OK I know I'm a bit late, but here's what the song really means to me.
It is about a guy (him, you, me, anyone) who was never free to be himself. Instead, society forces us to adopt certain behaviours from the moment we were born. They tell us what's right or wrong, what's good or bad, whether legally (laws) or culturally (through the opinion of others). So the guy grows up and feels trapped and he can never escape from this prison. Then he just gives up. He doesn't care anymore and feels he might as well die right away since it's not he (the guy he was or could have been otherwise without all the social pressure he had to conform to) anymore who lives but some zombie who has had to live by society's standards. So in a sense, the unforgiven could refer to society as a whole.
But to me, the unforgiven also has a second meaning : himself. He is the Unforgiven because he can't forgive himself for not breaking free from all this crap and finding enough courage to be himself, to be the boy he could have been had he not surrendered to social pressure. Despite his vow to never surrender (that never from this day his will they'll take away), he failed. Then he gives up the fight, he feels old, and he feels his life is over (I don't think the lyrics litterally mean he grew old. That's just how he feels.) He feels there's nothing more to expect from life. (The old man then prepares to die regretfully) What's the point in living if he could never be himself anyway? For him it's too late. He can't forgive society for forcing its rules upon him, nor can he forgive himself for not having fought harder to break free from this when he was younger.
OK I know I'm a bit late, but here's what the song really means to me.
It is about a guy (him, you, me, anyone) who was never free to be himself. Instead, society forces us to adopt certain behaviours from the moment we were born. They tell us what's right or wrong, what's good or bad, whether legally (laws) or culturally (through the opinion of others). So the guy grows up and feels trapped and he can never escape from this prison. Then he just gives up. He doesn't care anymore and feels he might as well die right away since it's not he (the guy he was or could have been otherwise without all the social pressure he had to conform to) anymore who lives but some zombie who has had to live by society's standards. So in a sense, the unforgiven could refer to society as a whole.
But to me, the unforgiven also has a second meaning : himself. He is the Unforgiven because he can't forgive himself for not breaking free from all this crap and finding enough courage to be himself, to be the boy he could have been had he not surrendered to social pressure. Despite his vow to never surrender (that never from this day his will they'll take away), he failed. Then he gives up the fight, he feels old, and he feels his life is over (I don't think the lyrics litterally mean he grew old. That's just how he feels.) He feels there's nothing more to expect from life. (The old man then prepares to die regretfully) What's the point in living if he could never be himself anyway? For him it's too late. He can't forgive society for forcing its rules upon him, nor can he forgive himself for not having fought harder to break free from this when he was younger.
Excellent take on it!
Excellent take on it!
@MasterOfMyOwnLife What about "You labeled me I’ll label you"? His younger version of himself didn't label him. That would point more to the society.
@MasterOfMyOwnLife What about "You labeled me I’ll label you"? His younger version of himself didn't label him. That would point more to the society.
@MasterOfMyOwnLife what if it wasn't too late?
@MasterOfMyOwnLife what if it wasn't too late?