Revenge in Drama

Paper Summary:

This paper states that revenge makes for some of the best stories ever written and suggests that "The Wild Duck" by Henrik Ibsen is one of the best revenge tales ever told. The paper maintains that the theme of revenge in "The Wild Duck" is far stronger than that in "Hamlet", which is more similar to "The Oresteia". The paper relates the plots of each of these stories and argues that, in "Hamlet" and "The Oresteia", the characters are motivated by the death of someone they love. Thus, their revenge is more justified than Gregers' motivation in "The Wild Duck" because they are avenging the death of a loved one.

From the Paper:

"Gregers' first plan of action is confronting his father about his past. He argues with him about his mother and tells his father that it was the "suffering and humiliation she had to undergo, till at last it broke her down and drove her to such a miserable end." It is clear from their conversation that nothing is going to be resolved. What we do learn from this conversation is Gregers inability to forgive or forget his father. That is not to say that Werle asked for forgiveness or deserved it even but the fact that Werle is not remorseful at all does not make things between the two men any better."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Aeschylus. The Oresteia. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. New York: W. W. Norton and Company. Vol. I. 1999.
• Ibsen Henrik. TheWild Duck and Other Plays. Rutland: Charles E. Tuttle Co. 1958.
• Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Barbara Mowat, ed. New York: Washington Square Press. 1992.

More papers on Revenge in Drama:

• Analytical Essay # 83535 : "Revenge in Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
• Essay # 59827 : "Revenge in "Hamlet"
• Essay # 55730 : "Theme of Revenge in 'Hamlet'"

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