Somebody once said that those who plan revenge irritate their own wounds. This essay is devoted to the analysis of theme of just revenge on the basis of two tales “Hop-Frog” and “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe.
Revenge is believed to be an intentional infliction of harm aimed to eliminate injustice. Poe appeals to readers to support characters who would murder for such reasons. In addition, many of them feel that justice is served to a certain extent.
Montresor represents an impoverished noble family in the tale “The Cask of Amontillado”. He talks about the night of his revenge to nobleman Fortunato for his many insults and humiliations. This happened in the middle of the carnival, when he met drunken Fortunato. Montresor immured him in the wall. He desired the punishment without any danger to himself. Revenge in this tale is justified because there was no other way out in this situation. Montresor was full of insults and humiliation, and could not live in peace until his abuser walks on the earth.
Another tale “Hop-Frog” is about the cripple Frog who became a jester because of his ugliness. One day king threw the wine in the dwarf face for fun. A fire of justice and a sense of pride appeared in the small body of the dwarf. He avenged these worthless people in their own coin: he burned them at the masquerade. The reader is ready to agree that revenge is justified in the tale. Frog suffered humiliation and ridicule, but when it touched his friend, he could bear it anymore. If he did not do this these abuses he would continue be offended throughout his life. He freed himself from it.
Thus, in both cases “insults” to the narrator result in murder plots. Pride and thirst for justice live in those characters of tales and justice is served in certain situations. Revenge in these tales is justified, because the characters did not have any other way out. In this way they gained their freedom both physically and spiritually.