The Art of Revenge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG7FDivQLac

If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge? – William Shakespeare

Revenge is a constant, ubiquitous theme in literature and film probably only behind love and war in volume. It’s been around as long as storytelling itself, from the divine retribution of the Greek god Nemesis to Ben Hur to Hamlet to The Count of Monte Cristo to A Time to Kill. Oscar winners for best picture routinely include revenge themed films: The Godfather, Gladiator, and Braveheart, to name a few. Revenge may come in different flavors, but it has one underlying feature: the desire to inflict punishment on someone for committing a wrong. And when done well, few stories are more appealing or engaging than those involving themes of revenge.

Everyone, at some point in their life, has been wronged by someone else. Sometimes it’s a business partner, other times a lover, even a complete stranger. The degree of the transgression may vary, but we’ve all experienced the feelings of anger, sadness and even the desire for accountability that results. That universal emotion is what makes stories or revenge appealing to almost every demographic.

Commercial stories, most recognizable in films, heavily focus on violent revenge. Good examples of that are Clint Eastwood’s classic western The Outlaw Josey Wales, Taken, Desperado or pretty much any Quentin Tarantino film. Violence is not the only revenge flavor though. Non-violent vengeance is as powerful and probably even more compelling and satisfactory. This is best represented by the classic The Count of Monte Cristo, where a man betrayed by a close friend and sent to prison to die escapes and systematically ruins the lives of his enemies. Or even the Eighties comedy Trading Places. To some, there’s more satisfaction in damaging the livelihood of your enemies than causing them physical harm or death. Occasionally, these flavors are blended, which is well represented by The Crow, where perpetrators are killed in manners that reflect their personalities.

A common theme in revenge stories is a failure of authority (i.e. the government) to act. It’s an added layer of struggle for the character to overcome. In fact, revenge is a rational response to a failure of the government to obtain a just outcome for the wrongful act. Why aren’t authorities able to adjudicate the matter? Usually it’s due to corruption, a lack of resources or cowardice. John Grisham’s A Time to Kill illustrates this well early in the novel when (black) Carl Lee Hailey murders his daughter’s (white) rapists because he fears they will go free due to racism in the community. Or in the case of The Count of Monte Cristo, the villains had political connections that prohibited going to the authorities. Taken is a great example of an individual forced to act where it would take too long for the government to gather the resources to mobilize a response (Taken bonus: government corruption also played a role).

Perhaps the most appealing feature of revenge stories though is the definitive closure they typically bring. There aren’t any drawn out trials, hung juries, mistrials or appeals. Red tape is a non factor, ignored or destroyed. And the punishment is typically final and satisfactory.

Writers crafting revenge-themed stories must take great care to balance a protagonist’s quest for justice with the pitfall of engaging in extrajudicial activities.  Excessive violence may turnoff the audience, especially if it ensnares innocent parties such as family of the perpetrators. The reprisal must be targeted, quick and effective or your character risks turning into the type of people he seeks to punish. Except for niche genres like horror, vengeful characters should not be seen as cruel or take pleasure in conducting their retaliation.

Even though thoughts of revenge are common and normal emotions, society generally discourages it. Revenge-themed stories allow us to experience, even if through a surrogate, actions and emotions we’re prohibited from acting on. Writers and filmmakers who successfully tap into that will find success and an eager audience, as evidenced by the extensive list of successful creative works that feature revenge themes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2pz45BX_Vo