Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan
Encyclopedia
"Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan" is a 1919 poem
by American
poet Vachel Lindsay
. It chronicles William Jennings Bryan
's 1896 presidential campaign
as seen through the eyes of an idealistic sixteen-year-old, who strongly supported the Democratic Party
candidate and was crushed by Bryan's defeat at the hands of the Republican Party
.
The narrator depicts the election outcome as a victory of the East Coast
and large financial institutions, such as J.P. Morgan & Company, over regions and interest groups depicted as friendly toward Bryan such as the American Midwest
and farmer
s.
The poem lists, and comments on, many of the key political figures of the 1896 election, including the retiring incumbent Grover Cleveland
, the winning candidate William McKinley
, and McKinley's innovative campaign manager Mark Hanna
. As with other poems that comment on political figures, such as Dante's Inferno
, Lindsay and his alter ego like some of these characters more than others.
1919 in poetry
—From A Prayer for My Daughter by W. B. Yeats, first published this yearNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Two paintings by E. E...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet Vachel Lindsay
Vachel Lindsay
Nicholas Vachel Lindsay was an American poet. He is considered the father of modern singing poetry, as he referred to it, in which verses are meant to be sung or chanted...
. It chronicles William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
's 1896 presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 1896
The United States presidential election held on November 3, 1896, saw Republican William McKinley defeat Democrat William Jennings Bryan in a campaign considered by political scientists to be one of the most dramatic and complex in American history....
as seen through the eyes of an idealistic sixteen-year-old, who strongly supported the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate and was crushed by Bryan's defeat at the hands of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
The narrator depicts the election outcome as a victory of the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
and large financial institutions, such as J.P. Morgan & Company, over regions and interest groups depicted as friendly toward Bryan such as the American Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
and farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s.
The poem lists, and comments on, many of the key political figures of the 1896 election, including the retiring incumbent Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
, the winning candidate William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
, and McKinley's innovative campaign manager Mark Hanna
Mark Hanna
Marcus Alonzo "Mark" Hanna was a United States Senator from Ohio and the friend and political manager of President William McKinley...
. As with other poems that comment on political figures, such as Dante's Inferno
Inferno (Dante)
Inferno is the first part of Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy. It is followed by Purgatorio and Paradiso. It is an allegory telling of the journey of Dante through what is largely the medieval concept of Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. In the poem, Hell is depicted as...
, Lindsay and his alter ego like some of these characters more than others.