Revenge is an act of extralegal retribution by an individual or a group against someone else or another group for a perceived wrong or injustice. Francis Bacon describes revenge as a "wild justice" that "does offend the law and putteth the law out of office." Such a quote brings into question whether the act of revenge is immoral, providing students with ample opportunities to write about the moral implications of seeking revenge. Additionally, revenge is a theme often found in the world's greatest works of literature, such as Hamlet, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Cask of Amontillado. If you are studying literature or philosophy, you will most likely write about this topic in the future, which is why we have gathered dozens of essays on revenge with clearly written thesis statements and conclusions. You can use these works as examples for your essays.
It makes your blood boil. Your eyes see red. Your fists clench so hard that they turn pale. It keeps you up at night, thinking and formulating plots on how to extract it. It flows through your body and mind like an uncontrollable rage, seething...
The act of revenge never fails to gather an audience, due to the simple fact that revenge raises one of the great questions in regards to human life: how does one seek justice when the law ceases to function properly? William Shakespeare tapped into the...
Aeschylus’s play “Agamemnon” seeks to show his audience that revenge only leads to more violence. This is shown prominently through the character’s central beliefs and motives that are encouraged through the actions of others, which inevitably repeats itself over and over again. The play focuses...
Writer Oscar Wilde once said: “A mask tells us more than a face.” Throughout history, lies and masks have been a means to an end in achieving the goals of women who are limited in their current situations – social, political, or economical. Women traditionally...
Revenge is a dish best served cold. Rather than immediately exacting revenge upon a person who has done wrong, as sadistic as it may be, it is much more satisfying to meticulously formulate a plan that can inflict the harshest injury. In the world renowned...
Revenge in Hamlet In modern times justice is virtually always served. Most crimes and wrong doings are reprimanded and punishments are given. Yes, there are the scarce few who go above and beyond the law to take matters into their own hands. But it is...
“Hamlet is a virtuous revenger” Within the tightly plotted play, “Hamlet”, William Shakespeare devises a series of dark twists and turns for his protagonist to follow, satisfying the genre of Revenge- Tragedy, and in turn generating a harrowing story which still today captivates an audience...
The genre of revenge tragedy has been both popular and unique in its ability to simultaneously arouse feelings that appear to be unrelated in its audience: vengeance and sympathy. What makes this genre vary from play to play, however, is the author’s ability to either...
The short story, “The Cask of Amontillado”, written by Edgar Allan Poe is a truly fascinating story that when read, it comes across as heavy and fearful as well as mysterious. The theme of the story points to getting revenge by a cruel murder. Personally,...
Throughout his pieces and plays, Shakespeare incorporates themes that define human nature. In his play “Hamlet” he uses the characters to portray desire and flaws with society to teach the audience a lesson that is not always visible on the surface of his works. The...
Revenge: Acceptable or Condemnable? Living creatures often find themselves at odds with the individuals with whom they associate. In the event of defeat, humans seek revenge on the victor in hopes of satisfying the desire for justice. While this option appeals to one’s wounded pride,...
In the Oresteia, Aeschylus presents his three books (“Agamemnon”, “The Libation Bearers”, and “The Furies”) so that the narrative progresses from madness and lack of justice in “Agamemnon”, where Clytemnestra receives no penalty for her homicide, to Athena’s establishment of a justice system so that...
Invoking a change in the world involves more than advancements in technology. It means appealing to not only the physical and logical aspects of a problem like environmental change but also the emotional and mental aspects of it. The mindset of the people is very...
Revenge and Retaliation Spite, revenge and curiosity can all be deadly sins. Unfortunately, The Crucible’s Ann Putnam gives up her soul to all three. In the Puritan community of Salem, Massachusetts, such contemptuous actions can create complications. Goody Putnam is described as “… a twisted...
Revenge Focus Paper No one quite understands whether revenge is a noble pursuit or not. For if one is wronged, it makes reasonable sense to enact revenge. It provides a sense of fulfillment and closure that would be difficult to gain otherwise. However, the lengths...
Introduction It is a common expression in popular culture that there are things which forever change a man; things from which a man can never return the same person. The expression is meant to warn people against the complicated nature of revenge and vigilantism. Two...
Throughout both Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Middleton’s The Revenger’s Tragedy, the disparity between how things seem and how they really are is a constant underlying motif; the depth in which both plays examine the concept of appearance and reality justifies the claim that they are a...
The poem “Punishment” by Seamus Heaney was written in 1975 as a part of the anthology North. It is a part of Heaney’s bog series, in which he describes the Irish bogland, and the different artifacts and remains that have been found within the Northern...
Introduction The theme of revenge keeps recurring in William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. Most of the revenge missions that different characters in the play undertake end up in tragedy. Although Hamlet, the main character, contemplates revenging his father’s murder, he considers the tragedy that will result...