Tools of Characterization
Characterization in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Speech and Dialogue
Who knew that Klingons were hardcore Anglophiles?
Pretty much every Klingon character quotes Shakespeare at some point, with General Chang in particular dropping citations like his name is MLA. In Chang's case, this choice is mostly about shoring up his villainous bona fides. Nothing says "Bad Guy" like an epic quote from King Lear or Hamlet.
This eloquence is not matched by Captain Kirk, who's way saltier than usual. Gone are the long, motivational monologues we're so used to getting from him. Instead, we have short, punchy sentences and angry condemnations of Klingons as "animals." Not a good look, Captain. This confrontational dialogue gives us a sense of Kirk's tortured emotional state during the film.
Occupation
There don't seem to be many career options in the Star Trek universe, but you can still learn a lot about the characters of the series based on what they do.
For instance, General Chang defines himself solely by his military experience. He's harsh. He's abrasive. He's fearless. And that's not even mentioning the fact that he leads a conspiracy to derail the peace talks. The dude loves being a soldier so much that he can't bear the thought of peace.
Chancellor Gorkon's political experience is a similarly defining aspect of his character. Unlike soldiers, politicians—in theory, at least—have an active interest in fostering peace, because their livelihood depend on doing right by their people. Likewise, Gorkon puts a peaceful future ahead of his own pride. Although it doesn't always work like that in the real world, this selfless devotion to public service seems alive and well in the world Star Trek.
Type of Being
The interspecies relationship between humans and Klingons is the foundation of Star Trek VI—even if it's not a particularly stable relationship.
For example, General Chang and his militant cohorts fulfill every human stereotype of their species. They're fierce fighters. They're clever conspirators. They're wily and crafty and brutal. All of these qualities are on full display in General Chang, who's willing to kill his own boss to derail the peace talks.
As we meet more Klingons, however, we see some of these stereotypes shattered. Gorkon is the obvious outlier: he's the most peaceful guy in the whole movie. But he's not the only example. His daughter, Azetbur, becomes a supremely capable leader, and Colonel Worf, Kirk and McCoy's lawyer, is sincerely devoted to justice. Far from being depicted as un-Klingon, these characters reveal a side of their species that's rarely seen in the Star Trek series.