Is Revenge Ever Justifiable Essay

Is revenge ever justifiable? Can individuals past actions ever be forgiven? Although most will say no action, good nor bad, can be forgiven or justified; I disagree. Others will say just because an individual did something doesn’t make it right, again I disagree. What is justifiable to one person depends completely on their interpretation of the law, their religious beliefs and their morals. Pursuing revenge through the legal system is a form of justifiable revenge in which justice is automatically granted if the court deems you fit. One good example of this can be found in The Count of Monte Cristo when the character Villefort recently places the character Edmond Dantes in jail : “This man, a turbulent sailor whom I had previously suspected of Bonapartism, had made a secret trip to the Isle of Elba. The marshal there entrusted him with a verbal message for a certain Bonapartist,in Paris, whose name I was unable to make him tell me. But I did learn that he was to instruct this Bonapartist in Paris to prepare his adherents for a return of the usurper within a short time,” (Dumas, 37). The decision of putting Dantes in jail was indirect revenge. Villefort

Philosopher of Science, Francis Bacon writes of well know public revenges that have been justified over time, “Public revenges are for the most part fortunate; as that for the death of Caesar; for the death of Pertinax; the death of Henry the Third of France; and many more.” (Bacon, lines 24-26). These public revenges, along with most public revenges, lead to a better era for the community that sought revenge causing their actions to be justified. One main example is Caesar of Rome, although his death was at the time unpopular it lead to a better government and the being of the Empire. Revenge that takes place under the law for the people can be justifiable because this said revenge, in the long, allows the people to live free and prosperous