Poetry · Chapter
Disavowal explained
A poem depicting the aftermath of a violent event in Phoenix Park, where a Land League man, a Fenian, and Pat Satan each disavow any involvement in the deaths, crossing themselves and denying responsibility with hypocritical self-righteousn
What happens
A poem depicting the aftermath of a violent event in Phoenix Park, where a Land League man, a Fenian, and Pat Satan each disavow any involvement in the deaths, crossing themselves and denying responsibility with hypocritical self-righteousness.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy and Corruption
Each figure denies involvement in the murders, highlighting moral hypocrisy.
Deception and Self-Deception
The characters deceive themselves and others by claiming innocence despite the evidence.
Characters to notice
- Pat Satan
Appears in the poem, comically crossing himself and disavowing the violent scene.
Key passages
“Two bodies are lying in Phoenix Park, Grim and bloody and stiff and stark, And a Land League man with averted eye Crosses himself as he hurries by. And he says to his conscience under his breath: 'I have had no hand in this deed of death.'”
Two dead bodies lie in Phoenix Park, and a Land League man looks away, crosses himself, and whispers to his conscience that he had no part in the killing.
The Land League man's denial underscores the theme of disavowal.
“A Fenian, making a circuit wide And passing them by on the other side, Shudders and crosses himself and cries: 'Who says that I did it, he lies, he lies!'”
A Fenian takes a wide detour, shudders, crosses himself, and loudly denies any involvement.
The Fenian's vehement denial mirrors the Land League man's hypocrisy.
“Gingerly stepping across the gore, Pat Satan comes after the two before, Makes, in a solemnly comical way, The sign of the cross and is heard to say: 'O dear, what a terrible sight to see, For babes like them and a saint like me!'”
Pat Satan carefully steps over the blood, makes a mock-serious sign of the cross, and laments the terrible sight, calling himself a saint.
Pat Satan's comical self-righteousness satirizes the disavowals of the others.