The True Story of Hugh Glass Post-Bear Attack in The Revenant

Leonardo DiCaprio won his first Best Actor Academy Award for his role as Hugh Glass in The Revenant. However, the true story of what happened to the real Hugh Glass after the bear attack may be even more unbelievable than the film. The movie was inspired by a real ****frontiersman named Hugh Glass, but the lack of reliable historical records makes it difficult to determine how much of The Revenant is based on true events. The 2002 novel by Michael Punke, which the movie is loosely based on, only used the earliest accounts as source material.

Since Glass did not leave any written records of his experiences, it is impossible to know for sure what really transpired during his journey back to civilization through the American frontier wilderness. What can be confirmed is that Glass was a real person who was indeed attacked by a bear, and he passed away many years after the incident. The ending of The Revenant differs significantly from the historical accounts, leaving much room for debate about what actually occurred after the bear attack.

It Took Hugh Glass 6 Weeks To Get To Fort Kiowa After The Bear Attack

The movie doesn't provide as specific a timeline, but it showed that Glass spent many days in the wilderness.

The Revenant ambush - The movie doesn't provide as specific a timeline, but it showed that Glass spent many days in the wilderness. - It Took Hugh Glass 6 Weeks To Get To Fort Kiowa After The Bear Attack

The Hollywood Reporter analyzed the accuracy of The Revenant, highlighting what was true to history and what was unique to Iñárritu's award-winning film. The bear attack scene closely mirrored the injuries sustained by the real Hugh Glass. Despite being abandoned by Fitzgerald and possibly Bridger, Glass did indeed embark on a long journey back to Fort Kiowa.

Hugh Glass Spared John Fitzgerald's Life

It is said that it took Glass about six weeks to travel around 200 miles from where he was attacked to Fort Kiowa. This is quite remarkable considering that he had a broken leg and deep lacerations all over his body. Although "The Revenant" does not mention the exact duration of Glass's journey, it does emphasize that it was a long and arduous process. The encounters Glass has with the Arikara and French hunters in the movie are not historically documented, so the depiction of his journey was largely a creation of Punke and later, Iñárritu.

He allowed Fitzgerald to live, but not out of compassion or forgiveness.

Tom Hardy as John Fitzgerald in The Revenant - He allowed Fitzgerald to live, but not out of compassion or forgiveness. - Hugh Glass Spared John Fitzgerald's Life

In The Revenant, Hugh Glass is driven by his intense desire for revenge against the man who killed his fictional son, Hawk, and abandoned him after stealing his possessions. Despite the fact that Glass never had a son in real life, his main goal was to recover his treasured rifle, which was taken by the man who left him for dead. The historical Hugh Glass did locate the man, Fitzgerald, at a camp on the Bighorn River, but surprisingly chose not to kill him. The reasons for this decision vary among different accounts.

Tom Hardy was recognized with an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the antagonist, John Fitzgerald, in The Revenant.

The most widely accepted reason for why Glass spared Fitzgerald's life is because Fitzgerald joined the U.S. Army after his time as a fur trapper with Glass. If Glass had killed Fitzgerald, he would have been tried for murder since Fitzgerald was a soldier. However, Fitzgerald's captain did force him to return Glass' beloved rifle, providing some closure for Glass.

In the movie "The Revenant," Glass and Fitzgerald engage in a brutal life-or-death struggle. The fight ends with Glass injuring Fitzgerald and leaving him to float down a stream where he is killed by a group of Arikara. Glass, on the other hand, is spared by the Arikara for rescuing the leader's daughter from French hunters. While this ending is more dramatic for the film, it is not historically accurate.

Hugh Glass' Return To Fur Trading & Role With The Army Explained

After surviving the bear attack, Glass' career as a frontier man was far from over.

After locating Fitzgerald and retrieving his rifle, the true Hugh Glass continued his adventures in the frontier as a fur trapper and trader. While not much information is available about this period of his life, historical records mention additional run-ins with the Arikara tribe. One of these encounters supposedly led to Glass spending another prolonged period alone in the wilderness. According to the Encylopedia Brittanica, Glass even endured being shot in the back with an arrow during a violent confrontation with a Native American tribe several years after his famous journey.

Hugh Glass Was Killed By Arikara In 1833

Years after the bear attack, Glass found employment with the U.S. Army garrison at Fort Union in North Dakota. He worked as a hunter, supplying meat for the stationed men. Eventually, he settled at Fort Cass in Montana in 1832, a renowned trading post in the American West. It was from here that Hugh Glass embarked on his final journey into the wilderness.

The movie ends with Glass retreating into the woods, and doesn't cover his death.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass wields a rifle in a scene from The Revenant. - The movie ends with Glass retreating into the woods, and doesn't cover his death. - Hugh Glass Was Killed By Arikara In 1833

Glass, like many famous mountain men of the American West, had numerous encounters with Native American tribes. These interactions varied in friendliness depending on the tribe and Glass's relationship with them. The Arikara, also known as the Rees, were a particularly dangerous tribe in the area where Glass explored. In 1833, while hunting with two other trappers, Glass found himself surrounded by 30 Arikara on the Yellowstone River, despite being in what was considered a safe area.

"The Revenant" can be streamed on Max.

Glass and his two companions were killed, scalped, and had their belongings taken by the Arikara. His incredible and famous story of perseverance made him a legend of the American West, but ultimately Glass met the same fate as many other individuals who blazed the frontier. The Revenant is only loosely based on the real accounts of Hugh Glass' adventures, and while it hits the major notes of Glass being attacked by a bear and miraculously making his way back to civilization, what happens during and after his journey is largely fictionalized.

Editor's P/S:

The story of Hugh Glass, as depicted in both the film "The Revenant" and the historical accounts, is a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human being. Despite facing unimaginable hardships and adversity, Glass's determination to survive and return to civilization is truly awe-inspiring. While the film takes some creative liberties with the details of Glass's journey, it still captures the essence of his incredible story.

It is important to note that the lack of reliable historical records makes it difficult to determine with certainty what transpired during Glass's journey. However, the fact that his story has been passed down through generations speaks to its enduring power and significance. Glass's legacy as a ****frontiersman and a symbol of resilience continues to inspire people to this day.