THE PATRIOT by Robert Browning "Patriot into Traitor" is also a dramatic monologue by Robert Browning.

Browning's monologues have been introduced a new conversational strength to English poetry. In this poem, the poet has drawn a contemporary political scene with its turmoil and treacheries. Change of Government by coups and take-over is common in third countries. The poem is a speech delivered by a political leader who was considering a hero yesterday but due to an unfortunate political disturbance he has been branded a traitor. He was honored and cheered by the people only a year ago. A dramatic monologue is a speech delivered by a character when he is alone or isolated on the stage. It can be public when the character directly addresses the audience who never respond. It can also be private in which case the audience overhear the character talking to him or herself. Shakespeare makes use of dramatic monologue in his plays. The remarkable thing about monologues is that they mostly reveal the truth and so help in solving critical problems. His supporters were ready to sacrifice every thing for their beloved leader. But now they condemned him and are prepared to stone him to death. His tragic down-fall is pitiable. However, he waits for the final judgment of God and hopes to be rewarded for his good deeds. This lends an optimistic note to the poem. The poem is a fine example of a dramatic monologue. This poem represents how fickle and misguided the public can be. This man (the patriot) who was once branded as a hero and was cherished and could achieve anything that he desired in a short space of time has become rejected and sentenced to death. The character reflects over his time and rather than openly admitting that he his being sentenced for the wrong reasons, seem to accept that the sanctions being placed upon him are correct - demonstrating that he may be weak willed and easily persuaded (rather like the rest of the public.) However, there is still a sense of optimism inside of him - represented by the final paragraph, which is almost like an epilogue where he talks about how he is waiting at God\'s gates to be judged. He says that he shall be safer in heaven, and therefore this shows that deep down he must believe that he is morally correct - despite what the public believe. There are examples of pathetic fallacy in this poem which help to shift the tone of the poem from light to dark very quickly. Furthermore there are lots of examples of religious imagery which signify the Patriots sense of traditionalism but also his sense of hope. Although this is \"an old story\" you could argue that this poem is very representative of our society today, and this idea of having \"15 minutes of fame\". This poem arguably was ahead of its time and is a perfect example of Browning\'s precise and delicate skill in dramatic monologues. A poignant depiction of the fickleness of public opinion; this poem ranks with the best of Empson and Auden in cataloguing the ebb and flow of human affairs (specifically, politics). The first line has, of course, passed into the language, but the entire poem is skillfully and delicately constructed. The fifth stanza, I think, is my especial

favorite - simple, yet remarkably touching. One could say the same about the poem as a whole. The theme of the poem \'The Patriot-An old story\' by Robert Browning is \"THE RISE AND FALL OF FORTUNE\".This poem is the fine example for the impoverished public. This poem also teaches us that happiness will never longs and every man has to face the rewards for all what he has done in his lifetime.

The poem covers a time span of a year.Browning's patriot has not changed during the passage of this one year, but his people have; or their perspective has. The very same eyes that looked admiringly at him now have contempt in them. The patriot is pained by their attitudinal change. The thought that he would be paid in the other world offers him some relief. The patriot - An Old Story is typical of Browning in the sense that it reflects his obscurity, deep religiosity and robust optimism. The loose phrases like "all allow", the deliberate use of archaic words like alack, trow etc., beside rendering a taste of oldness, are perfect examples of Browning's obscurity which has baffled readers throughout the world. The fact that despite the treacherous fickleness shown by the mob, the Patriot has still optimistic belief that he would be safer in heaven, shows the poet's optimism and religiosity. The biblical taste in the lines "For they fling, whoever has a mind, stones at me..." is truly Brownian signature. The Patriot - An Old Story has a kaleidoscope of visual and auditory images. The roses and myrtle flowers mixed like mad, the old walls rocking, the church spires flaming, the air breaking into mist with bells are images par excellence. The tone of the poem is thus celebration and enjoyment. It then shifts to a promise made by the crowd. When the patriot asked them to fetch the Sun from the yonder skies, which is surely an impossible task, the crowd replied in a frenzy - what next to be done. It shows the immense faith and belief he could nurture in the masses those days. Along with the narrative, the tone shifts to the palsied few, shambles' gate, scaffold's foot, bleeding forehead. The shift in the tone imparts the gravity of the catastrophe in store for the hero, a year after! The ironical balancing of the events and tonality is perhaps the reason why this poem became one of the most anthologized - not to mention the universal appeal it has! The patriot is a representation of the fickle nature of public opinion. Browning represents the idea of naivety and the influenced morals of society. He represents the idea of politics influencing opinion and how perception is irrelevant as it is misguided. The patriot is not hesitating his fate and doesnt seem to fight it, this mirrors the idea of Brownings era, people new they could not oppose the state of society and accepted the ever changing view of morality. The patriot, shows the fragile state of moral and public opinion. It represents the fickle

nature of Brownings era and how judgments are naive. The patriot has accepted his fate and doesnt show any fight against his punishment. This mirrors the idea of this era and the submission to power and its opinion. The Patriot is a dramatic monologue typical to Browning's other monologues in which the significant event has already taken place before the narrative is told. The protagonist named in the title as 'The Patriot' reminisces of a time when he walked through streets of roses and myrtle (a weed that villagers would have has access to) which were thrown in his path in a celebratory fashion after he has returned from a war. The places described show a significant change in setting, the poem begins retrospectively looking back at a village square or street and then to the scene of the patriot's death where we presume he is to be stoned to death for committing some sort of traitorous deed, or perhaps no longer sharing the correct ideals as the current leaders of state. The narrative finally shifts to him being judged at Gods gates. The entire poem sums up the absolute pointlessness of war and how such a respectable character can fall from grace within the short time of a year as well as the seemingly easy transition from hero to villain. The poem depicts the return of a soldier returning from the war. We learn that a year later the public are led to believe he is a traitor due to some political turmoil, reflecting the naivety and malleability of those at home. Striking a similarity with Wilfred Owens 'Disabled'... "some cheer him home but not as crowds cheer goal" Browning fails to specify a time or place, suggesting the poems universal applicability to the futility of war. It is a poem of reward and punishment, the soldier returned home after the war and had a magnificent welcome however time passed and things changes and people are now convinced he is a traitor and they turn their backs on him at the end of the poem he believes he is safer with God then he ever will be on this rock. It is a poem about how a soldier gains victory and the cheer of the public but just after a year they turn their back on him, as they are led to believe he is a traitor. Perhaps Browning is trying to show the publics naiveness and gullibility. However no strong emotions of anger and hatred are sensed which may suggest that the soldier has accepted his fate and will leave the rest to God, as he may feel that he cannot change their opinion of him. Patriot into Traitor" is also a dramatic monologue by Robert Browning. Browning's monologues have been introduced a new conversational strength to English poetry. In this poem, the poet has drawn a contemporary political scene with its turmoil and treacheries. Change of Government by coups and take-over is common in third countries. The poem is a speech delivered by a political leader who was considering a hero yesterday but due to an unfortunate political disturbance he has been branded a traitor. He was honored and cheered by the people only a year ago. His supporters were ready to sacrifice every thing for their beloved leader. But now they condemned him and are prepared to stone him to death. His tragic down-fall is pitiable. However, he waits for the final judgment of God and hopes to be rewarded for his good

deeds. This lends an optimistic note to the poem. The poem is a fine example of a dramatic monologue. The poem is about the return of a patriot after war. Such a warm welcome he did receive. Yet time passed by, things changed, respect and honor were defeated by the ignorance of the impoverished public. That is when the patriot wishes to leave this world at God's Gates. There's no black and white answer and the poem is certainly open to interpretation. What is certain is that the speaker (the Patriot) is someone who was once beloved and welcomed by the public, but has since become hated and reviled. Many interpret the poem to be talking about a soldier. He speaks of his return from war a year ago when he was celebrated as a hero and welcomed by everyone with open arms. However in the present, they are violent toward him. Some believe that the "Patriot" is a Jesus character and that the poem depicts his last days; when he was first welcomed to and celebrated in Jerusalem days before his crucifixion. Just as the with the Patriot, the public quickly changed their opinion and went from celebrating them to persecuting and acting violently toward them. The poem ,'The Patriot' by Robert Browning uses a variety of images. The images like scaffold and Shambles Gate denote the entry of Jesus Christ in the Cross. The last two lines very clearly express the last words of Jesus.