Poetry · Chapter
Election Day explained
A satirical poem describing Election Day as a circus where voters are fools, demagogues' dupes, and candidates' tools.
What happens
A satirical poem describing Election Day as a circus where voters are fools, demagogues' dupes, and candidates' tools. It mocks the hypocrisy and corruption of political campaigns, the libeling of reputations, and the temporary truce of civility on election day, ending with the Devil returning to Hell.
Themes in this chapter
Political Satire
The chapter is a direct satire of electoral politics, portraying voters as fools and candidates as manipulative mountebanks.
Hypocrisy and Corruption
Highlights the hypocrisy of politicians who libel opponents freely but suddenly become civil on Election Day.
Deception and Self-Deception
Exposes the self-deception of voters who are duped by demagogues and the deceptive civility that masks ongoing corruption.
Key passages
“Millions of voters who mostly are fools, Demagogues’ dupes and candidates’ tools”
The electorate is largely composed of foolish people who are easily manipulated by demagogues and used by candidates.
Expresses deep cynicism about the intelligence and independence of voters.
“Suddenly civil that yesterday rung (Like a clapper beating a brazen bell) Each fair reputation’s eternal knell”
Politicians who were viciously attacking reputations yesterday are now suddenly polite on Election Day.
Highlights the hypocrisy of temporary civility during elections.
“The Devil goes back to Hell to-day.”
The Devil himself returns to Hell on Election Day, implying that politics is even more hellish.
A satirical conclusion suggesting that political corruption surpasses even the Devil's domain.