# Hildrup Tubbs explained — Spoon River Anthology

> Chapter companion for Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters.

## What happens

Hildrup Tubbs recounts his failed political campaigns for reform, his eventual turn to profiting from Thomas Rhodes' bankrupt bank as an assignee, and his subsequent isolation and decay as Death ignores him.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

Tubbs initially champions reform but later exploits the system for personal gain, embodying political and moral corruption.

### Death and Legacy

Tubbs feels ignored by Death and is left in a state of decay and isolation, highlighting a legacy of failure and irrelevance.

## Character check-ins

### Thomas Rhodes

Referenced as the owner of the bankrupt bank whose carcass Tubbs attaches himself to.

### Hildrup Tubbs

The speaker who describes his two failed fights for the people and his later parasitic role in Rhodes' bank failure.

## Key lines

> I made two fights for the people. First I left my party, bearing the gonfalon Of independence, for reform, and was defeated.

I fought for the people twice: first by leaving my party to run as an independent reformer, but I lost.

_Tubbs describes his initial political defeat._

> I used my remnant of power To fasten myself like a saprophyte Upon the putrescent carcass Of Thomas Rhodes’ bankrupt bank, As assignee of the fund.

I used what little influence I had left to attach myself to the decaying remains of Thomas Rhodes' failed bank as its official receiver.

_Tubbs admits to exploiting the bank's failure for personal benefit._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se/chapters/hildrup-tubbs
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se/chapters