The Hanging By George Orwell Essay

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George Orwell was one of the twentieth century’s most renounced political and literary writer. From 1992 to 1927, he served as a member of the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, which is now known as the Union of Myanmar. From this involvement stemmed an exceptional narrative essay that describes his personal feelings toward the concept of capital punishment.

The Hanging begins with a description of the weather in Burma. It is portrayed to be “a sodden morning” with “a sickly light, like yellow tinfoil.” The use of this pathetic fallacy not only establishes an ominous mood that creates a dark and gloomy setting, it also alludes to the confined nature of prison. Orwell then proceeds to comment on the inhumane jail cells which are “small animal cages.” The imagery that is created as this point acts as a sign of Orwell’s disapproval towards the entire atmosphere of prison. This is further reinforced …show more content…

This makes the circumstance of execution much worse. However, it does lead to an epiphany for Orwell, who finally expresses clearly how he thinks that capital punishment is wrong. This turning point is seen quite literally as it happens when the prisoner is “stepping slightly aside to avoid a puddle on the path”. The double alliteration in this line of the essay captures exactly how monumental the moment really is. Unfortunately, at this point, readers are forced to endure the execution of the prisoner. The torment in the atmosphere is clearly detectable as the prisoner chants the name of his god, repeating “Ram! Ram! Ram!” However, the steady, strong, and rhythmical tone suggests that the prisoner has accepted his

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