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He does not die a death of shame
On a day of dark disgrace,
Nor have a noose about his neck,
Nor a cloth upon his face,
Nor drop feet foremost through the floor
Into an empty space.

Word:

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Question:

What is the author trying to convey through the use of these specific examples of ways the subject does not die?

Answer (optional):

The author is trying to convey that the subject of the passage, who is facing the possibility of execution, will not die in the ways typically associated with shame and disgrace. The specific examples given illustrate the various ways in which a person might die in such a situation, such as hanging, suffocation, falling through the floor, or being buried alive, but the subject will not face any of these fates. The author may be suggesting that the subject's death, while still a tragedy, will be less shameful and more dignified than these other possibilities.