • Snowball and Squealer from Animal Farm. Fitting, because they are not only pigs, but based off Trotsky and Molotov, respectively
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