# A Commuted Sentence explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

In the far future, after all mankind has been judged, Boruck and Waterman suffer in Hell for their earthly crimes of pardoning criminals who then ravaged the coast and entered the legislature. They complain of their torments until Satan arrives with news from Saint Peter: their eternal sentence has been commuted to half its original term.

## Themes in this chapter

### Justice and Revenge

The poem depicts divine justice as a commuted sentence, balancing punishment with mercy.

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

Boruck and Waterman are punished for corruptly pardoning criminals who then entered the legislature.

## Character check-ins

### Mark Boruck

Suffering in Hades, complaining of his punishment for freeing criminals from prison.

### Waterman

Also in Hades, disputing with Boruck and later asking Satan about their commutation.

### Jack Satan

Appears to deliver Saint Peter's reply regarding the commutation of their sentence.

### Saint Peter

Mentioned as having instructed Satan on the commutation response.

## Key lines

> Boruck and Waterman upon their grills In Hades lay, with many a sigh and groan, Hotly disputing, for each swore his own Were clearly keener than the other’s ills.

Boruck and Waterman lie tortured in Hell, arguing over whose suffering is worse.

_Opens the scene of their punishment and rivalry._

> He says that he’s instructed to reply (And he has so instructed me) that sin Like yours⁠—and this poor gentleman’s who’s in For bad advice to you⁠—comes rather high; But since, apparently, you both begin To feel some pious promptings to the right, And fain would turn your faces to the light, Eternity seems all too long a term. So ’tis commuted to one-half.

Satan relays Saint Peter's message: their sins are grave, but because they show repentance, their eternal sentence is halved.

_Climax of the poem where commutation is granted._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/a-commuted-sentence
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters