Themes and message

The main theme of the poem “The Song of the Spectators” by Mary Payne is that of civic indifference or the bystander society, which is supplemented by the theme of immoral behaviour. 

Civic indifference/the bystander society

By civic indifference, we understand the lack of attitude and action taken by society at large in the face of gross wrongdoings (generally by authorities). Often, this type of people, who simply conform to decisions of authority without questioning them, are called bystanders. As the poem reveals, the majority of society tends and has always tended to submit to decisions of authority, acting as simple spectators of gross injustices. The poem offers several examples from history, in which civil society preferred not to act against wrongdoings, but simply watch, as a way to protect itself from becoming a victim of ...