Revenge is the favourite theme of many movie buffs and film makers. With a simple variation in the circumstances and characters, one can create any number of revenge thrillers. I, myself loves revenge thrillers. They are exciting. Usually, with a feeble plot revolving around an individual, who had been wronged by one or a group of villains, these stories provide enough excitement to keep the reader or viewer glued to the seats till the very last. With an added twist at the end, the story becomes a thriller, literally.
I'm not reviewing the revenge category of movies or books. I'm talking about revenge, it's origin, what it does, and what are the aftermaths. Like in the movies, the starting point of revenge is an individual, who had been wronged, either by a person, or a group of persons. These people, usually (for their own benefit) does all sorts of cruelties, against anyone who crosses or blocks their path. So, it is quite natural for an upright person to be their foe. They will make his life miserable, worth-less. The villains will then think that the chapter is over and will leave him to fate (if they didn't kill him). This is where revenge will sow it's seeds. If the victim's mind is fertile for revenge, it will produce great yield.
The victim lost everything fighting for justice. He is left all alone in life. He has two options left- to end life, or to start a new life. If he is brave enough to start a new life, the past will haunt him. Sweet memories of the past will become bitter ones in the present. He will think of the present of his predators. They are living luxuriously and are still crushing lives that comes beneath their feet. This lights up the revenge in his mind. He decides to take revenge. That becomes his sole aim. He slowly plans his revenge. He polishes it to perfection.
The next phase is the implementation of revenge. Unlike, in a movie, the victim will not win always in life. After an initial attack, the villains may finish him off. But, if everything goes as planned, he will destroy them all, according to his plan. If his plan is a water tight one, he can escape the law. After this, in a movie, it's a “happily everafter”. But, in life it may not always be.
Consider the case where the victim takes revenge on the villain by destroying his life or empire. Suppose the villain has a small son, who saw his father's fall. Here starts another revenge story. In this case, the former victim becomes the villain and a new victim is born. His too is a rightful revenge. A man killed his father. He wants to take revenge. This is the cumulative effect of revenge. A revenge can lead to another and it can go on for several generations till the two families are finished forever. Like a ball set to motion hitting other ones along the way, changing the ways of both, revenge too will change the lives of all those who are involved in it. A rightful revenge can lead to another. After each complete cycle of revenge, the ferocity of revenge increases. The damages will be more severe as time progresses.
Thus, revenge may look like a rightful thing at first. But, on a detailed examination, it can be seen that it is really a crime, a menace to the society. The law may fail to punish all the criminals. This is because of the corrupt, or inefficient officials who govern the land. They allow the criminals to escape, for their benefit. But to punish them by one's own means is not fair. I'm not saying that “God will punish them”. The criminals should be punished. There is a law to punish them. Make it your weapon to destroy them. Convince the law of their cruelties. Force the law to punish them. Allow no loopholes. That's the true revenge....
