The main focal point in which the Oresteia attempts to convey to its readers is that revenge is a continuous and unending cycle. The concept of an “eye for an eye” is heavily emphasized throughout the story and its characters. Therefore is someone is murdered, than a next of kin or relative will extract vengeance upon the murderer. Which thus turns an attempt at justice into simply another tragedy. And then a new chosen one will then later be selected to seek and obtain revenge on the previous wrongdoer in which the cycle continues. The furies within the play also play a crucial role in demonstrating the ruthless and unending nature of revenge through their methods of torturing and haunting the martyr’s blood-related family for eternity. …show more content…
For instance, if the United States were to launch a nuclear missile as Russia’s capital, what would happen? Retaliation. Russia would then do the exact same or possibly even worse directed at the United States. Our blindness to come to the attention of this seemingly chronic problem within our world has nearly lead humankind to the brink of its own destruction on many different occasions. Of which, the closest humankind has gotten to destroying itself throughout our history was during the brief time frame of the cuban missile crisis during the Cold War. We got so close in fact, that the simple push of a button could have lead to total nuclear annihilation. Therefore, the principle of revenge has been with us in our darkest moments as well as our everyday lives.
And even in our legal and justice systems the same principle applies. Why is a man who committed murder given the death penalty? Since when does two wrongs equal one right? These are the questions we must ask ourselves as we examine the meaning behind humankind's need for the extraction of revenge.
The idea of revenge has existed as a staple of human civilization for as long as we as a species can remember. Mankind’s uncontrollable desire towards greed, and our natural tendency to be self-serving, is essentially the quintessential metaphorical roadblock that impedes our future progress. We are the only
The word revenge is heard all over the news today. The news shows how people are trying to get revenge such as terrorist groups or individuals harming each other. However, even though the use of the word is frequent, not everyone has a clear understanding of what revenge clearly means. Revenge is defined as someone taking action to harm someone who has done something wrong to that certain person. Bryce Nelson the author of Revenge: Sweet, Universal and Self-Destructive: [Home Edition] stated: “As the victim contemplates revenge, he hopes desperately to overcome his feelings of impotence and to regain his former sense of self-worth” (Nelson 1). This article demonstrated how revenge was human nature by showing an example of someone getting revenge. The examples are demonstrated in definitions, characteristics, stories, and real-life events.
In the Oresteia, revenge drives the characters to act. Although they call it justice, it is not. Aeschylus uses net imagery to symbolize faith and destiny. When Clytemnestra murders Agamemnon and Cassandra, the net imagery acts as a symbol of terrible fate. However, then fate reverse. Now, Orestes is caught in Apollo’s net and kills his own mother. Lastly, Athene changes the meaning of the net from one of chaos to that of order and justice. These uses of the net imagery help the reader focus on a crucial theme in the play: the superiority of a formal justice system to one based on the individual quest for revenge by progressively altering the nets meaning and its affect on those around it.
According to Mahatma Ghandi, “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind”. Revenge is a double-edge sword as it one is placed in a lose-lose situation. In Ed Vega’s short story “Spanish Roulette”, the central character poet Sixto struggles with enacting revenge against his sister’s rapist. In Francis Bacon’s essay, “On Revenge”, he discusses how taking justice into an individual’s hand shouldn’t be tolerated as it goes against the confides of the law of the land. Even though both Vega and Bacon implore the topic of vengeance, and how its integration has played a role in our society, the two offer contrasting views as to the moral ambiguity of revenge, its theoretical versus practical use, and the effectiveness it instills
Our desire for retribution dates back as early as the 18th Century BC. We feel the need to see the wrongdoer have consequences for their actions. To be punished and feel the pain that their victim felt so they can also suffer. Some people love that idea that the person who commited a crime suffers by whatever means necessary. Knowing
Quintessentially speaking, revenge is a thing that many have sought in response to a tragic event unfolding. Typically, as a result, vengeance is contemplated upon by the victim as a means of retribution, a way of making things right and seeking justice on the behest of the victim, if the law will not grant justice through due process due to corrupt forces stemmed deep within it- corrupt seeds of a corrupt plant. Therefore, revenge become an apparent option for those willing to walk that path [of no return]. However, instances of revenge not being attained in the “clear cut” way it is ordinarily acquired have occurred from time to time throughout history. One of the most prominent examples of unconventional revenge attainment can be found within the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, entailing the revenge path walked by its eponymously named main character, Prince Hamlet. Specifically, his intentful delay in attaining his revenge against his uncle Claudius for his direct role in the death of his father, King Hamlet. This literary conundrum has dumbfounded literary critics for over 400 years and counting- due to the fact that a universally accepted consensus amongst them as well as the general public as to why Hamlet delayed his revenge has not yet been reached.
In his New Yorker article “Vengeance Is Ours,” Jared Diamond makes the claim that revenge is a universal feeling and that state governments alienate us from satisfactory feelings derived from revenge. Through two narratives Diamond exhibits the satisfaction derived from revenge, as well as the dismay when revenge is not achieved. He first examines the story of Daniel Wemp who, after the murder of his uncle at the hands of a man named Isum, goes on a quest to avenge him and feels the euphoria of revenge. It took Daniel three years, twenty nine other murders, and three hundred pig sacrifices to achieve this, but when he finally heard that Isum was dead he felt “as if I am developing wings” and as if he was “about to fly off”(7). To do contrast
Is the desire for revenge a basic component of human nature? The highly awarded movie The Revenant is an epic story of Hugh Glass’s mission to seek revenge on those who had wronged him. The movie teaches many important life lessons, but they differ significantly in comparison to the book it's based on. Not only does the story teach important lessons, it is a notable legend in American folklore. The motion picture rendition of Michael Punke’s book The Revenant changes the meaning of the book because despite the similarities in the characters and the initial storyline the ending scene redefines the book.
The single most destructive force in this world is revenge. An immense amount of wars, murders, division, and hatred is due to the evil that is revenge. There are many famous forms of literature that discuss revenge. One is “Of Revenge” by Sir Francis Bacon. In this essay Bacon explains the evil of revenge and why it shouldn’t be taken. Also, down-playing revenge, Robert Kennedy gave a speech called “A Eulogy for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” Immediately following the death of Dr. King, Kennedy pleads with the African American community and America to forgive this offense instead of taking revenge for King’s murder. The final piece of media that discusses revenge does it in a different manor. Edgar Allen Poe writes about revenge in a short story called “The Cask of Amontillado.” The plot of this story is that of a man named Montresor desperately seeks revenge upon a colleague and eventually murders him by trapping him in catacombs deep underground. No matter what the circumstances, revenge should never be taken because men become controlled and destroyed by revenge, and revenge creates division among people.
Revenge as a theme is cleverly built upon throughout Hamlet; with it being the driving force behind three of the key characters in the play. Revenge is a frighteningly vicious emotion, which causes people to act blindly and without reason. In Poe’s, “The Cask of Amontillado”, Montresor enacts revenge for reasons unknown. Hamlet in contrast, has all the motive in the world to complete his task; yet he constantly hesitates. The text reveals that the need for revenge creates a stranglehold on the genuine emotions, thoughts, and actions of three characters: Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Laertes; son of Polonius, and Fortinbras; Prince of Norway. This hold makes the characters act beyond their standard ethical positions and makes them helpless to
The idea of vengeance is portrayed in almost every aspect of Greek mythology. In the play Electra, vengeance is the central theme amongst Agamemnon's family. In the play, we read about Clytemnestra, and Electra and their points of view on blood for blood vengeance. In the play, Electra feels that vegence in terms of murder in return for murder is completely justified. Electra is extremely spiteful towards Aegisthus for murdering her father and how he handled her marriage situation.
Aeschylus’s Oresteia illustrates justice as being subjective and evolves throughout the plays to become increasingly complex. In Agamemnon, justice is synonymous with revenge and seen as simply being part of fate. The Chorus highlights this when they say, “Fate is grinding sharp the sword of Justice” and go on to relate that as long as Zeus exists this is simply a fact of life (1565). The idea of revenge as justice is also seen in the Chorus’ description of “the plunderer plundered” and “Each charge meets counter-charge” (1588-1594). The death of Agamemnon comes as revenge, the revenge of the death of Iphigenia and the revenge from the sins of the house of Atreus on Aegisthus’ family.
The death penalty has been present, in one way or another, for virtually as long as human civilization has existed. The reasons why are apparent; it is intrinsically logical to human beings that a person who takes the life of another should also be killed. This philosophy is exemplified in the famous Biblical passage, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." However, in light of recent research into ethics, criminology and the justice system, the time has come for us to re-examine our ageless paradigm of revenge.
The theme of Revenge has been utilized in numerous works of art throughout history, including books, plays, movies, etc. Revenge is the result of one’s desire for vengeance, however, revenge is known to be implied under high emotions of anger thus not with reason concluding with a horrible outcome. Shakespeare’s play ‘Hamlet’ is no doubt a play about a tragedy caused by revenge; Prince Hamlet’s retribution for his father, King Hamlet’s murder and Laertes vengeance for his father, Polonius’ murder. The theme of revenge in Hamlet is portrayed through various literary techniques such as foreshadowing and irony.
Every human being desires revenge against societal norms. When looking through the lens of sexism, gender roles and villainization of women, it is clear why the human desire for revenge is present a person's nature. Revenge is not just a trait found in women. Revenge is fundamental to human nature. No matter how bad a situation is there is always a way out -- just don't resort to
The play termed the Oresteia is actually a trilogy that is built around the family of Agamemnon. Traditionally, one of the primary themes of the three plays is a movement from a traditional belief in revenge for wrongs to one of justice and the rule of law. The purpose of this paper is to discuss all three of the plays and look at how justice is conceived in each.