Blog #8: "Pure was thy life: its bloody close..."

I chose to analyze John Brown’s John Brown’s Last Speech and William Cullen Bryant’s The Death of Lincoln. When reading these two selections I found that both are talking about two men who died for the cause of freedom and justice. Both opposed slavery and fought to end its cruel rein throughout the United States. Both men are also compared to the image of Jesus as being “Christlike martyrs” who died in the cause of the Right.” John Brown seized an arsenal in Virginia as a direct attack on slavery in the South. However, he and his men were captured or killed and he was found guilty and hung. In his last speech he exclaims that what he did he did out of justice and for his brothers who are just like us, but not equal in the eyes of all Americans or American law. He justifies his death by saying, “Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in the this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I say let it be done.” Brown repeats that he never intended to murder or commit treason, but only fought for slaves to be free and claim their justice. Although upset Brown was courageous to die for a just cause and was willing to go down with his fellow slaves so that they will be joined again in heaven. Brown died with honor and courage as did Abraham Lincoln. William Bryant’s poem about Lincoln’s death describes how his death almost set the slaves free. Again he is seen as the Christlike figure who died for the sins of man. “Thy task is done; the bond are free:/We bear thee to an honored grave.” Bryant describes Lincoln dyeing for a just cause although it “hushed” all Americans it almost made them realize how powerful Lincoln was. Bryant says that Lincoln’s death was not for nothing, but that it was for “the cause of the Right.”