It’s really funny because I listened a lot to the song Ken Theriot made on this poem, and I thought it was very beautiful… except I thought “give them the lie” meant “lie to them”. I interpreted it as displaying an example of a cynical conman, going from institution to institution with utter disdain for ideals, and eventually dying in misery no closer to truth or happiness for having been a contrarian, with the lesson being to hope in ideals even should you recognize their failings.
It’s really funny because I listened a lot to the song Ken Theriot made on this poem, and I thought it was very beautiful… except I thought “give them the lie” meant “lie to them”.
I interpreted it as displaying an example of a cynical conman, going from institution to institution with utter disdain for ideals, and eventually dying in misery no closer to truth or happiness for having been a contrarian, with the lesson being to hope in ideals even should you recognize their failings.