Poem 8 - The Patriot (Workbook Answers 4 & 5)
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 honour given to someone is momentary and can change quickly.
5. The speaker's head bleeds because the people had thrown stones at him. Earlier he was treated with love and respect. He was welcomed with roses on his way. The people said that they would fulfill all his wishes.
Extract 5
1. The speaker enters the gates of death to 'go' to his everlasting life after death.
2. The speaker believes that in victory, people drop down dead. The figure of speech used here is alliteration because of the repetition of 'd' sounds in the words "dropped down dead".
3. The speaker feels safe in the other world away from this world. He feels safer with God, rather than with the public. The idea of him feeling safer suggests that he has not committed any crime.
4. The poem ends with the line, "Tis God shall repay: I am safer so." Even though the people think that the speaker has committed some crime, the speaker knows that he is innocent. Death is not the end. He hopes to be rewarded by God, as he did not get rewarded in this world. This reflects Browning's optimistic philosophy of life.
5. The poem depicts the theme of sudden rise and fall of glory of man. Within a span of one year, the patriot experiences both love and hatred.
One year ago he was welcomed by the public with roses and myrtles, but now they throw stones at him. The roofs were full of people to welcome him a year ago, but now they are empty. These examples show the sudden rise and fall of glory of man.