In this session, we will be revealing OF REVENGE CommonLit answers key which is absolutely FREE to view.
Before publishing, every answer for OF REVENGE CommonLit short story undergoes a thorough review to ensure its accuracy & reliability. If you find them helpful, please don’t hesitate to share.
OF REVENGE CommonLit Answers – FREE Access
Find the answer key for the topic “OF REVENGE” below:
Note: Be prepared to share your original ideas in a class discussion.
Discussion Questions & Answers
Following are our answers based on the questions provided:
Q.1. In the context of this passage, why do people do bad things? Are these things done purposefully or as a consequence of another motivation? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.
Ans: According to the text, people do bad things to acquire, profit, pleasure, honor, and other good and positive feelings, that put them in a comfortable position with themselves. According to the author, people do not do evil for evil but do evil because they want to promote a good feeling in their souls or to raise their status in some way.
These bad things are done through consequence, as most of them are done out of revenge. Revenge is an act that is the result of another bad action, that is, it is a consequence and a natural desire of the human being, but it should be limited and discouraged whenever possible.
Q.2. In the context of this passage, is revenge ever justified? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.
Ans: In the context of the story Of Revenge, Bacon explains multiple reasons why revenge is not justified. One of the reasons that Bacon uses to justify his claim is that when people seek revenge, it shows that they are dwelling on the past.
The main theme of the story is that taking revenge doesn’t make you feel good. It is not necessary that after taking revenge, your pain will be reduced.
Q.3. Consider the following line from “Spunk”: “A clear case of self-defense, the trial was a short one, and Spunk walked out of the courthouse to freedom again” (Paragraph 37). Based on paragraph 4 in “Of Revenge,” how do you think Sir Francis Bacon would react to what happens to Spunk in the story’s resolution?
Ans: Bacon would likely view Spunk’s act as a form of self-defense rather than revenge. He might argue that Spunk was not seeking to harm out of spite or to gain pleasure but was instead protecting himself, which is different from the revenge he criticizes.
Q.4. What type of person would Sir Francis Bacon consider to be more wicked: a person who commits an unprovoked crime or a person who seeks revenge? Why? Do you agree with his thinking? Why?
Ans: Sir Francis Bacon would consider a person who seeks revenge to be more wicked because he believes revenge perpetuates harm and disrupts the social order. The perspective on whether or not one agrees with Bacon is subjective and varies based on personal beliefs.
Based on Sir Francis Bacon’s essay ‘Of Revenge,’ he would consider a person who seeks revenge to be more wicked than a person who commits an unprovoked crime. Bacon wrote, ‘Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man’s nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out.’ Bacon is suggesting that revenge is unnatural and against the law. He views revenge as an emotional response that perpetuates harm and disrupts the social order.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with Bacon’s perspective is subjective and depends on one’s personal beliefs and values. Some people might argue that revenge can be justified under certain circumstances, while others might agree with Bacon that revenge is inherently wrong and should be weeded out.
Assessment Questions & Answers
Following are our answers based on the questions provided:
Q.1. Which of the following best describes a central idea of the text?
Ans: Revenge is unwise and cowardly.
Q.2. What is the author’s likely purpose in this passage?
Ans: to examine the nature and consequences of revenge
Q.3. How does the following quote contribute to the central argument of the text: “For as for the first wrong, it doth but offend the law; but the revenge of that wrong pulleth the law out of office”? (Paragraph 1)
Ans: Seeking revenge is unwise because it prevents the law from punishing the person.
Q.4. How does the following quote contribute to the central argument of the text: “And if any man should do wrong merely out of ill-nature, why, yet it is but like the thorn or briar, which prick and scratch, because they can do no other”? (Paragraph 3)
Ans: The quote supports the idea that some people cannot help the wrong things they do; therefore, there is no point in avenging the wrong.
Q.5. What does the term “perfidious” most closely mean as used in paragraph 6?
Ans: Disloyal
Q.6. What is the relationship between private revenge and public revenge? (Paragraphs 5-8)
Ans: Private revenge is weak and vindictive, whereas public revenge can right a wrong.
Q.7. What two central ideas about revenge does Bacon develop over the course of the text?
Ans: The two central ideas about revenge that Bacon develops over the course of the text are:
1. Revenge is a kind of “wild justice” that disrupts the law and order, and
2. While public revenge can sometimes be justified, private revenge is harmful and unwise.
In the text, Bacon first introduces the idea of revenge as a form of “wild justice”. He argues that when individuals take revenge, they essentially take the law into their own hands, disrupting the established order. This is why he suggests that the law should strive to eliminate the desire for revenge.
The second idea that Bacon develops is the distinction between public and private revenge. He suggests that public revenge, such as those for the death of a ruler, can sometimes be justified and even beneficial. However, he warns against private revenge, stating that it keeps one’s own wounds fresh and leads to a life of misery. He compares vindictive individuals to witches, suggesting that their lives are filled with misfortune.
You can find answer keys for other grade 11 topics below:
=> THE OPEN BOAT CommonLit Answers
=> THE DANGER OF A SINGLE STORY CommonLit Answers
=> ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE CommonLit Answers
=> THE GUILTY PARTY CommonLit Answers
Note: In case, you have anything to share related to this topic let us know through the comment box below.
Conclusion
In CommonLit, “OF REVENGE” is one of the students’ favorite articles authored by Sir Francis Bacon for grade 12 students.
Hope you got OF REVENGE CommonLit Answers Key for free as promised. Share with your batchmates if you find this helpful.
Hi, I’m Annie Smith, and I’ve been a teacher for over 5 years and have taught students at all levels. I love to help students get ahead of their exams and provide helpful guides on various topics.