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Library's collection Library's IT development CancelThe Ballad of Reading Gaol talks about the attitudes of the
main characters, namely the trooper and the speaker. They have
been imprisoned because of the crimes they have committed. The
trooper has murdered his own wife in cold-blood and has to accept
the death punishment. The speaker has committed a sexual scandal
with an important person in his city, and has to accept the two-year
imprisonment of hard labour. The problem in the ballad is that the
main characters conduct different attitudes. The trooper, in facing
his execution, is able to act calmly and bravely. Meanwhile, the
speaker faces it fearfully. The thesis writer arouses the question
about the reasons of the different attitudes. Using some of the
literary theories as her method of analysis, she finds out that the
trooper realises his evil deed, repents from his sin, and longs for
paying it. By accepting the death punishment, he believes that he
has paid for his crime. Thus, he is freed from his burden, and is
able to accept death calmly and bravely. The speaker and also the
other prisoners do not acknowledge their crimes and do not repent
from their evil deeds. Therefore, they live in desperation. Another
problem is that after the trooper's death, the speaker undergoes the
process of change. The thesis writer arouses the question about how
it happens. At first, the speaker has to struggle whether to conduct
the attitude of despair or hopeful. The struggle happens for some
time, but in the end he chooses to change his attitudes. His belief
that Christ has saved the trooper has a role in his changing process,
because then he starts believing in Christ and believes that He will
save him and the other prisoners also. Therefore, he changes to the
attitudes of optimistic and hopeful.