Essential Questions About Revenge*
Why are some people bent on avenging perceived wrongs, slight or significant, while others can let them go?
Why are people so fascinated by stories of revenge?
What kind of justice is shown in the works we read?
Is revenge ever justified?
What are the limits and possibilities of revenge?
How effective are agents of revenge in the works that we read
in obtaining the justice they desire?
in obtaining the justice they desire?
What effects does revenge have on the agents and recipients of retribution?
How are stories of revenge constructed to include or exclude elements
that exculpate one party and condemn another?
that exculpate one party and condemn another?
How do these stories invite their audiences to ethical reflection and instruction?
How effective are fictional genres at discussing
genuine ethical concerns like revenge?
genuine ethical concerns like revenge?
*Note: Many of these questions come from a Duke course that was taught several years ago, "The Poetics and Ethics of Revenge."
https://poeticrevenge.wordpress.com/