Reprising Revenge

In Violence and the Sacred, René Girard argues that vengeance is a vicious circle that is broken only when the power to seek reprisal is consolidated in a sovereign authority. Drawing on the work of Hannah Arendt, and in particular her concept of natality, I argue that Girard fails to appreciate how...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Law, culture and the humanities culture and the humanities, 2005-10, Vol.1 (3), p.302-315
Main Author: Culbert, Jennifer L.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Entrepreneurs
Gays & lesbians
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Summary:In Violence and the Sacred, René Girard argues that vengeance is a vicious circle that is broken only when the power to seek reprisal is consolidated in a sovereign authority. Drawing on the work of Hannah Arendt, and in particular her concept of natality, I argue that Girard fails to appreciate how revenge is an act that may be repeated with a difference. When this possibility is admitted, we need no longer depend upon sovereign authority to disrupt the cycle of vengeance and, practicing humble resolve, may be surprised by what unfolds.
ISSN:1743-8721
1743-9752
DOI:10.1191/1743872105lw028oa