As far back as Alexander the Great, history tells us that the tale of revenge predictably ends in mutual disaster. However, it appears that a yearning for justice exists; one that legal systems may not empathize with, nor consider relevant. Let's explore the boundaries of revenge and illustrate that the best form of revenge is one executed with a firm resolve, and with irony.

Scientific Evidence

Women have been found to take longer to react to feelings of revenge than men. But nevertheless, studies of brain activity have shown women experience pleasure when cheaters are punished.

Fantasies of revenge are normal. It is nothing more than a desire to seek justice and put things right according to a universal truth. But when these fantasies are acted upon in reality, it is often a case of digging two graves.

When someone is cheated on, the message they receive from their partner is, "you are worth less to me than you thought you were." Understandable, infidelity is taken very personally by the affected parties... often too personally. As a way of "lashing back" at the perpetrator, victims of infidelity often seek to respond with a similar destructive message. If you insist on engaging in a high-stakes game of "getting even", you would be wise to do so without implicating yourself criminally.

Patience, Planning and Politeness

Consider the story of a Connecticut woman who discovered her husband was cheating on her. She removed the door of her cheating man's cherished Audi sports car, inserted a marble inside the frame, and replaced it without detection. For weeks, her husband drove around with a pesky rattling noise that could not be isolated. It took mechanics months to find the source of the noise. When they did, a note was found along with it that said, "you finally found it, you ****. Lots of love!!"

With respect to the annals of history, the hospitality industry, and the advent of refrigerated food stuffs, it does indeed seem that revenge is a dish best served cold.

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to give consideration to the legality of any premeditated revengeful act. A simple act of cutting a man's suits or ties is illegal and leaves the perpetrator liable for prosecution. A wise person once said, "never get into a confrontation without winning."

Some women exact their revenge by entering into an affair with their cheating man's friend, family member, or business associate. The pitfalls of such actions should mostly be obvious. It also often results in another burden to deal with: another unwanted relationship.

Find His Hot-Button

One of a man's most obvious vulnerabilities is his self indulgence and the familiarity he enjoys with the things he holds dear. A subtle alteration to one of these, accompanied with a splash of frustration, a dash of disbelief, and a teaspoon of desperation will induce hysteria in your cheating man. Hopefully this hysteria will stop short of cardiac arrest while seeking to fill your need to seek vengeance on someone who hurt you dearly.

Of course, the balanced heroine avenger knows where the line is drawn in regard to revenge. Some things are not appropriate as tools of revenge. In particular, the interests of innocent third parties like children should be firmly placed off limits.

If you can't pinpoint a harmless, yet humiliating vulnerability on which to extract vengeance, then it is probably best if you gather all dignity and self respect and journey onward in a healthy fashion while considering this lecher a mere ship passing in the night.

Bon voyage.

Resources:

Nature: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8605
De Balzac, Honere (1799-1850) French Writer La Peau de chagrin, 1831
Garr, Terri LifeWire: http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/03/31/revenge.women/index.html
Kaye, Jeffrey counselor and psychologist San Francisco
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/03/31/revenge.women/index.html
Holmes, Anna writer/editor Hell Hath No Fury
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/03/31/revenge.women/index.html
Gallagher, Christine author The Woman's Book of Revenge Revenge
Borstein, Leon lawyer, Manhattan NY: http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/03/31/revenge.women/index.html
Mikhail, Lauren Dr., How to get Revenge on a Cheating Spouse