Poetry · Chapter
Righteous Wrath explained
The poem distinguishes between destructive anger and a purifying, righteous indignation that fights against tyranny, falsehood, and evil.
What happens
The poem distinguishes between destructive anger and a purifying, righteous indignation that fights against tyranny, falsehood, and evil. It calls for cleansing wrath to arm the speaker as a soldier for what is right, written in January 1918.
Themes in this chapter
Duty and Patriotism
The poem calls for fearless fight and soldierly duty against tyranny and evil.
Faith and Doubt
Invokes divine cleansing indignation and a moral struggle against those who hate the Lord.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The speaker who invokes righteous wrath and seeks to become a soldier of the Right.
Key passages
“And yet there is an anger that purifies the heart: The anger of the better against the baser part, Against the false and wicked, against the tyrant’s sword, Against the enemies of love, and all that hate the Lord.”
There exists a righteous anger that cleanses the soul, directed against falsehood, tyranny, and those who oppose love and God.
Defines righteous wrath as a purifying force opposed to evil.
“O cleansing indignation, O flame of righteous wrath, Give me a soul to feel thee and follow in thy path! Save me from selfish virtue, arm me for fearless fight, And give me strength to carry on, a soldier of the Right!”
The speaker prays for the fire of righteous anger to guide and arm them as a fearless warrior for justice.
Climactic plea for moral courage and divine empowerment.