Edgar Allan Poe and Momentary Satisfaction Revenge
Revenge; Justified or Momentary Satisfaction Revenge is such a common thread in today’s society. It is evident in television, movies, literature, politics, and even among friends at school. Everyone wants revenge. Revenge is a common tendency of human nature, but revenge is never justified. Many people live their lives with the philosophy of “an eye for an eye”, but as Mahatma Gandhi said “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. ” When you think of all the little things people do to “get back” at those who hurt them in some way, you begin to see a pattern of destruction, even if it is on a small scale.
The point here is that revenge very rarely serves its true purpose, which is a sense of self-satisfaction. Seeking revenge ends up making you look like the bad guy and usually backfires. Humans have an urge to get even with one another for what the other has done. Often time’s karma is a better judge of people than themselves. The quote from Robert F. Kennedy that states “Don’t get mad, get even. ” is wrong; as revenge is just a case of self- satisfaction. In “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe, in paragraph 29 it states “Once more let me implore you to return.
No? Then I must positively leave you. But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power. ” Montresor is mocking Fortunato and then leaves him, he then states (last paragraph) “My heart grew sick- on account of the dampness of the catacombs. ” I believe that he is saying he regrets doing what he did, and that revenge only satisfies ones need for a moment. Revenge is short lived, and has no long term use in this life. It is simply a temptation beating on our door of reality.
No matter what level of hurt one does to another; killing a loved one or simply stealing your pencil at school, it is never justified to do something back. In “A Poison Tree” by William Blake, someone does another wrong; He tries to get even by poisoning him. “I was angry with my friend, I told my wrath, my wrath did end, I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. ” His foe makes him angry so, to get back at him he poisons him with an apple. “And into my garden stole, when the night had veiled the pole; in the morning glad I see my foe outstretched beneath the tree. He got even with him by killing him; this is taking it to the extremes. There is always another way; “She got even in a way that was almost cruel. She forgave them. ” – From Ralph McGill (about Eleanor Roosevelt). This is saying that instead of revenge do the opposite, forgive. Maybe they want one to do something back to them, but don’t give them the satisfaction of seeing one’s self try to get even. They are not worth it. Forgiveness is not revenge but the willingness of one’s self to move forward with their lives, and not live in the past of what has been done to them.
Two wrongs don’t make a right. When someone does another wrong and one’s self does something wrong back it will never make one fully happy. In the Mentalist when Red John kills Patrick Jane’s wife and kid, he joins the C. B. I. team to one day seek revenge on Red John. When he finally captures him, he says he doesn’t feel much better. Revenge is never justified, no matter what. It is a human’s self- satisfaction that drives them to get back but, in the end no one wins; everyone suffers.
