The expression “revenge is sweet” appears so frequently that one might think the cliché is true, but the nature of revenge is indeed more complex and can leave more bitterness. in its wake. The cyclical nature of revenge and man's inhumanity to man means that it has a propensity to intensify and devastate the people who follow it, including the one who inflicts it. The Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez and The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende examine the theme of the nature of revenge through the presence and importance of prominent characters seeking revenge in both Latino novels. Americans. When family and personal honor is damaged, the consequences intensify. into a major threat arising from the nature of vengeance formed to protect a principle. In order to save the family honor, which the city holds of the utmost importance, the Vicario brothers seek revenge on Santiago Nasar. Prudencia Cotes, Pablo Vicario's fiancée, "knew what they were doing [...] and [she] not only agreed, [she] would never have married [Pablo] if he had not done what what a man should do” (García Marquez 62). The quote not only labels Prudencia as unsympathetic, but also much of the town, whose indifference comes in part from his belief that men have a duty to protect women from disgrace. The questionable protagonist of House of the Spirits, Esteban Trueba, attempts to save his daughter from what he considers a shame in a similar way: murder. Time passes “since the fateful day when Trueba made him pay with an ax for his daughter’s virginity. Pedro Tercero remembers him as an angry giant” (Allende 360). The comparison comparing Trueba to a giant highlights the lasting impact of this encounter on Pedro Tercero. Both tales of revenge...... middle of paper ...... trying to end it by destroying the metaphorical chain of revenge. The Vicario brothers in Gabriel García Márquez's Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Esteban Trueba from Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits are a prime example of revenge not being a sweet relief, but rather a bitter burden. Even if it is intended to protect morals and personal values, turning anger into violence will never be satisfactory. The narrator's deep understanding of The Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Alba gives hope that the future is not rotten by the illogical thinking that revenge is sweet because in reality it eventually turns bitter. Works Cited Allende, Isabel. The House of Spirits. New York, NY: Random House, Inc., 1985. Print. Garcia Marquez, Gabriel. Chronicle of a death foretold. New York, New York: Vintage International, 1981. Print.