In classical or modern literature is there any revenge plots based around stolen things?
Other than The Revenant which has as its theme revenge/satisfaction for among other things(leaving Hugh Glass for dead) stealing Hugh Glass’s Anstandt rifle, are there any other examples of plots involving vengeance over the theft of things.
The Trojan War, perhaps? Fought over the kidnapping of Helen by Paris.
I’m referring to the novel ‘The Revenant’ by Michael Punke
That’s kidnapping. I’m really interested in revenge for theft of things.
How about the Sherlock Holmes’ novel The Sign of the Four?
Yes. I suppose novels invoving pirates would also count. Thanks Dewey_Finn.
There must have been so many that Alexander Pope satirized the theme in The Rape of the Lock.
Novels involving pirates/piracy, bandits/banditry as well. I still looking for other suggestions.
Season 3 of Fargo has a man plotting against his brother because the brother tricked him out of a valuable stamp collection.
I think in most cases, if person A steals an object from person B, then person B just tries to get the object back rather than taking revenge, per se.
Yes, true. The Revenant is unique in the sense that Hugh Glass is out for more than just retrieving his stolen goods. He aims to kills the thieves. That’s what prompted my question. I don’t think I have ever read a plot involving revenge phantasies over the theft of things. In real lifde there are of course murders over stolen goods.
The Count of Monte Cristo is a terrific tale of betrayal and revenge.
The idea of murdering someone for theft must seem so farfetched for writers of fiction that the only examples are found in real life (or novels like The Revenant based on real life). The whole Hatfield-McCoy feud that resulted in multiple murders apparently started over a stolen hog.
Manon des Sources is about a woman getting revenge on the men who blocked the water supply on her father’s farm (and indirectly caused his death).
Though the OP was looking for stories driven by the theft of things, which isn’t really what The Count of Monte Cristo was all about.
Ngaio Marsh, the famed mystery writer, based her first novel around a stolen sacred object that precipitates the murder her detective must figure out.
I’m pretty sure that early 20th century adventure novels are full of jewels and other sacred objects that lead to similar acts of revenge, but fortunately I’ve never had to read any.
Theft of his freedom, family and fiance sound like good reasons to seek revenge.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings yet. Gollum was all about revenge due to having his Precious stolen.
Of course it is. But the OP specified they were seeking stories in which the revenge was driven by the loss of “things”.
There’s The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, which has as part of its plot the recovery of a stolen diamond by three Indian priests. But not so much revenge as recovery.
In A Fish Called Wanda, Ken gets revenge over Otto after Otto eats Wanda, Ken’s pet goldfish.