Classics 240 - SWEET REVENGE

Revenge can be irresistible, as anyone who has been wronged can attest. Ancient Greek and Roman texts often portray revenge as an act of justice. But rather than merely balancing the scales, payback outdoes the original injury, prompting a chain of (often quite creative) retributive actions. What drives an individual to exact vengeance, and can satisfying alternatives to revenge exist? This semester we examine ancient perspectives on revenge in Greek and Roman epic, history, philosophy, and (especially) tragedy. Then we trace the tradition of ancient revenge in post-classical works: Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, opera, and Hollywood and independent film. Relevant theoretical works and scholarship supplement our study of revenge. (E)