Rachael Eyre's Blog - Posts Tagged "revenge-tragedy"
Revenge!
As part of a retrospective for my second book, The Revenge of Rose Grubb, I'll be writing a series of revenge themed blogs. This week: why are authors and film makers drawn to the revenge plot time and time again?
As long as humans have banded around the campfire and spent the night spinning tales, there have been stories of revenge. Whether it's the focal point of the drama or an absorbing subplot, there's something about a character dishing out their own brand of justice, which may or may not be served cold.
Why does this theme have such a command of our imaginations? As children, our first impulse on being hurt was to whack whatever it was right back. Even once we learn to keep our tempers in check and forgive, it's our automatic reaction. There's no doubting that on some level it's a wish fulfilment fantasy; you might not be able to bring down a cheating partner or crooked boss, but the hero of the new revenge saga can. The more labyrinthine and humiliating the comeuppance, the better.
What's the recipe for a good revenge? Here are a few guidelines I've drafted, taken from years of observation.
1) They must deserve it
If you want to keep your audience's sympathy, the revenge must be proportionate. If the baddy's sole crime is giving your heroine a parking ticket, hacked off limbs flying everywhere is OTT.
This is one of the few genres where it's okay to make your antagonist a monster. Whatever they did must be devastating; they must show no remorse and there's no chance of redemption. They've ruined your hero's life past recovery, whether it's their dreams, their reputation or - most commonly, and certainly most powerfully - a person.
2) Avenging the death of a loved one
Even people with the most fleeting acquaintance with revenge know this is what it's all about. To ramp up the stakes, the villain must have killed the protagonist's loved ones. The traditional choice is a father, a la Hamlet, but these days you're just as likely to see a lead avenging lovers, children or friends. Not only are they paying their enemy back, life for life, but they're making up for all the years they could have had with that loved person.
This is a very old idea, dating back to Elizabethan revenge tragedies, and arguably before then. The hero tended to be the kinsman of a good person who had been murdered. Of course, anyone who's seen Star Wars knows that there are sometimes subversions ...
3) Expect the unexpected
Although your typical revenge saga has certain rules to abide by, don't be afraid to mix them up and give that extra punch. Perhaps the villain is innocent. Perhaps the person they're mourning isn't really dead. Maybe this whole set up is an elaborate ruse, choreographed to drive your heroine insane. Though make sure you've laid your trail carefully, or your book might find a home in the nearest waste paper basket.
4) The Nietzschen zig zag
It takes a special kind of person to sit down and plot somebody else's ruin. "He who fights monsters" has been quoted to the point of tedium, but for good reason - how can you have your heroine wreak havoc but remain likeable? If they whine too much, your reader'll demand they grow a pair; if they maim first, no questions asked, audiences may find themselves siding with the villain.
If you worry you're going too far, ask for a second - and third, and fourth - opinion. Even the Bride shows moments of humanity: she cries after at least two of her hits, and clearly regrets killing Vernita Green in front of her daughter. "What would you do?" may seem banal in such a high octane scenario, but it's a vital tool for keeping it real.
5) The masquerade
Perhaps your baddy can't be approached unless it's under cover of a big song and dance number. Perhaps your protagonist is a madman with a love of spectacle (think V for Vendetta, or any film featuring Vincent Price as a serial killer). Whatever the reason, your reader has front row seats for the finale - and whatever may have gone before, this scene must not disappoint.
As long as humans have banded around the campfire and spent the night spinning tales, there have been stories of revenge. Whether it's the focal point of the drama or an absorbing subplot, there's something about a character dishing out their own brand of justice, which may or may not be served cold.
Why does this theme have such a command of our imaginations? As children, our first impulse on being hurt was to whack whatever it was right back. Even once we learn to keep our tempers in check and forgive, it's our automatic reaction. There's no doubting that on some level it's a wish fulfilment fantasy; you might not be able to bring down a cheating partner or crooked boss, but the hero of the new revenge saga can. The more labyrinthine and humiliating the comeuppance, the better.
What's the recipe for a good revenge? Here are a few guidelines I've drafted, taken from years of observation.
1) They must deserve it
If you want to keep your audience's sympathy, the revenge must be proportionate. If the baddy's sole crime is giving your heroine a parking ticket, hacked off limbs flying everywhere is OTT.
This is one of the few genres where it's okay to make your antagonist a monster. Whatever they did must be devastating; they must show no remorse and there's no chance of redemption. They've ruined your hero's life past recovery, whether it's their dreams, their reputation or - most commonly, and certainly most powerfully - a person.
2) Avenging the death of a loved one
Even people with the most fleeting acquaintance with revenge know this is what it's all about. To ramp up the stakes, the villain must have killed the protagonist's loved ones. The traditional choice is a father, a la Hamlet, but these days you're just as likely to see a lead avenging lovers, children or friends. Not only are they paying their enemy back, life for life, but they're making up for all the years they could have had with that loved person.
This is a very old idea, dating back to Elizabethan revenge tragedies, and arguably before then. The hero tended to be the kinsman of a good person who had been murdered. Of course, anyone who's seen Star Wars knows that there are sometimes subversions ...
3) Expect the unexpected
Although your typical revenge saga has certain rules to abide by, don't be afraid to mix them up and give that extra punch. Perhaps the villain is innocent. Perhaps the person they're mourning isn't really dead. Maybe this whole set up is an elaborate ruse, choreographed to drive your heroine insane. Though make sure you've laid your trail carefully, or your book might find a home in the nearest waste paper basket.
4) The Nietzschen zig zag
It takes a special kind of person to sit down and plot somebody else's ruin. "He who fights monsters" has been quoted to the point of tedium, but for good reason - how can you have your heroine wreak havoc but remain likeable? If they whine too much, your reader'll demand they grow a pair; if they maim first, no questions asked, audiences may find themselves siding with the villain.
If you worry you're going too far, ask for a second - and third, and fourth - opinion. Even the Bride shows moments of humanity: she cries after at least two of her hits, and clearly regrets killing Vernita Green in front of her daughter. "What would you do?" may seem banal in such a high octane scenario, but it's a vital tool for keeping it real.
5) The masquerade
Perhaps your baddy can't be approached unless it's under cover of a big song and dance number. Perhaps your protagonist is a madman with a love of spectacle (think V for Vendetta, or any film featuring Vincent Price as a serial killer). Whatever the reason, your reader has front row seats for the finale - and whatever may have gone before, this scene must not disappoint.
