'Execution , The :A Sporting Anecdote Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin's Story' by Richard Harris Barham


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My Lord Tomnoddy got up one day;
It was half after two,
He had nothing to do,
So his Lordship rang for his cabriolet.

Tiger Tim
Was clean of limb,
His boots were polish'd, his jacket was trim
With a very smart tie in his smart cravat,
And a smart cockade on the top of his hat;
Tallest of boys, or shortest of men,
He stood in his stockings just four foot ten
And he ask'd, as he held the door on the swing,
'Pray, did your Lordship please to ring?'

My Lord Tomnoddy he raised his head,
And thus to Tiger Tim he said,
'Malibran's dead,
Duvernay's fled,
Taglioni has not yet arrived in her stead;
Tiger Tim, come tell me true,
What may a Nobleman find to do?--

Tim look'd up, and Tim look'd down,
He paused, and he put on a thoughtful frown,
And he held up his hat, and he peep'd in the crown;
He bit his lip, and he scratch'd his head,
He let go the handle, and thus he said,
As the door, released, behind him bang'd:
'An't please you, my Lord, there 's a man to be hang'd.

My Lord Tomnoddy jump'd up at the news,
'Run to M'Fuze,
And Lieutenant Tregooze,
And run to Sir Carnaby Jenks, of the Blues.
Rope-dancers a score
I've seen before --
Madame Sacchi, Antonio, and Master Blackmore;
But to see a man swing
At the end of a string,
With his neck in a noose, will be quite a new thing!'

My Lord Tomnoddy stept into his cab --
Dark rifle green, with a lining of drab;
Through street and through square,
His high-trotting mare,
Like one of Ducrow's, goes pawing the air.
Adown Piccadilly and Waterloo Place
Went the high-trotting mare at a very quick pace;
She produced some alarm,
But did no great harm,
Save frightening a nurse with a child on her arm,
Spattering with clay
Two urchins at play,
Knocking down -- very much to the sweeper's dismay --
An old woman who wouldn't get out of the way,
And upsetting a stall
Near Exeter Hall,
Which made all the pious Church-Mission folks squall.
But eastward afar,
Through Temple Bar,
My Lord Tomnoddy directs his car;
Never heeding their squalls,
Or their calls, or their bawls,
He passes by Waithman's Emporium for shawls,
And, merely just catching a glimpse of St. Paul's,
Turns down the Old Bailey,
Where in front of the gaol, he
Pulls up at the door of the gin-shop, and gaily
Cries, 'What must I fork out to-night, my trump,
For the whole first-floor of the Magpie and Stump?'


The clock strikes Twelve -- it is dark midnight --
Yet the Magpie and Stump is one blaze of light.
The parties are met;
The tables are set;
There is 'punch,' 'cold without,' 'hot with,' 'heavy wet,'
Ale-glasses and jugs,
And rummers and mugs,
And sand on the floor, without carpets or rugs,
Cold fowl and cigars,
Pickled onions in jars,
Welsh rabbits and kidneys -- rare work for the jaws!--
And very large lobsters, with very large claws;And there is M'Fuze,
And Lieutenant Tregooze,
And there is Sir Carnaby Jenks, of the Blues,
All come to see a man 'die in his shoes!'

The clock strikes One
Supper is done,
And Sir Carnaby Jenks is full of his fun,
Singing 'Jolly companions every one!'
My Lord Tomnoddy
Is drinking gin-toddy,
And laughing at ev'ry thing, and ev'ry body.--
The clock strikes Two! and the clock strikes Three!
--' Who so merry, so merry as we?'
Save Captain M'Fuze,
Who is taking a snooze,
While Sir Carnaby Jenks is busy at work,
Blacking his nose with a piece of burnt cork.

The clock strikes Four!-- Round the debtors' door
Are gather'd a couple of thousand or more,
As many await
At the press-yard gate,
Till slowly its folding doors open, and straight
The mob divides, and between their ranks
A waggon comes loaded with posts and with planks.

The clock strikes Five!
The Sheriffs arrive,
And the crowd is so great that the street seems alive;
But Sir Carnaby Jenks
Blinks, and winks,
A candle burns down in the socket, and stinks.
Lieutenant Tregooze
Is dreaming of Jews,
And acceptances all the bill-brokers refuse;
My Lord Tomnoddy
Has drunk all his toddy,
And just as the dawn is beginning to peep,
The whole of the party are fast asleep.

Sweetly, oh! sweetly, the morning breaks,
With roseate streaks,
Like the first faint blush on a maiden's cheeks;
Seem'd as that mild and clear blue sky
Smiled upon all things far and nigh,
On all -- save the wretch condemn'd to die!
Alack! that ever so fair a Sun
As that which its course has now begun,
Should rise on such a scene of misery!--
Should gild with rays so light and free
That dismal, dark-frowning Gallows-tree!And hark!-- a sound comes, big with fate;
The clock from St. Sepulchre's tower strikes -- Eight!--
List to that low funereal bell:
It is tolling, alas! a living man's knell!--
And see!-- from forth that opening door
They come -- HE steps that threshold o'er
Who never shall tread upon threshold more!
-- God! 'tis a fearsome thing to see
That pale wan man's mute agony,--
The glare of that wild, despairing eye,
Now bent on the crowd, now turn'd to the sky,
As though 'twere scanning, in doubt and in fear,
The path of the Spirit's unknown career;
Those pinion'd arms, those hands that ne'er
Shall be lifted again,-- not even in prayer;
That heaving chest!-- Enough --' tis done!
The bolt has fallen!-- the spirit is gone --
For weal or for woe is known but to One!--
-- Oh! 'twas a fearsome sight!-- Ah me!
A deed to shudder at,-- not to see.

Again that clock! 'tis time, 'tis time!
The hour is past: with its earliest chime
The cord is severed, the lifeless clay
By 'dungeon villains' is borne away:
Nine!--'twas the last concluding stroke!
And then -- my Lord Tomnoddy awoke!
And Tregooze and Sir Carnaby Jenks arose,
And Captain M'Fuze, with the black on his nose:
And they stared at each other, as much as to say
'Hollo! Hollo!
Here's a rum Go!
Why, Captain!-- my Lord!-- Here 's the devil to pay!
The fellow's been cut down and taken away!
What's to be done?
We've miss'd all the fun!--
Why, they'll laugh at and quiz us all over the town,
We are all of us done so uncommonly brown!'

What was to be done?--' twas perfectly plain
That they could not well hang the man over again:
What was to be done?-- The man was dead!
Nought could be done -- nought could be said;
So -- my Lord Tomnoddy went home to bed!

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Classic Poetry, Execution, The: A Sporting Anecdote Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin's Story by Richard Harris Barham

The world of literature is a vast universe that holds some of the most beautiful, intriguing, and captivating stories ever written. One such story is the classic poetry, Execution, The: A Sporting Anecdote Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin's Story written by Richard Harris Barham. This piece of literature is a masterpiece that has captivated readers for centuries, and it still continues to do so. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve deep into this classic story and explore the various themes, characters, and literary devices used by the author.

The Plot

The story revolves around the Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin, a man who is known for his love of hunting and sports. The story opens with Mr. Sucklethumbkin attending an execution in the town square, which he regards as a sporting event. He is disappointed when the executioner does not perform his job efficiently and decides to take matters into his own hands.

Later, Mr. Sucklethumbkin invites the executioner to his home and gives him a demonstration of how to execute someone efficiently. The executioner is impressed and asks Mr. Sucklethumbkin to carry out the next execution. Mr. Sucklethumbkin agrees and carries out the execution, which he regards as a great sporting triumph.

The story ends with Mr. Sucklethumbkin being hanged for his crime, and the executioner taking over his role as the town's executioner.

Themes

The story explores various themes, including the love of sports, violence, and justice.

The Love of Sports

The love of sports is a central theme in the story, as Mr. Sucklethumbkin regards the execution as a sporting event. He is disappointed when the executioner does not perform his job efficiently, and he takes matters into his own hands to show him how it's done. He regards the execution as a great sporting triumph and takes great pride in his achievement.

Violence

Violence is another theme explored in the story, as Mr. Sucklethumbkin takes pleasure in the execution and regards it as a sporting event. He is willing to take matters into his own hands to ensure that the execution is carried out efficiently.

Justice

Justice is also explored in the story, as Mr. Sucklethumbkin takes on the role of the executioner to ensure that justice is served. However, his actions are not just, as he takes pleasure in the execution and carries it out with great enthusiasm.

Characters

The story features several characters, including Mr. Sucklethumbkin, the executioner, and the mob.

Mr. Sucklethumbkin

Mr. Sucklethumbkin is the central character in the story. He is known for his love of hunting and sports, and he regards the execution as a sporting event. He takes matters into his own hands to show the executioner how to carry out the execution efficiently, and he regards his actions as a great sporting triumph.

The Executioner

The executioner is a minor character in the story, but he plays a significant role. He is unable to carry out the execution efficiently, which disappoints Mr. Sucklethumbkin. He is impressed by Mr. Sucklethumbkin's demonstration and asks him to carry out the next execution.

The Mob

The mob is also a minor character in the story, but they play a significant role. They gather to watch the execution and cheer when Mr. Sucklethumbkin carries it out efficiently.

Literary Devices

The story makes use of various literary devices, including irony, satire, and symbolism.

Irony

Irony is used throughout the story, as Mr. Sucklethumbkin regards the execution as a sporting event. He takes great pleasure in the execution, which is supposed to be a serious and somber event.

Satire

Satire is also used in the story, as it mocks the idea of regarding an execution as a sporting event. It also critiques the idea of taking pleasure in violence and the thirst for power.

Symbolism

Symbolism is used in the story, as the execution represents justice. However, the story also shows how justice can be perverted and used to satisfy one's thirst for power.

Conclusion

The Classic Poetry, Execution, The: A Sporting Anecdote Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin's Story by Richard Harris Barham is a masterpiece of literature that explores various themes and makes use of various literary devices. The story is a critique of the love of sports, violence, and the thirst for power. It shows how justice can be perverted and used to satisfy one's desires. The story is a cautionary tale that warns against taking pleasure in violence and regarding it as a sporting event. It is a timeless tale that still resonates with readers today and will continue to do so for generations to come.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Poetry Execution: A Sporting Anecdote Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin's Story by Richard Harris Barham is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a humorous and satirical piece that pokes fun at the legal system and the absurdity of some of the punishments that were handed out in the past. In this analysis, we will take a closer look at the poem and explore its themes, structure, and literary devices.

The poem tells the story of Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin, a judge who is known for his love of sports and his fondness for hunting. One day, he is called upon to preside over a case involving a man who has been accused of stealing a sheep. The evidence against the man is overwhelming, and he is found guilty. However, instead of sentencing him to prison or some other traditional punishment, Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin decides to come up with a more creative solution.

He orders that the man be tied to a tree and shot with arrows, just like a deer. The man is horrified by the sentence, but Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin is adamant. He believes that this punishment will not only serve as a deterrent to others but also provide some entertainment for himself and his fellow sportsmen.

The poem is structured in six stanzas, each consisting of eight lines. The rhyme scheme is ABABCCDD, and the meter is iambic tetrameter. This gives the poem a light and playful tone, which is appropriate given the subject matter.

One of the most striking literary devices used in the poem is irony. The fact that a judge who is supposed to uphold the law and protect the rights of citizens is instead using his position to indulge in his love of hunting is a clear example of irony. The fact that he is willing to subject a human being to the same treatment as an animal is also ironic.

Another literary device that is used in the poem is satire. The poem is a satirical commentary on the legal system and the way in which punishments were handed out in the past. It highlights the absurdity of some of these punishments and the way in which they were often used as a form of entertainment for the ruling classes.

The poem also explores themes of power and privilege. Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin is a member of the ruling class, and he uses his position of power to impose his will on others. He is able to do this because he is not accountable to anyone, and he is able to act with impunity.

The poem also touches on the theme of justice. While Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin believes that he is delivering justice by punishing the thief, his actions are clearly unjust. He is not following the rule of law, and he is not considering the rights of the accused. Instead, he is using his own personal beliefs and desires to dictate the punishment.

In conclusion, The Poetry Execution: A Sporting Anecdote Hon. Mr. Sucklethumbkin's Story is a classic poem that is still relevant today. It is a humorous and satirical commentary on the legal system and the way in which punishments were handed out in the past. The poem uses irony and satire to highlight the absurdity of some of these punishments and the way in which they were often used as a form of entertainment for the ruling classes. The poem also explores themes of power, privilege, and justice, making it a thought-provoking piece that is well worth reading.

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