"Once there came a man"

by Stephen Crane

 

 

Once there came a man

Who said:   

“Range me all men of the world in rows.”

And instantly   

There was a terrific clamor among the people

Against being ranged in rows.

There was a loud quarrel, world-wide.

It endured for ages;

And blood was shed

By those who would not stand in rows,

And by those who pined to stand in rows.

Eventually, the man went to death, weeping.

And those who stayed in the bloody scuffle

Knew not the great simplicity. 

 

 

On my first read through the thing that popped out to me was," Range me all men of the world in rows." I did not know that the word "range" could be used as a verb. After a deeper read through I feel that Crane is talking about the pointlessness of religious conflicts. Crane says," those who stayed in the bloody scuffle knew not the great simplicity." This refers to that all modern religions at their core are pretty much the same. Hurting and killing people is bad. It is just when people bring on their own opinions that trouble starts, like how in the poem," By those who would not stand in rows, And by those who pined to stand in rows." Crane uses a lot of loaded words such as ages, blood, death and weeping. He really drives home how long and deadly these conflicts have been. He also uses the word scuffle. Scuffle brings up thoughts of small meaningless fights, like two kids wrestling on the playground. This  contrast in word choice emphasizes how bloody, but yet stupid these religious conflicts are.