Poetry · Chapter
To-Day explained
The narrator observes a man praying for selfish, hypocritical favors—asking to be exempt from work, to follow his own will, to hide his sins, and to take from others—then ironically declares him 'an honest man' after the prayer ends.
What happens
The narrator observes a man praying for selfish, hypocritical favors—asking to be exempt from work, to follow his own will, to hide his sins, and to take from others—then ironically declares him 'an honest man' after the prayer ends.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the speaker’s obsessive pursuit of the divine rose fragrance…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Hypocrisy and Corruption
The praying man's words are a transparent plea for selfish indulgence disguised as piety, exposing the gap between religious performance and true morality.
- Deception and Self-Deception
The man prays for exemption from duty and concealment of his vices, revealing both his attempt to deceive God and his own self-deception about his righteousness.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The observer who hears the prayer and delivers the ironic final judgment.
Key passages
“To-Day I saw a man who knelt in prayer, And heard him say: 'I'll lay my inmost spirit bare To-day.'”
Today I witnessed a man kneeling in prayer, who claimed he would reveal his deepest thoughts.
Sets up the ironic contrast between the man's professed openness and the selfish content of his prayer.
“Let me my duty duly shirk And run away From any form or phase of work To-day.”
Allow me to avoid my responsibilities and escape from all labor today.
Highlights the man's desire for idleness and evasion of duty, a key element of the satire.
“I cried: 'Amen!' He rose and ran Like oil away. I said: 'I've seen an honest man To-day.'”
I shouted 'Amen!' He got up and hurried off smoothly. I remarked that I had encountered an honest person today.
The narrator's ironic conclusion underscores the hypocrisy of the entire scene.
