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Treasure Trove Poem - 8 The Patriot Extract 4   1. 'I' refers to the speaker. He is going to the Shambles' Gate or by the scaffold's gate. In the context, rain symbolises speaker's inner crisis and sadness. It also creates a tense atmosphere in the poem.   2. The speaker's hands were tied from behind with a rope. This rope cuts his wrist. It signifies how the speaker is treated now. A year earlier, he was a hero, but now he is tied like a criminal, without any kindness.   3. The phrase adds to the ambiguity in the poem as the speaker is depicted as innocent by the poet. The reader tends to sympathise with him, but his own reference to his 'year's misdeeds'  creates ambiguity in the poem.   4. The poem shows the fickleness of the people. A year ago, he was regarded as a hero. Now the same public throes stones at him. The crowd that wanted to fulfill the speaker's wishes, now wants him executed. The poem portrays how the love, respect and honou...

Treasure Trove   Poem - 8 The Patriot (Workbook Answers 1 to 3) Extract 1   1. The speaker of the poem is a patriot who narrates the story of his golden past. His path was filled with roses as the people of his town gave him a grand welcome when he returned after war.    2. The line 'a year ago on this day' is significant because it helps the reader to understand the speaker's past, and contrasts it with his present state. A year ago, people welcomed him and treated him as a hero. A year later, people treat him as a disgrace.   3. The figure of speech used is Alliteration. The sound 'm' is repeated in this line.   'Myrtle' is a flower. 'Myrtle' symbolises the love shown to the speaker by the townspeople. To welcome the speaker, the people had thrown Myrtle flowers on the road.   4. 'They' refers to the people of the town. This line tells us that on the day when the speaker was welcomed by the people, they were so happy that they would have gi...