...Revenge is often brought upon someone when one does something horrifying to another. Niccolo Machiavelli once said, “People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge; but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such a way that you do not have to fear his or her vengeance”. Machiavelli’s quote speaks on how if someone does you harm and you feel you must do harm back, to do it in such a way where they will regret the harm they did upon you and where you will never fear his or her revenge. In William Shakespeare’s, Titus Andronicus, it shows how a series of acts of revenge is taken place and how that synchronizes the characters into a cycle of eye-for-eye and tooth-for-tooth violence. We are first brought into Titus Andronicus when Titus, the protagonist, kills Tamora’s eldest son as a way of retribution for the loss of some of his own children. Because of the killing of her son only causes seek for revenge on her behalf, she then does as so. “That what you cannot as you would achieve, you must perforce accomplish as you may (28-II.1)”. As retribution to Titus, Tamora here gets her sons, Chiron and Demetrius, to rape Titus daughter Lavinia and describe her as a “hunt” they will do in the woods. Although this might not be seen as a big enough revenge, it gets to the point where, as Machiavelli said, she will injure someone and do it in a way that she wont fear his vengeance. In...
Words: 573 - Pages: 3
...Hamlet’s Revenge It does not matter how old a person is or if that person likes literature or not, it is very probable that he or she has heard these words pronounced by Hamlet: "To be or not to be; that is the question..." (Act III, Scene I). This quote is not only one of the most popular quotes in history of literature, but also one that describes Hamlet’s dramatic situation after his father’s death, when he contemplates suicide as an option. This dramatic story is considered one of the greatest in history and, for many people, the best book written by Shakespeare. The influence of Shakespeare’s Hamlet in many modern narratives can be easily identified. Scott Leslie’s presentation is a good example of how Hamlet’s tragedy has influenced modern authors to write similar stories like “The Lion King”. In fact, Scott literally said, “The Lion King is the light version of Hamlet”. The story of Hamlet is based on revenge and Hamlet’s internal conflicts. Revenge is a concept that is not well considered today due to the strong moral values the society seems to have. However, anyone with my same perception of both modern justice and honor will claim that Hamlet’s revenge is justified. The first point to be discussed in order to demonstrate that Hamlet’s revenge is justified is the concept of justice. Many people will state that revenge has nothing to do with justice and it is nothing else than a primitive behavior. However, what is justice? According to Oxford’s dictionary, “justice...
Words: 851 - Pages: 4
...REVENGE Revenge, in other words, to avenge oneself usually by retaliating, to me it simply means getting back at someone who has done you wrong. If someone does something to you, would you just walk away or would you get your sweet revenge. I myself would try my best to let it go and get over it. Revenge is a pleasing, but soon you will realize it did not satisfy you as much as you thought it would. Then you are back where you started, unhappy. Instead of avenging yourself you should show the person who done you wrong, just how much of a better person you are by letting go. As Frank Sinatra said, “The best revenge is massive success.” This means if someone says that you are not good enough or you will never be able to, you show them just what you are made of and prove them wrong. Although some people might object and say revenge is a good thing. In some cases it may be and you just have to go for it and return the favor to the person who done you wrong. You have to unleash your inner anger toward that person and get it all off your chest. Making the other person fill your pain can sometimes be the only way to rid your pain. Even though getting revenge can give you closure it still does not solve the problem of what hurt you in the first place. Therefore, it is best to have self-control and resist the urge to retaliate. In “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, a man took his so called “friend” down into catacombs, underground graveyard, and buried him alive....
Words: 487 - Pages: 2
...Revenge is the driving force behind Shakespeare's play Titus Andronicus. Tamora seeks revenge against Titus for murdering her sons. She refuses to stop until she destroys Titus' entire family. Titus seeks revenge against Tamora for the loss of two of his sons in the war with Goth. As each one of them continues to extract revenge against the other, nothing is ever settled. In fact, the lust for revenge against each other, only increases to new heights. The vengeful spirit that exists between Titus and Tamora is only compounded by the total absence of any remorse for the pain and suffering that they are inflicting on each other. Titus and Tamora will go to great lengths to make sure that the other ones suffering is greater than their own. Titus' quest for revenge ultimately causes him to go insane. And by her actions, Tamora is just as insane as Titus. In Act 5 Scene 2 of the play, Tamora and her two sons approach Titus' house in an effort to convince him that she is the spirit of revenge. Titus recognizes Tamora immediately but Tamora tell him "Know, thou sad man, I am not Tamora; She is thy enemy, and I thy friend. I am Revenge, sent from th' infernal kingdom To ease the gnawing vulture of the mind By working wreakful vengeance on thy foes. Come down and welcome me to this world's light." (McDonald, Russ. Titus Andronicus. New York: Penguin Group, 2000) At this point, Titus acts as if he believes Tamora and convinces her to leave her two sons, Chiron and Demetrius behind...
Words: 554 - Pages: 3
...Revenge of Pluto I usually don’t have the habit of waking up early in the morning. But there was somebody on the verge of breaking my door if I did not wake up and open the door myself. The sun was just rising and I could not help but think, when was the last time I woke up so early. The person who was knocking my door wanted to interview me and with good reason. He was from one of those crazy institutions which believed that aliens exist. I actually never saw anybody getting so excited to see me, not even my parents. The reason for him coming was that my warnings had come true. This very morning some eminent scientists were kidnapped, with no trace whatsoever. What was interesting was the fact that these were the same scientists who had got Pluto stripped of its status as a planet. And I had been warning people that the people of Pluto were unhappy at Earth’s condescending attitude. How did I come to know about this?? I have a ham radio, which turned out to be no ordinary ham radio. I was able to intercept signals from somebody from Jupiter. At first I thought I was being taken for a ride, but later realized that it was no joke. What made me realize that was the fact that I was not able to trace the signals to any location on earth. But what reaffirmed the fact was that the alien told that people of Jupiter have winged blue creatures called Ihit, which on interpreting signals from any person could tell about him. And he was spot on about me – everything about me...
Words: 479 - Pages: 2
...Othello Essay: Revenge Othello is a play written by William Shakespeare. It is a tragedy taking place during the sixteenth century, during the wars between Turkey and Venice. This play consists of two protagonists, General Othello and Iago. Othello’s true love is Desdemona. In spite of their differences in race and familiarity they marry and decide to spend the rest of their lives faithful and committed to each other. With a love so strong one would think that nothing could ever come between them but this is false. When Othello fails to give Iago the promotion to lieutenant, He begins to seek revenge. The play becomes a tragedy due to the results of Iago’s revenge on Othello. Iago wishes to destroy Othello by plotting against him and using the ones close to him. Iago’s reasoning and motivations were never lucid but his desire for destruction and the pleasure he found in manipulating others were the driven factors of his revenge. Iago introduces to the audience his scheme for revenge in one of his first soliloquies, in Act I; Scene III. Iago’s reasoning for this evil plan started off as wanting revenge on Othello for choosing Cassio for the promotion instead of him. In another one of Iago’s soliloquies he asserts that he believes his wife Emelia is having an affair with Othello and He says, “…and nothing can or shall content my soul/ till I am evened with him, wife for wife” (Shakespeare II, i, 302-303). This is used as further motivation for Iago to destroy Othello despite...
Words: 762 - Pages: 4
...Sweet Revenge The book, Wuthering Heights, was written by Emily Bronte. It takes place in the early 1800s in Yorkshire, England. There is a man named Lockwood who lives in house owned by another man named Heathcliff. Lockwood wants to know more about Heathcliff so he asks the maid to tell him about Heathcliff. The maid, Nelly, begins a long story starting with Heathcliff’s childhood. A man named Mr. Earnshaw had one son, Hindley, and one daughter, Catherine. One day Mr. Earnshaw took a trip to Liverpool. He came back with a young boy, Heathcliff. Although Hindley did not like him, the daughter Catherine approved of him. Catherine and Heathcliff spent every day playing with each other and eventually grew to love each other. When they became older, Catherine decided to marry a man named Edgar Linton instead of Heathcliff. Heathcliff was so mad that he left the house, called Wuthering Heights, for three years. He returned soon after Edgar and Catherine got married. Heathcliff is still infuriated and wants to get revenge on everyone who did not treat him well. Hindley started drinking heavily after his wife died from giving birth to his son Hareton. Heathcliff gives money to Hindley to gamble with. When Hindley died, Heathcliff inherited Wuthering Heights. In order to get back at Catherine for getting married, he marries a woman, Isabella, who lives four miles away at a place called Thrushcross Grange. Soon after, Catherine gives birth to a daughter, also named...
Words: 1276 - Pages: 6
...A Dish Best Served Cold and Sweet “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew 5:38-39. As a human instinct people constantly want to get even with one another, it’s as simple as that. Whether it’s killing a loved one or breaking a yellow crayon out of your crayon box. But is revenge justified at all costs? Religion frowns upon it and calls it a deadly sin, the judicial branch bends the rules about it, and schools teach you to be the better person in all situations. But the crave to get even will never go away. The want to blame someone else, to “right” the wrong, wanting the...
Words: 880 - Pages: 4
...The play, Hamlet by William Shakespeare explores the concept of revenge. To most people, revenge means getting back at somebody. In order to get to the point of wanting revenge, something has to happen to you and has to get to you. Revenge is a common human emotion that is usually negative and destructive. This destructive aspect of revenge is evident in the play, Hamlet. The main character of the play, Prince Hamlet, is the principal character who struggles with seeking revenge. For Hamlet, revenge becomes a chain reaction in the play causing him to commit acts of violence against others both intentional and accidental. Other characters in the play like Laertes, Hamlet’s dead father’s ghost, Fortinbras, and King Claudius also look for revenge. Overall, the play Hamlet portrays revenge as a destructive and powerful emotion that negatively influences the characters. The first incident where revenge is brought up in the play is at the beginning when Hamlet confronts the ghost of his father. Horatio, Hamlet’s friend, is the one who tells Hamlet that there is a ghost that Hamlet needs to see. Intrigued by this thought, Hamlet goes with Horatio to see this ghost. As it turns out, the apparition is the ghost of Hamlet’s dead father. The revenge is mentioned when the ghost commands Hamlet to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” (1.5.31) The ghost does not hesitate to mention revenge; it is a natural act that Hamlet should commit to honor his father. Hamlet is...
Words: 2581 - Pages: 11
...Revenge in Hamlet “Hamlet is the finest of all plays in the English revenge tradition” (Shakespeare, IV). The recurring theme in William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, is revenge, every character in this play wants revenge on someone else. Revenge in this play means murder. From the beginning right through until the end of the book, there are three instances where revenge is seen; the ghost of Hamlet senior wants revenge on Claudius, Hamlet wants revenge on Claudius and Laertes wants revenge on Hamlet. Hamlet is the most serious play on revenge because of all the questions asked (Shakespeare, IV). At the very beginning of Hamlet, Hamlet seniors ghost appears to his son, Hamlet and demands revenge on his brother, Claudius. Claudius murders his brother because he wants to become king, his ambition and he wants to have the Queen Gertrude as his wife. When the ghost of Hamlet senior appears to Hamlet he says, “So art thou to revenge when thou shalt hear” (1.5. Line 7). Once Hamlet discovers that Claudius is the murderer of his father, Hamlet shall find revenge on his uncle. Also during the ghost’s appearance he tells his son to revenge Claudius’ soul in an unnatural murder, “Revenge his soul and most unnatural murder” (1.5. Line 25). Hamlet senior wants his son, Hamlet to find revenge on Claudius for his death and stealing his Queen. Now that Hamlet knows about his fathers murder and who actually caused it, he wants revenge. Hamlet wants revenge on his uncle, King...
Words: 662 - Pages: 3
...Fortinbras, Hamlet and Laertes each demonstrate the ways revenge leads to tragedy when they are unable to cope with the loss of a loved one. Young Fortinbras has intentions of honoring his father’s loss by gaining the territory that was rightfully theirs. The lengths he is willing to go compare to Hamlet’s determination to seek revenge upon his uncle, and father’s murderer, Claudius. Hamlet’s hopes of wanting to destroy Claudius the way he had done to King Hamlet are delayed several times throughout the play, making it nearly impossible to follow through with his plan. One of Hamlet’s setbacks is being shipped off to England for the murder of Polonius, which is Laertes’ father. After discovering that Hamlet was responsible for the death of Polonius, Laertes does all he can to get revenge on Hamlet. The three men’s need for revenge relates to the corruption of the characters within the play. The corruption of the characters within the play results in the tragic death of each major character. The first of the murdered fathers was King Fortinbras who was the King of Norway. King Fortinbras challenged King Hamlet to a single combat over the state of Denmark by which King Hamlet won. This incident is responsible for Young Fortinbras’ hopes of seeking revenge upon his father’s death and winning back the land that he believes was rightfully his family. Young Fortinbras wants to honor his father’s death by acting upon revenge at any given opportunity and he does so by taking clear...
Words: 1064 - Pages: 5
...Revenge is the most imminent theme, the aspect that leads the main characters in the book to their dismal fates. Heathcliff’s need to propagate agony in those who offend him always results in utmost revenge. He wanted to hurt Edgar because of his marriage to Catherine, and he wanted to get revenge on Catherine by marrying Isabella to make her jealous. Since Hindley never lost an opportunity to degrade Heathcliff, the "gypsy" grew up determined to terminate Hindley and take control of the two houses. The fact that Hindley already has a tendency to drink and gamble made Heathcliff's vengeance all the easier. Heathcliff was still motivated by his need for revenge and tried to get young Cathy away from Edgar by having her marry his son, Linton. Without this desire, Heathcliff would have had nothing to do but pine after Catherine, so it became a major motivator for his character. Just as Heathcliff had a yearning to cause others pain, Hindley’s same longing to hurt Heathcliff caused him to go bankrupt and eventually die. His attempt to kill Heathcliff only hurt himself in the process. The fact that Heathcliff was favored over him as a child reflected the built up anger and resentment inside him and towards others. The hurt that Hindley felt is clearly understood, but sympathy for him is only temporary because it is still his own fault for his predicaments. Romanticism is a major element in Wuthering Heights and is what connects this book with revenge. Rebels during the romantic...
Words: 347 - Pages: 2
...that of revenge. Revenge is one of the defining traits of humanity. The drive to exact vengeance on one's enemy is the driving force behind many pivotal events in human history. The object of every war is to get revenge on the other side. Revenge is also a common motive for robbery and murder. There is no denying that revenge is a force for terrible deeds in this world, but at the same time it is a basic human desire. Stories of retribution are some of the oldest humans have ever told and also some of the most treasured. In the Christian Bible, one of the most revered texts in human history, vengeance is a key element to many stories. When Adam and Eve eat the fruit in the Garden of Eden, God takes his retribution on them by banishing them from the garden for all time. Cain takes revenge on Abel for outdoing him in his sacrifices to God. The list goes on, the point being that people have been taking revenge upon one another since the dawn of man. Even though the desire to obtain revenge often leads people to perform criminal, or at least unkind, acts, it is necessary for human society to function. Revenge acts as a very effective deterrent against undeserved violence. When man first learned to use tools and communicate, there was no police force or other entity capable of enforcing rules of any kind. If not for the threat of later revenge, there would not have been any reason for early humans to refrain from killing and stealing from each other. Revenge is the most...
Words: 920 - Pages: 4
...Kristy Valdes English 2111 April 14, 2015 The Revenge in Hamlet The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often just called Hamlet, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare between 1599 and 1602. Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest play and delivers one of the most famous lines in history, “to be or not to be.” The story is set in the Kingdom of Denmark and tells of the revenge Prince Hamlet has on his uncle Claudius. Claudius murdered his own brother, Hamlet's father and took over the throne. Claudius also marries Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude. Revenge, being the driving force in the play is also one reason why it is a tragedy. This tragedy has many themes, including: murder, corruption, deceit and insanity. But revenge is the driving force of the play. The need to exact vengeance on one's enemy is the driving force behind many pivotal events in human history. The object of every war is to get revenge on the other side and become the successful leader. Revenge is also a common motive for robbery and murder. There is no denying that revenge is one of the main reasons for terrible deeds in this world, but at the same time it is a basic human desire that everyone has. In the beginning of the play, the ghost of Hamlet’s dead father appears to Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo. The three beg the ghost to speak, but he refuses. Horatio tells Hamlet about the encounter once the ghost has gone. The ghost finally appears again and leaves with Hamlet to speak in private...
Words: 1148 - Pages: 5
...Revenge in Beowulf Revenge by definition means to get retribution for a wrongdoing done to youself or to a loved one. Believe it or not, everybody has felt or taken action on the act of revenge, whether it is out of pure vengeance or a firm belief that the offender truly deserved it. Revenge can bring justice, but it can also bring pain and unintended consequences. “Beowulf,” a story centered around epic battles and heroic deeds, has revenge as a recurring theme. The entire tale is driven by the hero’s need to right the wrongs done against him and his fellow comrades by killing their enemies. This cycle of revenge is initiated when Grendel attacks Heorot, spontaneously killing 30 of the king’s thanes. Grendel hates the Danes’ late night shenanigans in the boisterous mead hall, thus he takes his revenge by terrorizing the Danes. Seeking to make a better name for himself through battle, Beowulf arrives in the kingdom to kill the monster Grendel for attacking the Danes. Beowulf avenges the Danes by mutilating one of Grendel’s arms and mounting it inside Heorot as a victory token, therefore, the Danes soon have their revenge against Grendel. The best example of revenge in the epic is represented through the character of Grendel's mother. She has had no prior interest in Hrothgar or the Danes until the death of Grendel. Grendel's mother is so grieved and angered by her son's death that she heads up to Herot and commences her own revenge by killing one of Hrothgar’s dearest thanes...
Words: 484 - Pages: 2
