Laurence Housman’s “The New Hangman”
* Introduction of the New Hangman: The play opens introducing the new hangman, a seemingly ordinary man who has been appointed to the grim task of executing criminals. There’s an initial sense of anticipation and perhaps even discomfort among those present regarding his first execution.
* The Hangman’s Conscience: As the time for the execution approaches, it becomes clear that the new hangman is deeply troubled by his role. He expresses profound moral objections to the act of hanging. This is not a simple refusal due to fear, but a principled stand against the very act of taking a human life.
* Refusal to Execute: When he is called upon to perform the execution, the hangman outright refuses. This act of defiance is the central conflict of the play. He articulates his reasons, stating that he cannot bring himself to inflict such a cruel and final punishment.
* Arguments and Persuasion: The other characters present (often representing the authorities or the legal system) try to persuade him to carry out his duty. They use arguments based on law, tradition, and the necessity of justice, but he remains steadfast in his refusal.
* The Inhumanity of the Act: The hangman’s refusal highlights the inherent inhumanity of capital punishment. He questions the morality of a system that demands one person kill another, even in the name of justice. His stance forces the audience to consider the ethical implications of such a system.
* Focus on the Executor’s Burden: The play shifts focus from the crime and the criminal to the burden placed upon the executor. It emphasizes the psychological and moral toll that such a role takes on an individual, particularly one with a strong conscience.
* Challenge to Authority/System: The hangman’s defiance is a direct challenge to the established authority and the legal system that sanctions capital punishment. His act exposes a potential flaw or moral dilemma within the system itself.
* Themes of Conscience and Morality: The core themes revolve around individual conscience versus societal demands, the nature of justice, and the morality of capital punishment. The hangman becomes a symbol of individual moral integrity in the face of an unfeeling system.
* The Play’s Resolution (or Lack Thereof): The play often ends without a neat resolution to the immediate problem of the execution. The focus Is less on whether the criminal is eventually hanged and more on the profound moral statement made by the hangman’s refusal. It leaves the audience to ponder the implications of his actions and the questions he raises.
* Satirical/Critical Undertones: While serious in its themes, the play can also be read with satirical undertones, highlighting the absurdity or hypocrisy of a system that demands morally repugnant acts from its agents.
Important Characters:
* The New Hangman: This is the central character and the moral compass of the play. He is an ordinary man burdened by an extraordinary and morally repugnant duty. His character Is defined by his profound conscience and his unwavering refusal to take a human life, despite the legal and social expectations placed upon him. He represents the individual’s capacity for moral resistance against an unjust system.
* The Authorities/Officials (e.g., The Sheriff, The Governor, or other legal figures): While not always explicitly named as individual characters with distinct personalities, there are typically figures who represent the state or legal system. Their role is to uphold the law and ensure the execution proceeds. They try to persuade or compel the New Hangman to perform his duty, often using arguments of necessity, law, and order. They represent the impersonal, rigid, and sometimes unfeeling nature of the judicial system.
* The Prisoner/Condemned Man (sometimes implied, rarely an active character): The prisoner whose execution is at stake is usually a silent or very minor character. Their presence serves as the immediate catalyst for the New Hangman’s moral crisis. The play generally focuses on the hangman’s dilemma rather than the prisoner’s guilt or innocence.
* Other Attendants/Witnesses (Minor Characters): There may be other minor characters present, such as guards, priests, or witnesses, who contribute to the atmosphere of the execution chamber and further highlight the hangman’s isolation in his moral stand. They often represent the conventional, often unthinking, acceptance of the system.
• The Execution Chamber/Prison: The primary setting is implicitly the place where executions are carried out – likely a gallows within a prison or a designated execution chamber. The atmosphere is tense, solemn, and grim. The enclosed and confined nature of such a space contributes to the drama and emphasizes the gravity of the situation. The physical setting serves to amplify the moral pressure on the New Hangman.
The play’s power comes from its minimalist approach to setting and its focus on the psychological and moral conflict within the new hangman, highlighted by his interactions (or lack thereof) with the representatives of the state.
