Personification and Dramatic Irony in Patriot into Traitor

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Hi Everyone!

I have been following this community and found really interesting. I am also doing literary analysis of Robert Browning’s poem, Patriot into Traitor, so need your help.

 

“The house roof seemed to heave and sway…

For they fling whoever has a mind..”

 Can you tell which literary devices the poet has used in the following lines of the poem?

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Hi,

Thank you and we would say welcome to you here.

In the first line, the poet has personified house roofs like living things because they move to and fro and are not static. In the second line lies dramatic irony in the situation of fame and downfall of a popular leader as he is completely shocked at the behavior of his people who warmly welcomed him just one year ago and now calling him traitor. The audience knows that how a traitor will be treated, however he is still optimistic that he has served for his nation with honesty and one day his services would bring fruit. The irony springs out from the fact that how people change their minds quickly, and whom they supported as their leader, after just one year they treat him as a traitor. The poet talks ironically about the common illiterate masses and their poor mentality, but himself is unable to understand the political upheaval in politics.