Revenge is a popular word used profusely by individuals, and writers of all kind, each airing from different perspectives, and notions; apparently, revenge and its repercussions could be analyzed from the contents of these selected text, fable, and fairy tales -“The book of Genesis,” “Of the good advice,” “the man and the serpent,” and” the rattlesnake’s vengeance”; However, Revenge could be abstruse to delve into, specifically from the context of Genesis.
Alternatively, Revenge could be referred as pay-back, retribution, retaliation, or vengeance, which is a harmful action against a person, or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived (Wikipedia). From the angle of Genesis, Vengeance (Revenge) and Avenge had played a prolific role, though it could be terrible to decipher/pin-point. Genesis precisely had been reviewed by so many Bible analysts, and lexicographers as the infliction of dilemma towards Human thoughts, and intelligence. In other words, the contest and the tone of the text are not fully understood.
On the first day, God created heaven and earth, and until the sixth day he said, ” let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the ear, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth”(Kjv, Gen. 1:26). Indeed, God created Adan and Eve and gave them dominion over the beautiful garden of Eden, and its plantations; instructed them on the trees they should not eat from its fruit in the garden to avoid death.
Apparently, he bestowed his invaluable trust in them, hoping it shall not be ruined; however, Eve in conjugate bond with Adam vividly altered the sacred trust from God. The trust was broken though the trickiest effort of the most subtle creature, “the serpent”. Serpent, had toiled tirelessly with its tricky strategy, and convinced Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge, instructed by God not to taste; Advertently, Eve ate from the tree of knowledge and had shared with the husband, Adam. When God realized that they had eaten from the tree of knowledge, he did not strike them.
To embrace justice, God verbally retributed against serpent, and said, “Because thou hast done this: thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shall thou eat all the days of thy life” (Kjv, Gen. 3:14). To embrace justice, God had also recriminated against Adam and Eve through curse: he proclaimed “women shall swim in sorrow, and shall bring forth children in sorrow; then desire shall be to their husband, and he shall rule over them. (KJV, Gen. 3:16).
And to man(Adam) he said, “Because you had had hearkened to the voice of your wife and had eaten of the tree, which | commanded you not to eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all days of your life”(KJV, Gen. 3:17). Afterward, Adam and Eve shared a nuptial right and had barred two sons, Cain, and Abel. By occupation, Cain was a tiller of the ground, and Abel a keeper of sheep. Cain and Abel had performed a variety of burnt offerings from their farm yield.
Unlike Cain, Abel had offered to God more abundantly. From all indications, God had respected Abel’s offerings and did not respect Cain’s because he had never offered productively. subsequently, “Cain was very furious and his continence fell” (KJV, Gen. 4:5). Halfheartedly, Cain slew Abel in retaliation for his rejection of God, claiming he was the cause of rejection. In return, God in his infinite mercy did not strike Cain dead for his act but avenged Abel to keep justice afloat.
Angrily, he cursed Cain, and said, “And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield thee unto her strength; a fugitive and vagabond shalt thou be in the earth” (KJV, Gen. 4:11-12). To tamper mercy, God had protected Cain from intruders by promising vengeance against anyone that does harm to him.
Considering some fable, and fairy tales, like “Of the Good Advice (Gesta Romanorum)”; “The Man and The Serpent (Aesop)”; “the rattlesnake’s vengeance (Native American Cherokee)” would be highly imperative to analyze vengeance to its zenith. On the fragment, “Of the good advice”, retaliation had been utterly unveiled. A certain knight, christened Zedechias, who had conceived his fortune from his subtle friend, serpent: He(Zedechias) had married an injudicious wife who had fooled him out of greed to subvert his subtle friend(serpent) to uphold supremacy, because she taught that serpent had enough wealth to acquire.
Advertently, the foolish Knight, zedechias embarked on the mission to a slain serpent, but out constriction, the serpent escaped the attempt. Consequently, the serpent in rage, retracted his (Zedechias) purported wealth, and strike his handsome son. Similarly, when examining the Myths of the Cherokee, “the rattlesnake’s Vengeance”, one would decipher some recriminations. A great, and renowned hunter had tied a nuptial flight with a meticulous woman, who had taken care of her kids to the climax.
Out of her fussy and brave nature, she killed a rattlesnake that invaded the kids in the field, not knowing its repercussions; However, other rattlesnakes on the same confraternity conspired; with the aid of her husband, and killed her, just to retaliate. Seemingly, the fable of Aesop, “The Man and the Serpent” portrays reprisal. Unwittingly, a countryman’s son had trampled upon a serpent; eventually, got bitten to death. Out of grievance, the Father (countryman) bided to kill the serpent to avenge his son but, succeeded cutting off the tail.
In retrospect, the serpent retributed, and killed countryman’s fleets of cattle, which left him in anguish, and nearly unrepairable loss. Beyond shadow of doubt, Vengeance (Revenge) could be complex to audition, and curb, because it involves two, or more couple of parties, who have variety of thoughts, and personalities; distinctively, it would only end when the two parties are satisfied, which would certainly result in unforgettable pain. For instance, in the fable, ‘the man and the serpent,” the farmer and serpent’s act of tit-for-tat left both with a remarkable ache(pain), though the vengeance ended, but its impact stays forever.
In the same vein, vengeance could end when one of the opponents succumbed and did not call for avenge. For example, when God retaliated against serpent for his unlawful act, he (serpent) did not fight back, and no one avenged on his behalf, so the misconception stopped. Vengeance to say, has never been the best option to settle differences, but the question is who would accept defeat and let go? Therefore, restructuring our thoughts on how we perceive revenge would help. Undoubtedly, violence is a derivative of vengeance.
In other words, every vengeance results to violence. When flashed-back to the fable, scripture, and fairy tales one would be convinced that revenge is always accompanied with violence. To demonstrate, the countryman who had tried to avenge the Son, lost his fleets of cattle, and his friendship with serpent was jeopardized, leaving him in a state of dungeon financially, and otherwise. On a whole, it will be hard to refrain ourselves from revenge because of human instability, but it would be imperative to leave our vengeance for God.
