I witnessed, an extended email exchange between two friends which treated the topic of vengeance, rage-filled violence.  The pivot point of the discussion had to do with a comparison/contrast between the palpable expression, the gorge-filled uprising of murderous wrath, and the more benign fictional, hypothetical contemplation of this emotional storm, such as we find in the writings of Stephen King.

Such a story comes to mind, Homer’s Iliad.  The frame for Homer’s great work is found in the opening lines.  The Iliad is a meditation upon rage, vengeful anger.

Rage — Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles,
murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls,
great fighters’ souls, but made their bodies carrion,
feasts for the dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving toward its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles. . . .

I did not take part in this written exchange of ideas.  But I read every word.  As I reflected I found myself unexpectedly moved by what I read — over a day’s time of writing back and forth.

Do we not resist the fact that violence, the most toxic form of violence, vengeance is woven into the fabric of our lives?  We cannot escape it’s movement, even when covered with a civilized, educated veneer.  It comes “as if” it’s the will of a god, Zeus if you will, moving toward its end…  It feels like choice.  But is it?

I also thought of the hit tune Disarm, by Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins.  I like the cover version by The Civil Wars much better.  Here it is.

Disarm

By Smashing Pumpkins

Disarm you with a smile
And cut you like you want me to
Cut that little child
Inside of me and such a part of you
Ooh, the years burn
Ooh, the years burn

I used to be a little boy
So old in my shoes
And what I choose is my choice
What’s a boy supposed to do?
The killer in me is the killer in you
My love
I send this smile over to you

Disarm you with a smile
And leave you like they left me here
To wither in denial
The bitterness of one who’s left alone
Ooh, the years burn
Ooh, the years burn, burn, burn

I used to be a little boy
So old in my shoes
And what I choose is my voice
What’s a boy supposed to do?
The killer in me is the killer in you
My love
I send this smile over to you

The killer in me is the killer in you
Send this smile over to you
The killer in me is the killer in you
Send this smile over to you
The killer in me is the killer in you
Send this smile over to you

Lyrics by Billy Corgan