- description
- # THE MARTYR
## Overview
"THE MARTYR" is a chapter of poetry, extracted from the larger work [John Marr and Other Poems](arke:01KG8AJ5CWVMSM9AY2938E996H). This poem, spanning lines 3049-3095 of its source file, is indicative of the public's passion following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln on April 15, 1865.
## Context
This chapter is part of the [John Marr and Other Poems](arke:01KG8AJ5CWVMSM9AY2938E996H) collection by Herman Melville, which is itself a component of the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. The text was extracted from the file [john_marr_and_other_poems.txt](arke:01KG89J19Y3FNVN5KWASY78BP4). It follows the poem [THE COLLEGE COLONEL](arke:01KG8AJJ0NKMY7YA85YS1XYAZG) and precedes [REBEL COLOR-BEARERS AT SHILOH](arke:01KG8AJJPS442Z5ZA8C2SJNDEV) within the collection.
## Contents
The poem "THE MARTYR" reflects on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, portraying it as a "prodigy and crime" that occurred on Good Friday. It emphasizes Lincoln's "clemency and calm" and his desire "to redeem the evil-willed," contrasting this with the "madness and their blindness" of his killers. The poem describes the national grief ("sobbing of the strong," "a pall upon the land") and introduces the concept of "The Avenger" taking the place of "the Forgiver," suggesting a shift towards stern justice. The recurring refrain, "Beware the People weeping When they bare the iron hand," underscores the public's strong emotional reaction and potential for retribution.
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:13.773Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- THE MARTYR
- end_line
- 3095
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:47:32.310Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3049
- text
- THE MARTYR
_Indicative of the passion of the people on the 15th of April, 1865_
Good Friday was the day
Of the prodigy and crime,
When they killed him in his pity,
When they killed him in his prime
Of clemency and calm—
When with yearning he was filled
To redeem the evil-willed,
And, though conqueror, be kind;
But they killed him in his kindness,
In their madness and their blindness,
And they killed him from behind.
There is sobbing of the strong,
And a pall upon the land;
But the People in their weeping
Bare the iron hand;
Beware the People weeping
When they bare the iron hand.
He lieth in his blood—
The father in his face;
They have killed him, the Forgiver—
The Avenger takes his place,
The Avenger wisely stern,
Who in righteousness shall do
What the heavens call him to,
And the parricides remand;
For they killed him in his kindness,
In their madness and their blindness,
And his blood is on their hand.
There is sobbing of the strong,
And a pall upon the land;
But the People in their weeping
Bare the iron hand:
Beware the People weeping
When they bare the iron hand.
- title
- THE MARTYR