Freedom and Slavery

Slavery is depicted as both physical and spiritual, as in 'The Lion’s Daughter,' where slaves fan a queen while a cat comments on their eternal bondage, and in 'Tyranny,' where the She-Dragon prophesies her own destruction by a saint.

The king-hermit speaks of those who seem to rule but are slaves to their own subjects, and of the true ruler who rules in spirit.

The slaves' physical bondage and the cat's commentary highlight the contrast between outward servitude and inner freedom, as well as the permanence of their condition.

The lamb is a potential victim of the eagles' conflict, highlighting the lack of freedom for the small and weak.

The speaker feels chained behind bars of silver and ebony, contrasting the bird's boundless flight with their own imprisonment.