What novels has Revenge as a main theme?

[Honest]

As stated in the question, what novels has Revenge its main theme. I like very much: Wuthering Heights and The Count of Monte Cristo

Please, name as much as you can :nonod:

thanks all in advance :wave:

[Il Dante]

Frankenstein.

Although, I don't know if you could say revenge is its MAIN theme. But revenge certainly is one of the major themes, especially towards the end.

[TheFifthElement]

The Life and Loves of a She-devil - Faye Weldon

[jadrianne]

by Victor Hugo : revenge against society (Jean Valjean), revenge against condemned people (Javert) revenge against the ones that opress inocent people( Thenardiers).

Another classic concerning revenge : Cousin Bette by Balzac.

[kiki1982]

I think the only two characters that can be accused of revenge in Les Misérables are Javert (although that is too easy a view in my mind,he is more on automatic pilot than that he has a personal motive really) and Thénardier who is really not a bad man at heart but had to become it... I don't think he is clever enough to actually commit rvenge on anyone.

Jean Valjean is much too soft for it to even contemplate revenge.

To the OP:

You have already read the quintessential revenge book in Monte Cristo :).

The second book of the Musketeer-trilogy, Twenty Years After is somewhat motivated by revenge. But for that you need to read the first and most famous one first: The Three Musketeers. Although I recommend it, the second book is frankly not so good. In the third book The Vicomte de Bragelonne (made up of several parts in some editions, please refer to the Dumas pages for any guidance on that), there is also some revenge, particularly in the first part, but it is more about Louis XIV than about revenge. Good read, though.

[kelby_lake]

You've got loads of plays- revenge tragedies, greek tragedies. And of course 'Hamlet'.

As for novels...Bonjour Tristesse has a revenge plot.

[c aesura]

Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Gárcia Márquez, although revenge isn't really a theme in the traditional sense. It's a short novella, quite a quick read, but not exactly light and fluffy. I found it very enjoyable.

[Honest]

Thanks all for the answers, although none of what you have mentioned is familiar to me :(

[Desolation]

Moby-Dick.

[dfloyd]

including all three parts of The Vicomte de Bragalonne. The Revenge really comes at the end of The Three Musketeers when Milady has her head chopped of by the Executioner of Lille. All the Musketeers partake in sentencing Milady to death. The Musketeers aren't the ones seeking revenge in Twenty Years After. The one who wants revenge is the son of Milady.

The Vicomte de Bragalonne, Athos son, is in loved with Louise de Valliere. She becomes the mistress of Louis IV and de Bragalonne goes off to war where he is killed. The second book is about Louise. The final book is the Man in the Iron Mask. In this one, the best of the three, D'Artagnan becomes a marshal of France, and he and Porthos are both killed. Can't remember what happened to Athos and Aramis. Maybe Aramis started his line of men's cologne. These were called by Dumas The Dartagnan Romances. In total, Dumas wrote 48 romances dealing with various chapters of French history. A complete set, printed in 1904, recently sold on ABE for about $7,000. Probably a bit high, but not many sets are now available. I've read about half the Romances, but some are not as good as others, so I got bored. I did complete all the D'Artagnan Romances as well as all The Marie Antoinette Romances.

The best Three Musketeers' movie was made in 1948 starring Gene Kelley as D'Artagnan. Van Heflin and Gig Young were two of the other Musketeers, but I can't remember the third. Constance was June Allyson and Milady was Lana Turner. This one follows the book rather closely. Because Kelley was a young athletic dancer, the sword fighting scenes are excellent and loaded with acrobatics.

Another novel about revenge: Mickey Spillane's I, the Jury. Mike Hammer acts as jury while the killer disrobes in front of him. then he shoots her wth a 45. In the 1950s, when I was in high school, this book was more popular than any other.

[kiki1982]

Thank you again, Dfloyd, for spoiling it for all of us... Certainly that about Porthos is a severe put-off. Not all of us know that. And there is still revenge going on in Bragelonne at the beginning. Although only on the side.

The best Musketeer-film was definitely the Russian one, depsite its horrible 1970s music... Much less simple. Though I grant you that the one with Gene Kelly wasn't bad, but it looked too artificial (filmed in a studio), the Russian one took advantage of location too. And very much more to the point humour. The satire that Dumas planned in his book originally.

The Man in the Iron Mask is only the last book in the English edition. In French there are only three. If one does not read Le Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Vallière, and The Man in the Iron Mask plus any others that come in between as one: Le Vicomte de Braglonne, then there is no point to the whole thing. Because the whole is one story in development. I never understood why they split it up because it makes no sense.

[dfloyd]

but our library has no copy. I might try Amazon.com. I have seen the Russian War and Peace (with English subtitles) and it was very good. The 1948 American film is as you say, but Gene Kelly and Lana Turner make it a good film. I can't remember who Played Cardinal Richileau. Have to look it up.

As you might have guessed, I don't believe in spoilers for classic literature. There is much more to a classic than what happens in the novel. Who does not know about Jean Val Jean stealing the priests candelabra? Or who does not know how Marie Antoinette ended up in the Chevalier de Maison-Rouge? If I was describing an Agatha Christie novel, I would post a spoiler.

The best film adaptation of a Dumas' novel, in my opinion, is Marguerite de Valois (Queen Margot). It is also my favorite Dumas' novel. It is a French film with English subtitles. I should say it is my favorite of Dumas' Romances. My overall favorite would be The Count of Monte Cristo.

The worst film adaptation is The Count of Monte Cristo with Depardieu. The fat Depardieu just did not make a believable Edmund Dantes. Also, changing the story line was a big mistake. Inventing a romance for Dantes? Unbelievable. Getting back with Mercedes at the end was also a big mistake.The best Count movie is the 1930s one with Robert Donat, an English actor from a French background. A lot was left out of the film, but they haven't made a good one yet. I was hoping Masterpiece Theatre might do one before they expired.

[kiki1982]

Well, yes, there is more to a classic than the plot, but I see a lot of people complaining about spoiles in prefaces and things like that. And not everyone knows what happens to the four musketeers after their first adventures.

The 1930s film I didn't find very good. It was very Hollywoodian and a lot of things were invented (a court-case I seem to remember). Depardieu might have fitted his role better than you think. His hair colour I don't think is of any very fundamental symbolic value. And how did people look after a prison sentence of 14 years in one room without walks? They might do them now and even then prisoners get fat, but then, they were just locked up and they were done with it. His cell might have been only 3 feet by 5 or so. Many walks he couldn't have or go dizzy. Beside a bad diet. There was no exercise whatsoever. Oscar Wilde, after his prison sentence for homosexuality of only a year, was amazingly fat, unrecognisable. It is not because one is a well-exercised young man when one goes into that room that one comes out one well-exercised older man 14 years later. The romance with Mercédès I concede, was a little doubtful, but there was romance at the end, only with another. Essentially, in theme, it was ok. Though they toned down Mercédès's determination for it, he still had learned to love again. They tied up the loose ends of the book which are numerous. Haydée for example has no purpose, and certainly not on film because she canot speak. So they tied it up. That Monte Cristo was by far the most dark and scary of them all. Monte Cristo should not only be going for revenge, it should be much darker, almost a devil's pact after Faust. Nor the Hollywood film, nor 2001 did that. And their cast... The actors don't even look like any of them at all. Also do not act the way they should. The French evrsion, with its fault, wa still absolutely marvellous in comparison to its English counterparts.

You can download the Russian musketeer film on YouTube and then there are subtitle downloads as well. Pnly thing is that you have to flip with your eyes from the one to the other...

[lallison]

If you're looking to explore revenge, its hard to be Hamlet. It illustrates how when combating evil, one can become evil him/herself. Very powerful lesson best learned from the mistakes of others.

[janesmith]

The Life and Loves of a She-devil - Faye Weldon

This is the one that I would definitely recommend. Weldon's use of the theme of revenge is second to none.

[swizzlestick]

Come on you guys, The Counte of Monte Cristo is the epitome of the revenge themed novel. The entire book is about Edmond Dantes ruining the lives of those who had ruined his some 26 years earlier. He's thoughtful and meticulous and can really hold a grudge.

[lallison]

I've got that one sitting on my book shelf. Need to read it!

[ktm5124]

Les Mis (though I have only seen the movie)

[kiki1982]

Come on you guys, The Counte of Monte Cristo is the epitome of the revenge themed novel. The entire book is about Edmond Dantes ruining the lives of those who had ruined his some 26 years earlier. He's thoughtful and meticulous and can really hold a grudge.

I agree, though the OP has already read it :(

@Lallison: by all means read it! The last 400 pages are most gripping! (if yours is not abridged)

[kelby_lake]

Moby Dick :O
Wuthering Heights?

[Adderhead]

One that I can think of is The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene.

[_Shannon_]

One that I can think of is The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene.

How so??:confused:

It's been awhile since I've read it, so I don't remember that aspect of it.



How about Rebecca by Daphne duMaurier?? (Which is also an excellent film!)
The Glass Key by Dashiel Hammett? (Which is also basically in film version as Miller's Crossing)
The Godfather by Mario Puzo (again, an excellent film as well)

[Aragorn Elessar]

I can't think of any novels that jump out at me at the moment, but if you're into revenge as a large aspect of the story, you may want to get into Batman. Batman Begins, specifically...the other Batman films don't really do well in the darkness/revenge aspects of the story. Begins is more true to the comic books and really explores Batman's character to a deeper level. Other films, such as Batman Forever are just fun to watch really; not very serious usually.

[kelby_lake]

Les Miserables
Hunchback of Notre Dame

[Dekarto]

The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales (Gone to Texas) - Forrest Carter.
The Vengeance Trail of Josey Wales - Forrest Carter.
The Mask - Dean Koontz.

[Scheherazade]

I am tempted to suggest Bible but I am worried that I might offend some Forum members so I won't.

:smilewinkgrin:

[Dekarto]

I am tempted to suggest Bible but I am worried that I might offend some Forum members so I won't.

Except that the Bible isn't about revenge at all?

[kelby_lake]

Judas has his revenge, doesn't he?

[Scheherazade]

Except that the Bible isn't about revenge at all?So, you agree it is fictional?

:p

[The Comedian]

I am tempted to suggest Bible but I am worried that I might offend some Forum members so I won't.

:smilewinkgrin:

Thank goodness you didn't.

[Scheherazade]

Thank goodness you didn't.I know.

A stellar display of self-restraint!

[IceM]

I thought somebody would've mentioned Othello by now. Iago FTW!

Doesn't anybody else think Chillingworth in Scarlet Letter is hell-bent on revenge?

Tenorio attempts revenge ALL DAY in Bless Me, Ultima.

Of those three, Othello probably is the most based on revenge; the other two just have them as significant propellors for the plot; they don't actually feature revenge as a theme as greatly as the first.

[kelby_lake]

I thought somebody would've mentioned Othello by now. Iago FTW!

Doesn't anybody else think Chillingworth in Scarlet Letter is hell-bent on revenge?

Tenorio attempts revenge ALL DAY in Bless Me, Ultima.

Of those three, Othello probably is the most based on revenge; the other two just have them as significant propellors for the plot; they don't actually feature revenge as a theme as greatly as the first.

Othello isn't a novel :)

[IceM]

Othello perhaps has more revenge in it than any other novel. I thought it'd be good for just a broad recommendation.