When I was in grad school, I had several classes with a woman who sounds exactly like your classmate "C" in that she has a very domineering, controlling, abrasive personality. She too, would try to take control over our shared grad school evening classes many times; hog the conversation, interrupt people who wanted to contribute to the discussion, then insult those people's opinions who contributed, if her beliefs didn't jibe with theirs. Even our professors would roll their eyes when she showed up. I put up with her malarkey for 3 years. 3 years!

She's as toxic to my field of study, as Fukushima is toxic to our earth's oceans.

I tried to put her in her place, several times, and only succeeded once when I was stuck in a small group with her, because the professor came over and told her to basically be quiet and stop interrupting everyone in our small group, and let everyone contribute what they are supposed to. Another time, she responded with a snarky remark about my contribution to a class discussion.

Well, I couldn't help myself. I put her in her place with a mutually snarky retort. It made for a tense moment, but it didn't deter the class discussion other than during our 30 minute class break, when she took the opportunity to come over to my table and make the empty threat that our mutual friends (not in our grad school program, but whom we both have known for ages) would be hearing about our interaction during class, and would then dump me, per her opinion. Pfft. It didn't work. Our mutual friends are smart, and told her to keep her opinions to herself (I never brought it up with them). Unfortunately, we ran into each other at our mutual friend's NYE party (this was a few years ago), and just traded dagger-filled glares (haha!) and ignored each other. When we graduated from our program, luckily, we didn't sit next to each other due to our last names starting with different letters. I'll never forget her. She was a right B-----!

I can't STAND domineering, narcissistic, overbearing people. It's like they have to put everyone down, to boost themselves up (probably b/c they have zero self esteem). I suppose I should have compassion for her, but I have none. I save my compassion for people who deserve it. She doesn't. She's a rude, obnoxious, domineering person who makes everyone around her miserable.

Anyways, I can relate to your situation. All I can advise to you, is to try to avoid classroom confrontations with your "C" classmate. He sounds like an antagonist who likes to dominate others. Yuck. I don't blame you for your outburst, b/c he deserved it. Just don't let him know he can push your buttons anymore.

Because he'll try to keep pushing your buttons every chance he gets in class again, for his own amusement. People like him are devoid of appropriate boundaries, because they get a rise out of invading other people's boundaries, i.e. a power trip for them.