Hugh Glass: The Real Life Revenant | An Interview With Novelist Michael Punke | 3
Summary
Michael Punke, author of *The Revenant*, discusses the historical basis of Hugh Glass’s 1823 survival ordeal and the fur trade’s geopolitical context. Punke explores themes of duty of care, the brutality of the frontier, and the psychological cost of revenge, while comparing his novel to the 2015 film adaptation. He also shares insights from his research on wilderness survival and his experience as a living history interpreter at Fort Laramie.
Topics discussed
Introduction and content warning
The legend of Hugh Glass and the 2015 film
Reading: The description of Glass's Anstatt rifle
What was in a mountain man's possibles bag?
Vulnerability in the wilderness and the author's perspective
The geopolitics of the fur trade and beaver pelts
The identity of Jim Bridger and the concept of duty of care
Channeling anger and the motivation for revenge
Empathy and moral choices: Glass helping others
Working at Fort Laramie as a living history interpreter
Reading: The beauty of dusk on the plains
Writing the bear attack and the reality of grizzlies
Wilderness survival techniques and trap research
The role of buffalo in survival and the West
How the novel became a film and DiCaprio's casting
The author's thoughts on the film's accuracy and style
Attending the Academy Awards for The Revenant
The cost of revenge and what Hugh Glass tells us
Credits and series conclusion
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