An Eye For An Eye: A Blinding Vengeance Essay Example

Vengeance can envenom the mind, it can poison thoughts, and corrode morals. Legendary French author, Guy de Maupassant, penned one of his most outstanding short stories, “Old Milon” to capture the vitriolic test of vengeance on the tongue of humans. The captivating power of vengeance is portrayed numerous times through the morbid, maleficent, and malignant actions of a vindictive bohemian, Old Milon. The miser’s endless lustful appetite for revenge was propelled by the death of his father and son at the hand of the Prussians. The introductory illustration of Milon’s vengeful idiosyncrasies, is an abnormal act of psychological mutilation. Instead of acting in an impulsive rage, the psychotic snake abides a modus operandi known as “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”.

Acting as a gracious host, and quartering them to the best of his ability, the despicable menace attains the respect and praise of the opposing Prussian soldiers who commandeered his farm. This message also allows the rustic peasant to attain some significant German babel, and systematic tendencies of the military. Furthermore, the sociopath, intoxicated on vengeance indulges himself in the satisfaction of slaughter. When the wretched weapon wielding rebel barbarously decapitates an Uhlan, then plunges his saber into another, his fallacious belief that he is justifying his lineage is echoed across the beaches of Normandy. Even after the one Uhlan goes limp, the non compos mentis crab sadistically runs his metal blade across the neck of the corpse, while smirking. This is followed by Milon’s callous murdering of the innocent horses, which shows the hypocrisy of the rebellious farmer by defying agrarian philosophies, proving his deeply rooted despise for Germany. The final example of the Snake’s vengeance carried with him to the grave, is an ill minded and darkly comedic attack.

After slaughtering many Uhlans, the serial killer is showed mercy, but instead of accepting his chance to survive, he spits in its face. By spitting his venomous, degrading, and acidic saliva in the Colonel’s face, the power of vengeance is put on full display. The power to ignorantly override the will to live, when given clemency, just to receive an eye for an eye. Through doing this twice, it is evident that Milon seeks what every vengeful human wants, the last laugh. Surprisingly, that is what he receives as he is pushed up against the wall, and shot, still drunk on one of the most destructive emotions, vengeance. Through the cryptic and wicked actions of the slithering bohemian, known as Milon, the reader can visualize the formidable, and short lived life of vengeance. The desire to inflict retribution is a sickening virus. It is one person's choice to either fulfill sinful tendencies, and indulgent proclivity, or to let go and accept life as it is. If any one thing about vengeance is true, it is that it will always get the last laugh.