← All chapters
Poetry · Chapter
IX: Disjunctus explained
A brief epitaph for Guiteau, noting the disjunction between his buried flesh, his bones in a museum, and his mind possessed by Tillman.
What happens
A brief epitaph for Guiteau, noting the disjunction between his buried flesh, his bones in a museum, and his mind possessed by Tillman.
Themes in this chapter
Mortality and Regret
The epitaph reflects on death and the fragmented legacy of Guiteau.
Political Satire
References to Tillman (likely Senator Benjamin Tillman) satirize the political appropriation of Guiteau's mind.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The narrator presents the epitaph.
Key passages
“Within this humble mausoleum Poor Guiteau’s flesh you’ll find. His bones are kept in a museum, And Tillman has his mind.”
Guiteau's body is buried here, but his bones are on display elsewhere, and his ideas live on in Tillman.
The epitaph highlights the scattered remains and intellectual legacy of the assassin.