# Thou Also explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by George MacDonald.

## What happens

The chapter condemns hypocritical judgment and self-righteousness, warning that those who revel in punishing others' crimes harbor deeper sins themselves unless they bow to holiness.

## Themes in this chapter

### Redemption and Grace

The call to 'bow to holiness' implies the need for humility and divine grace to avoid deeper sin.

### Suffering and Purification

The vivid imagery of punishment and anguish reflects the theme of suffering as a consequence of sin.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The narrator addresses the reader directly, accusing them of complicity in sin.

## Key lines

> Thou Also Cry out upon the crime, and then let slip The dogs of hate, whose hanging muzzles track The bloody secret; let the welkin crack Reverberating, while ye dance and skip About the horrid blaze!

You also denounce the crime, then unleash hatred like tracking dogs, making the sky echo as you celebrate around the fire.

_Condemns the hypocrisy of publicly condemning sin while indulging in vengeful glee._

> but think⁠—that, if your knees Bow not to holiness, then even in you Lie deeper gulfs and blacker crimes than these.

But consider: if you do not humble yourself before holiness, you harbor even worse sins within.

_Warns that self-righteousness blinds one to their own hidden depravity._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters/thou-also
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters