The Theme Of Revenge In The Revenant By Michael Punke

Revenge is defined as the action of inflicting hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands. It is a natural thing to feel, as everyone has the capability to be angered by other’s wrongdoings. However, the cycle of revenge and forgiveness is a complicated and controversial topic. The novel The Revenant by Michael Punke dives into this idea of revenge by telling the story of Hugh Glass, an explorer whose “ally’s” stole his belongings and left him to die after being savagely attacked by a bear. Glass’ journey following his abandonment is a long one, but it is driven by his revenge for those who left him. While this want for vengeance is normal, it may not always be the right response. The actions of Hugh Glass align with the normal cycle of revenge, as shown through the

articles “Revenge” by Jim Thornton and “An Unnatural Act” by Philip Yancey.
Both Yancey and Thornton agree that revenge is the natural response to pain, whether physical or emotional, by other people.

For instance, in “Revenge” Thornton mentions that “It’s almost as if a thirst for retribution is hardwired into the male psyche” (Thornton 112). Thornton believes that vengeance is a part of human nature and that men will not be satisfied until they get what they desire. Hugh Glass shows these traits when facing his situation regarding his traitors as revenge is the thing that keeps Glass going on his journey. Likewise, in “The Unnatural Act,” Yancey metaphorically explains the animal instinct of revenge by saying, “You don’t find dolphins forgiving sharks for eating their playmates. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, not a dog-forgive-dog” (Yancey 16). Glass’ actions in the process of his revenge are almost animal-like in the way that he is willing to go to such extreme lengths to get as he desires. The world does not seem to be a place where forgiveness comes from a place lacking internal struggle, as depicted in this excerpt from Yancey. Overall, it is a commonality amongst these two authors that revenge is a natural part of human

character.
Throughout the novel, Hugh Glass builds up a strong want for vengeance towards the men who abandoned him and stole his gun and knife. Even when Glass finally reaches the safety of Fort Brazeau and receives necessary supplies and weapons for the rest of his travels,Punke writes, “A gun. He appreciated Kiowa’s willingness to equip him. What he wanted, though, was his gun. His gun and a reckoning from the men who stole it” (Punke 134). Although at this point Glass has been given back the equivalent to his stolen supplies and more, he still cannot see past the wrongdoing of his abandoners. Tying back to the articles, both Thornton and Yancey would agree that these feelings of anger and hurt are completely and utterly normal, as it is the natural human instinct. Additionally, when Glass finally encounters one of the men, Bridger, who abandoned him after months of struggling to reach him,”The desire to shoot Bridger down nearly overwhelmed him. Having crawled toward this moment for a hundred days, the prospect of vengeance was now immediate” (Punke 201). At this moment, Glass’ instinct to attack his enemy is almost animal-like in nature. His overwhelming emotions exhibit the naturality of his craving for revenge, which he thinks will satisfy his wants. Thornton and Yancey would both support the feelings shown by Glass, for they too believe that it is okay to feel these types of emotions. For this reason, Yancey and Thornton’s articles have an impeccable amount of relevance regarding Glass’ journey.
Although each of these writings express the natural desire for revenge, they all come to the conclusion that in the end, forgiveness is the best way to resolve a difficult situation. First, Thornton brings up the point of positive psychology and how it clears up the minds of damaged victims. He writes, “The burgeoning ‘positive psychology’ trend of the late 1990s saw researchers beginning to document how beneficial forgiveness can prove to victims of injustice, allowing them to escape the anger, depression, and anxiety that so often accompany persistent grudges and unrequited revenge” (Thornton 118). Thoughts of revenge keep people trapped in a dark place, as Hugh Glass was. However, when they are able to look on the situation more positively, they are able to forgive their enemies and get back to a lightened mental state. Second, Yancey writes about the harmful cycle created by the yearning for revenge. He says that, “First, forgiveness is the only way to break the cycle of blame-and pain in a relationship” (Yancey 37). Yancey presumes that when revenge is built up over a long period of time, it is difficult to fully recover from. The only way to end this harmful cycle is to step up and forgive. Third and finally, Hugh Glass comes to the point of revenge, but realizes it is not as relieving as he thought throughout his entire journey. Just as he is about to shoot and kill Bridger, a thought floods over him, “He looked down at Bridger and something unexpected began to happen. The perfection of the moment began to evaporate” (Punke 203). At this moment, Glass sees Bridger for who he really is; a young man who has made a mistake. He realizes that his revenge would hurt him more than it would heal him, as Yancey and Thornton have described. On the whole, forgiveness and acceptance is a common theme throughout these varying pieces of writing.
Hugh Glasses natural instincts for revenge are supported by the ideas of JIm Thornton and Philip Yancey, however these authors agree that forgiveness tends to be the best solution in the end, which aligns with Glass’ story. Revenge is an evil cycle, causing constant pain and anxiety; the actions of Hugh Glass prove this. The only way to break this cycle is to analyze the situation and realize that forgiveness will ease this built up pain.