Hymn To The Pillory

"Hymn to the Pillory" is a poem by Daniel Defoe, written in 1703. The poem was a response to Defoe's own sentencing to the pillory for seditious libel. The pillory was a device used for public punishment, where an offender's head and hands were locked in a wooden frame, exposing them to public scorn.12

Defoe, a prolific writer and journalist, was known for his political pamphlets and novels like Robinson Crusoe. In his "Hymn to the Pillory," Defoe ironically celebrated his punishment, turning what was meant to be a public humiliation into a defiant display. The poem was sold on the streets during his time in the pillory, and the event became a form of triumph for him, rather than a disgrace. The pillory was a common form of punishment in England until the 19th century, finally abolished in Britain in 1837.312