"Cowards die many times before their death"

[lstrickler]

Hello,

This is the first time I've ever blogged (I guess that's what I'm doing.) I joined the forum because I can't remember the title of a short story that I read in the ninth grade - I think. I remember that it was about a middle aged man condemned to death who was visited in prison by a young woman. She may have been a complete stranger, visiting this particular inmate because of a mistake by prison authorities; I do remember that she was not related to him and I don't think she knew him previous to the visit. In any case, she consented to act the part of a sister - he being alone in the world - and send him to eternity with a poignant goodby which included filial kisses and hugs. After the farewell scene with her, he summoned the courage to approach the gallows with the words Shakespeare gave Julius Caesar as he entered the Roman forum on the ides of March: "Cowards die many times before their death, The valiant never taste of death but once." I also recall that the condemned man was apparently an atheist because he had offended the prison chaplain with some irreverent remarks. That makes me think that the author may have been an existentialist in the tradition of Albert Camus. In fact, I got the story mixed up with "The Stranger," which I read about the same time. Do my memories of it ring a bell with anyone? If so, please respond; I'd like to read it again and I'm looking forward to further online discussions.

Thanks and best regards, Larry Strickler

[Liz Hull]

I believe the story was called "The Valiant". The main character is awaiting execution when visited by someone who asks that the man not approach his death bravely as there is a younger man (younger brother?) who sees the condemned man as a hero. The condemned man goes to his death screaming. The point of which was that the man knew himself to be valiant but played the part of a coward to discourage his admirer at the request of the visitor.