The Frontier as a Realm of Vengeance
In the lawless expanse of frontier territories, revenge was not merely emotion—it was survival. Isolated communities, stripped of formal legal institutions, often turned to self-appointed justice. The frontier transformed personal vengeance into a social mechanism, where hunting became both literal and symbolic retribution. *Survival depended on perceived strength and swift response*, turning every act of retaliation into a statement of identity and deterrence. In this context, revenge was codified not just in law but in daily practice—each kill a lesson, each hunt a warning.