The Boys on the Docks; Robert Emmet, and John O’Hagan; the Revolutionary Body as a Site of Radical Discourse

Sections taken from “The Speech from the Dock
Robert Emmet's speech on the eve of his execution.”
“I have nothing to say that can alter your predetermination, nor that it will become me to say with any view to the mitigation of that sentence which you are here to pronounce, and I must abide by. (….) Was I only to suffer death after being adjudged guilty by your tribunal, I should bow in silence and meet the fate that awaits me without a murmur (….)I wish that my memory and name may animate those who survive me, while I look down with complacency on the destruction of that perfidious government which upholds its domination by blasphemy of the Most High-which displays its power over man as over the beasts of the forest-which sets man upon his brother, and lifts his hand in the name of God against the throat of his fellow who believes or doubts a little more or a little less than the government standard--a government which is steeled to barbarity by the cries of the orphans and the tears of the widows which it has made.(….) the emancipation of my country from the superinhuman oppression under which she has so long and too patiently travailed. (….) A man who does not wish to have his epitaph written until his country is liberated. (….) to bow a man's mind by humiliation to the purposed ignominy of the scaffold. (….) You, my lord are a judge. I am the supposed culprit; I am a man, you are a man also; by a revolution of power, we might change places, though we never could change characters; if I stand at the bar of this court and dare not vindicate my character, what a farce is your justice? (….) Does the sentence of death which your unhallowed policy inflicts on my body also condemn my tongue to silence and my reputation to reproach? (….) Your executioner may abridge the period of my existence, but while I exist I shall not forbear to vindicate my character and motives from your aspersions. (….) to those I honor and love, and for whom I am proud to perish. (….) I submit; but I insist on the whole of the forms. (….) Old tyrants: implacable (…) enemies (sic) already in the bosom of my country. (….) your bloodstained hand. (….) If it were possible to collect all the innocent blood that you have shed in your unhallowed ministry, in one great reservoir, your Lordship might swim in it. (….) I would not have submitted to a foreign oppressor for the same reason that I would resist the foreign and domestic oppressor: in the dignity of freedom. (….) See if I have even for a moment deviated from those principles of morality and patriotism which it was your care to instill into my youthful mind, and for which I am now to offer up my life! (….)I am going to my cold and silent grave: my lamp of life is nearly extinguished: my race is run: the grave opens to receive me, and I sink into its bosom! (….) Let no man write my epitaph: for as no man who knows my motives dare now vindicate them, let not prejudice or ignorance asperse them. Let them and me repose in obscurity and peace, and my tomb remain uninscribed, until other times, and other men, can do justice to my character; when my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then, and not till then, let my epitaph be written.”
Very important to the concept of revolution is the poetic symbolism of the body. With Emmet and O’Hagan, the body is a text of radical openness, and a launching point to open up a discourse between oppressors, and oppressed. “Does this sentence of death which your unhallowed policy inflicts on my body condemn my tongue to silence and my reputation to reproach?1” For Emmet the offering up of his body as a sacrifice gives him an open forum to discuss his grievances. His sacrifice is “for those I honor and love, and for whom I am about to perish.2” His body I a textual discourse that even bowed “to the ignominy of the scaffold3” can not be silenced. He is a martyr. For O’Hagan too much sacrifice is going on, too many martyrs swallowed up by avarice. The bodies are piling up “we’re in every ditch (…) strewn in spring with famished corpses.4” The site of the body once more becomes a mode of discourse. He warns his readers that want is the worst council, by heck it’s all they have left, and once called upon it can not be held back. For both authors the sacrifice of the body opens up a space of radical openness, for Emmet, his body is the price for this free discourse, and for O’Hagan the wretches starving and the dead swallowed up by black starvation is the essential launching point of their discourses.
Emmet submits his body as the price to pay for his dialogue against the oppressor who is “steeled to barbarity by the cries of orphans and the tears of widows which it has made.5” He will insist on having his voice heard. He sacrifices his body for “the dignity of freedom6,” a sacrifice so pure, and young that it is beyond reproach even by the “foul breath of prejudice7.” O’Hagan’s sacrifice is less pure it speaks more of desperation than honor. His people suffer, starve, and are “cramped by alien selfishness8.” The bodies whither the minds drift. Camus once said in his essay the rebel, “what the mind loses in lucidity, it gains in intensity.9” Behold our philosopher in chains. For O’Hagan hope springs from the savage and purafactory nature of violence as a revolution becomes a symbolic cleansing of the mind and body through the text of violence. He even declares that this wasn’t an ad hoc decision that they tried vainly to turn to those who rule them, but not one true heart exists among them all10. For O’Hagan the sacrifices are becoming too much, unlike Emmet he will not willfully submit, all those words are not worth all these lives caught up in the duel of avarice. For O’Hagan the sacrifices have become pointless the English don’t hear their cries of agony, they are like “adder deaf and icy cold.11”
Emmet declares he is going “to his silent grave,12” O’Hagan does not except that they are “powerless in our worst distress13” For O’Hagan, the silent ignominis death is impossible there is far too much blood on England’s hands, like Emmet said, “if it were possible to collect all the blood that you have shed in your unhallowed ministry, in one great reservoir, your lordship may swim in it.14” For O’Hagan “like a trumpet blast,” this heinous crime against the dignity of humanity shall “rouse us all at last.15” The silent quiet honorable death is not an option for O’Hagan; the only choice is revolt or to be negated by the endless abuses of avarice.
For O’Hagan, if they were free, “not one grain for England’s golden store.16” Emmet speaks of hope, for “the dignity of freedom.17” O’Hagan cries out in anger, his poem is an accusation. For O’Hagan, “they or none shall have it now,18” If “we” can not have it O’Hagan thinks they surely should not either. “Burning thoughts shall rise within,19” this is a clear and powerful articulation of the call to arms, the cry out for (Fanon’s) purificatory violence.
Emmet dares to vindicate his character even though, “your executioner may abridge the period of my existence,20”against their “farce of justice.21” He stands there, and with the sacrifice of his body, he accuses that “perfidious government which upholds its domination by blasphemy Most High-which displays its power over man as over the beasts of the forest which- sets man upon his brother, and lifts his hand in the name of God against the throat of his fellow who believes or doubts a little more or a little less than the government standard.22” Emmet cries out against their “farce of justice,” and “supposed freedom of their court.” In the name of his father he cries out, “See if I have even for a moment deviated from those principles of morality, and patriotism which it was your care to instill into my youthful mind, and for which I am now to offer my life.23” His body is the sacrificial lamb. “Let not prejudice or ignorance asperse them, let them and me repose in obscurity and peace, and my tomb remain uninscribed, until other times, and other men, can do justice to my character, when my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then, and not til then, let my epitaph be written.24”
O’Hagan says these “cold and silent graves” graves are pointless. O’Hagan is not happy to be sacrificed to the “ignominy of the scaffold,” for him enough is enough. He evokes the “heaven that tempers ill with good,25” and he asks us what we will do “when our rotting roots shall fail?26” This is the opening of a clear dialogue, we revolt or we starve. If they remain silent, and apathetic than we condemn not just ourselves, but our sons, daughters, wives, and friends to the scaffold.
The trial is easy. The predetermination of the sentence England cast against Emmet, O’Hagan sails back at them. Blast their scaffolds. Where Emmet turns his judgment on Lord Norbury, “You my lord are a judge. I am the supposed culprit, I am a man, you are a man also; by a revolution of power we could change places, though we never could change characters.27” O’Hagan cries out more clearly, “Ye who cling to England’s side, here and now you see her tried.28” For the two men the invented space of the body as a text of radical openness becomes the opening band in the concert of revolutionary dialogue between the oppressed, and the oppressors. Emmet, the poor sacrificial goat opens his shirt and says take my blood, he sacrifices himself for his honored loves. O’Hagan on the other hand says enough of our blood has been spilled. The beautiful sacrifice of Emmet is one thing, but the grotesque spectacle of the famine is too much. All that is left is for the “burning thoughts that shall rise within,29” to overflow and pour out into revolutionary fervor. “The Rebel is dead, long live the martyr.30”