# LIII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A brief philosophical dialogue between a philosopher and an officer, both asserting the absence of free will to justify the act of hanging.

## Key lines

> There's no free will,” says the philosopher; “To hang is most unjust.” “There is no free will,” assents the officer; “We hang because we must.”

A philosopher argues that hanging is unjust because free will does not exist, and an officer agrees, claiming they hang out of necessity rather than choice.

_This exchange encapsulates a deterministic view of justice and punishment._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/liii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters