This word was born in southern Italy and began its march around the world. The concept itself was in use even at the time of tribal relations. The custom of blood feud is what vendetta is. The Italian origin of the word does not mean that such a tradition did not exist among other peoples. The roots have a deep tradition among the peoples of the East and the Caucasus; even in Slavic history, an unshakable rule of retaliation took place. At one time, he replaced the missing legal norms of the struggle for justice.
An eye for an eye, or What is a vendettaThe principle of payment for blood is the same for all nations. If a representative of one clan or clan killed someone from another clan or clan, he or another representative of his family or clan must pay for it in blood. The highest degree of dishonor was thought to leave spilled blood unrevenged. At the same time, the question was not settled in response to the murder for the murder : in turn, the other side was persecuted. This blood feud could be passed down from generation to generation and last for centuries. Representatives of the warring surnames often did not remember who laid the foundation for bloody strife, but they knew one thing: these are enemies that need to be killed. Often they tried to reconcile the enemies, the elders of the clan, the heads of the communities, applied their efforts to this process. It could be reconciliation, and farmed. The efforts of peacekeepers have not always been crowned with success. The custom of vendetta persisted among some peoples until the twentieth century.
What is Corsican vendetta?
Oddly enough, the cruel custom of blood feud was strongest where the kinship and social ties between people were holy and unshakable. The history of Corsica, which gave rise to the concept of vendetta, is a vivid evidence of this.
Centuries-old wars for supremacy in the Mediterranean forced the inhabitants of a small island to rally in the face of any danger and defend their interests even at the cost of their own lives. So close ties were born within the family, clan, community, grouping. An attack on the life of a community member was punishable by blood. In general, nothing new - the very law of retaliation for shed blood is Corsican vendetta. This custom has given rise to many bloody stories, embodied in works of art.
Vendetta in literature and art
Impressed by the stories heard during a trip to the small islands of Italy - Corsica and Sicily - the French writer Prosper Merimet created a number of brilliant short stories, where the culmination of the plot was an act of vendetta. A vivid example of such a creation is the novel “Colomb”. Perhaps in European literature for the first time it was so clearly shown what a vendetta is. “Mateo Falcone”, “Carmen” - plots known all over the world, which are also built on the idea of retribution for betrayal, another thing that not all vendettas took place. It is believed that the same story inspired a number of striking works by Honore de Balzac - his stories resonate with Merimee’s short stories. How not to recall in connection with this the immortal poem “Romeo and Juliet”. In closer literature, and then in the movie, the concept of blood feud comes to the fore in the brilliant novel by Mario Puzo “The Godfather”. In this case, the concepts of “vendetta” and “mafia” are practically synonymous. And another movie masterpiece today at the peak of popularity - the film "V for Vendetta" with the magnificent Natalie Portman in the title role.
"Russian Truth" in Ancient Russia
In the 13-15 centuries in ancient Russia there was a set of legal norms "Russian truth". He is associated with the era of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. Regarding the issue under study, the codex contained curious fragments. So, in him there was such a norm of responsibility as blood feud: “To kill the husband of the husband, then to take revenge on the brother of the brother”. For refusal of revenge relied upon - 40 hryvnia per head.
All in the past?
Is it possible today to be sure that all this is left in the past, and today's generations do not know what vendetta means? Alas, this is not so. The custom of blood feud is still preserved in some places - in a number of island states, in Serbia, among some peoples of the Caucasus. However, today, at the time of the loss of all spiritual values and the complete depreciation of the concept of human life, one should not be surprised at anything. The killings take place without any moral obligations that moved the ancient avengers.