The Star Spangled Banner Deconstructed

The Star Spangled Banner

The national anthem of America, typically invokes feelings of pride, devotion and loyalty.  It symbolizes freedom and the championing of human rights.  However, a second look at this national symbol exposes one to its warmongering, gory, pro-slavery themes.

The Star Spangled Banner is actually a four stanza poem, of which the first cadence is most commonly known as the American national anthem.  It was written in 1812 by Francis Scott Key, after seeing the American flag still flying after the battle of Fort McHenry during the U.S. War of 1812 against England.  The original title of the poem was “Defense of Fort McHenry”.  The poem is set to a popular British tune called “To Anacreon in Heaven”, a drinking song that celebrates, women, wine and carousing. 

Mr. Key was a slave owner and a lawyer who prosecuted anti-slavery activists for their abolitionist work.  Upon closer inspection, his activities seem to be in stark contrast to the last sentence in each verse of the poem “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”  The poem continues on with its pro-slavery sentiments with the verbiage in the third stanza and line “No refuge could save the hireling and slave.”

The poem is a call to war with bloodthirsty imagery.  This could possibly serve as a prelude to the many wars and invasions the United States has been involved in over the years.  This is embodied by the usage found in the second line of the third stanza “Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution” and in the fifth line of the fourth stanza “Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just”.

These are concepts far removed from the more popular view of this national symbol.  A deeper look at the history of the poem provides the opportunity to inspect uncomfortable aspects of its message.

Published:  http://www.democracychronicles.com/star-spangled-banner/