The Patriot
AN OLD STORY.
I.
It was roses, roses, all the way,
With myrtle mixed in my path like mad:
The house-roofs seemed to heave and sway,
The church-spires flamed, such flags they had,
A year ago on this very day.
- The air broke into a mist with bells,
The old walls rocked with the crowd and cries.
Had I said, “Good folk, mere noise repels—
But give me your sun from yonder skies!”
They had answered, “And afterward, what else?”
III.Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun
To give it my loving friends to keep!
Nought man could do, have I left undone:
And you see my harvest, what I reap
This very day, now a year is run.
IV.
There’s nobody on the house-tops now—
Just a palsied few at the windows set;
For the best of the sight is, all allow,
At the Shambles’ Gate—or, better yet,
By the very scaffold’s foot, I trow.
V.
I go in the rain, and, more than needs,
A rope cuts both my wrists behind;
And I think, by the feel, my forehead bleeds,
For they fling, whoever has a mind,
Stones at me for my year’s misdeeds.
VI.
Thus I entered, and thus I go!
In triumphs, people have dropped down dead.
Paid by the world, what dost thou owe
Me?”—God might question; now instead,
‘Tis God shall repay: I am safer so.
Summary of The Patriot
- Popularity of “The Patriot”: The dramatic monologue ‘The Patriot,’ written by Robert Browning, remains unparalleled and unique to this day in terms of its popularity. It first appeared in 1855 in his book, Men and Women, along with several other well-known monologues. The poetic particularity of this monologue is rooted in its capacity to showcase a profound turmoil in the fate of a political leader, who believed himself to be a patriot but had an unexpected downfall.
- “The Patriot” As a Representative of Political Fate: The poem “The Patriot” embodies the representation of political destiny: a hero of the past transforms into a rebel and traitor of the present, not only as a universal truth but also as a reality in third world countries of the contemporary world. The poem has the ability to incite imagination. A common incident from every other state or mini-state by a poet from a colonial power of the past is both impressive and insightful, astonishing readers. The poet portrays the leader’s reflection on his political zenith, during which his career flourished and he received a heroic reception, being showered with roses and myrtles. However, his luck soon transforms into misfortune as he witnesses the same individuals bestowing him with pity, while he is being carried to the gallows in a carriage, his hands restrained, and the rope slicing into his wrists during a downpour. He only thinks about God saying tersely “’Tis God shall repay” after saying that this is how he has entered the stage as a patriot and this is how he faces the gallows.
- Major Themes in “The Patriot”: Political upheavals, public memory, and mob psychology are three major thematic strands of this poem. The poem depicts a political leader who muses about how he used to command such loyalty from the public that they would fulfill his every request, no matter how great. The sudden change in the situation depicts the same people who once supported him now throwing stones, while the revised plan is leading him to the gallows, charged with treason, as if the public has overlooked his remarkable accomplishments. It exemplifies the ephemeral nature of public memory and the herd mentality that leads them to embrace popular slogans instead of recognizing the heroes of the past who are now vilified as traitors.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in The Patriot
literary devices are essential literary tools used in poetic or prose writings to make the texts beautiful and worth reading. The analysis of these devices in the poem is given below.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /o/ in “It was roses, roses, all the way” and the sound of /a/ in “The church-spires flamed, such flags they had”.
- Alliteration: It is the use of successive consonant sounds in the initials of the successive words such as the sound of /m/ in “myrtle mixed”.
- Anaphora: The poem shows the use of anaphora as the repetition of “Thus I…” in the first verse of the last stanza as “Thus I entered and Thus I go!”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /l/ and /r/ in “The church-spires flamed, such flags they had”.
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example,
Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun
To give it my loving friends to keep!
Nought man could do, have I left undone:
And you see my harvest, what I reap
This very day, now a year is run.
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example,“Just a palsied few at the windows set;”, “A rope cuts both my wrists behind;” and “Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun.”
- Juxtaposition: The poem shows the juxtaposition of opposing ideas in the first three and last three stanzas such as noise and silence and welcome and adieu.
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between the objects that are different. The poem shows the use of metaphor such as the air that breaks into mist which means the air is like a bamboo stick or old walls are like the swings.
- Personification: The poet has shown the use of air and old walls as if they have life and emotions of their own. He has personified them.
- Rhetorical Question: Rhetorical question is a question that is not asked to receive an answer; it is just posed to make the point clear. The poem shows the use of a rhetorical question such as,
“In triumphs, people have dropped down dead.
“Paid by the world, what dost thou owe
“Me?”—God might question; now instead,
‘Tis God shall repay: I am safer so.
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from literal meanings. The poem shows the use of the symbols of flames, noise, and then silence to show the sudden political upheavals.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in The Patriot
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows an ABABC rhyme scheme that lasts until the end.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are six stanzas in this poem, with each having total of five verses.
Quotes to be Used
These lines from “The Patriot” are relevant to use when teaching about the changing political situations in third world countries to the students of the Political Science class.
Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun
To give it my loving friends to keep!
Nought man could do, have I left undone:
And you see my harvest, what I reap
This very day, now a year is run.