Behold, the grave of a wicked man - A poem by Stephen Crane

Stephen Crane - Behold, the grave of a wicked man

Behold, the grave of a wicked man,
And near it, a stern spirit.

There came a drooping maid with violets,
But the spirit grasped her arm.
"No flowers for him," he said.
The maid wept:
"Ah, I loved him."
But the spirit, grim and frowning:
"No flowers for him."

Now, this is it --
If the spirit was just,
Why did the maid weep?

Added: on July 12th, 2005 at 12:35 PM | Viewed: 4855 times | Comments and analysis of Behold, the grave of a wicked man by Stephen Crane Comments (5)

Behold, the grave of a wicked man - Comments and Information
Poet: Stephen Crane Poem: 25. Behold, the grave of a wicked man Volume: The Black Riders & Other Lines Year: Published/Written in 1905 Comment 5 of 5, added on April 12th, 2006 at 2:00 AM. The point of this poem is simple: No matter how evil a person may be, he/she has, in the deepest part of themselves, something loveable, and genuinely worthy of love. The spirit denies that. "evil is evil" but the truth is that everyone has good in them and almost everyone has, in their lives, someone who can see that Good, and mourn it... Think of someone you detest, and ask yourself, honestly, if perhaps they have some good in them... Philip from United States Comment 4 of 5, added on August 25th, 2005 at 4:46 AM. There is more to a meaningful life than 'justice'. Whatever that is, that thing beyond our judgements of right and wrong, that is real justice. Besides, IF anyone (sane), even one, could weep for someone... Nimal from Australia Comment 3 of 5, added on July 12th, 2005 at 12:35 PM. The key is in the last two lines 'if the spirit is just, why did the maiden weep' It is a comment on society and religion and our notions of what we beleive should happen to someone that is 'wicked' As a society we seek to punish those who do something we consider wrong (theft, murder, etc.) and fail to see them as more than a sum of their actions. We are in such a tizzy to eliminate such things that we don't see them as having lives, families, or motivations for their actions. In the poem a woman comes to mourn for the man she lost - but society does not allow that becuase he is a 'wicked man' and those no one cares for him. Crane is asking if removing someone so far from emotions and their family is a just thing and asking us to consider all sides of an individual. Heck, even hitler had parents - don't we give him more power by villianizing him rather than showing him as an extremely flawed human being? MLee from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Behold, the grave of a wicked man, has received 5 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Stephen Crane with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Stephen Crane Poem: 25. Behold, the grave of a wicked man Volume: The Black Riders & Other Lines Year: Published/Written in 1905 Last read: May 14 2008, 12:12PM Viewed 4855 times. Added on July 12th, 2005 at 12:35 PM.

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