Question VII: Concerning Anger

I. Anger is the inordinate appetite for vengeance.

To be angry of itself is not evil; for anger is properly a passion of the irascible appetite, and passions as such are not evil. Nevertheless a passion can be evil:

a) from its object or according to its species, as envy is evil from its object because it is to be sad concerning the good of another, which according to itself is repugnant to reason. In this way anger is not evil of itself, since its object, vengeance, can be desired well or badly;

b) from the mode, if it rises up more or less than reason dictates. In this way anger is evil if it abounds more than reason dictates, or also if it is lacking when reason dictates.

Whence anger is good and praiseworthy, provided that it is according to the mode of reason and that legitimate vengeance is desired according to right reason, for example so that another may be corrected, that the order of justice may be preserved, that reason may more strongly execute justice, that the rest may be deterred, etc. Then it is called zeal: anger through zeal. On the contrary, it is evil if illegitimate vengeance is desired, or if in legitimate vengeance the mode of reason is exceeded: anger through vice. Hence anger is rightly defined: the inordinate appetite for vengeance.¹

¹ St. Thomas, II-II, q. 158, a. 1 and 2; Quaestiones disputatae de Malo, 12, a. 1 and 2.

II. The species and gravity of anger. - Anger can be evil in two ways:

1. On the part of the object: a) by desiring unjust vengeance against him who has not merited it, or beyond what he merited; b) by desiring vengeance not according to the legitimate order, but to be executed by one's own authority; c) by seeking it, not for the due end or the conservation of justice and the correction of fault, but, for example, from hatred as satiative of one's own evil mind, or intending the extermination of the sinner more than the abolition of the sin.

This anger from its genus is mortal, because it is contrary to charity and justice; nevertheless it can be venial, not only from lack of deliberation, but also from lightness of matter, when someone desires to avenge himself in some slight matter, for example he pulls a boy a little by the hair or by the ear, or something of this kind.

2. On the part of the mode, anger is evil if it is too ardent interiorly, or is manifested too much exteriorly. This of itself is venial; nevertheless it becomes mortal on account of an effect prohibited under grave obligation, such as scandal, blasphemy, notable harm to health, etc.

But let it be noted that anger is not necessarily inordinate because it is great, but because it is too great; whence a vehement movement of anger is good, provided that it is required by right reason or conformed to it, for example if it is proportioned to the quality of the fault, the condition of the sinner, and other circumstances. Whence also Christ was moved by grave anger when He cast the merchants out of the temple.²

² St. Thomas, II-II, q. 158, a. 3; Quaestiones disputatae de Malo, 12, a. 3.

III. Anger is a capital vice. - A capital sin is that from which many others arise, especially according to the account of final cause.

But from anger many other sins arise: a) on the part of the object or end, which is very appetible, insofar as vengeance is desired under the account of what is just and honorable, which allures by its own dignity; b) from its impulse, by which it precipitates the mind to do any disordered things whatsoever. Whence anger is a capital vice.

Nor does it stand in the way that anger, because it takes away the use of reason, is the cause not of several sins but of all sins, whence it is called their gate. For it is the cause of all per accidens, as removing what prohibits, that is, insofar as it impedes the use of reason by which man is drawn back from evil; but directly and per se it is the cause of certain special sins, and according to this it is a capital vice.³

³ St. Thomas, II-II, q. 158, a. 6; Quaestiones disputatae de Malo, 12, a. 5.

IV. Anger has six daughters. - According to St. Gregory, Morals, book 31, c. 45 (or 17), from anger more commonly arise six sins. Insofar as it is in the heart, from it are born: 1. on the part of him against whom a man is angry on account of the injury inflicted, indignation, by which in his mind he magnifies the injury of another and considers him unworthy that he should have inflicted such an injury on him; and 2. on the part of the angry man himself, swelling of mind, by which he fills his mind by meditating on various means of vengeance. Insofar as it is in the mouth, from it arise: 3. clamor, or inordinate and confused speech by which man demonstrates anger in words; 4. blasphemy, by which he breaks forth into words injurious to God; 5. contumely, or injurious speech against the neighbor. Insofar as it proceeds even to deed, 6. from it arise quarrels, by which name are understood all harms, such as woundings, homicides, beatings, etc., which are inflicted on neighbors by deed from anger.⁴

⁴ St. Thomas, II-II, q. 158, a. 7; Quaestiones disputatae de Malo, 12, a. 5.

V. Observations. - 1. According to itself and on the part of the appetible object, "anger seems to be the least of sins," says St. Thomas.⁵ For:

⁵ St. Thomas, II-II, q. 158, a. 4.

a) It is a lesser sin than hatred and envy. "On the part of the evil which it desires, anger agrees with those sins which desire the evil of the neighbor, for example with envy and hatred; but hatred desires absolutely the evil of another as such, while the envious man desires the evil of another on account of the appetite for his own glory; but the angry man desires the evil of another under the account of just vengeance." But "it is worse to desire evil under the account of evil than under the account of good; and it is worse to desire evil under the account of an exterior good, which is honor and glory, than under the account of the rectitude of justice." Therefore it is clear that hatred is graver than envy, and envy than anger.

b) On that part "the sin of anger also seems to be less than the sin of concupiscence, insofar as the good of justice, which the angry man desires, is better than the delightful or useful good which the concupiscent man desires."

2. But on the part of the mode of becoming angry, anger has a certain special disorder beyond those vices, and an excellence on account of the vehemence and speed of its movement.⁶ And under this respect three species of anger are distinguished:

⁶ Ibid.

a) of those suddenly becoming angry and from any light cause: this is choleric anger, which belongs to the sharp;

b) of those remaining in anger and sadness from a memory of the injury inflicted that is too much retained: this is mania, which is called insanity, and is found among the grave and bitter;

c) of the obstinate, who do not cease from anger unless they complete revenge: this is fury, which belongs to the difficult and grave, who seek vengeance with an obstinate appetite and do not dismiss anger until they punish.

VI. Remedies against anger. - Several remedies can be indicated against anger, whether on the part of the mind or on the part of work.

A. On the part of the mind:

1. To consider how many evils and damages are naturally apt to follow from anger.

2. To propose to oneself the example of the benevolence of God and the meekness of Christ, who spared us.

3. To think that it cannot happen that burdensome, injurious, and ignominious things do not occur in this life.

4. To hold oneself prepared to tolerate anything whatsoever.

B. On the part of work:

a) Before anger, to remove the interior and exterior causes of anger, namely:

1. To guard, insofar as it can be done, against the first movements.

2. Not to speak and act except with a tranquil mind, and after mature consideration and deliberation.

3. Not to inquire what is said or done against us.

4. To flee things or persons which are occasions of anger.

b) In anger:

1. To restrain immediately from the beginning the movements as they are arising or have arisen, especially by turning to other things.

2. To contain the tongue and movement, so that while anger lasts we do or say nothing.

3. To direct a small prayer to God.

c) After anger:

1. To excite in oneself an affection of charity toward the neighbor, to be loved on account of God.

2. To cast away every inordinate purpose of vengeance.

3. Frequently to ask for patience and meekness.