The Patriot Summary by Robert Browning

The Patriot Summary by Robert Browning

The patriot whose name was Arnold Brescia, was being taken to the scaffold to be executed as he had been declared a traitor for committing the political offences. When he was moving to his death point, he recalls the time when he returned home as a victor and his countrymen gave him a warm welcome on his arrival. His path was strewn with flowers and ever-green shrub symbolising victory. The people and his admirers standing on the house roofs seemed to surge with joy.

The church-towers blazed with flags of victory. Such high honour was extended to him a year ago by his lovers and admirers. On his arriving home, the whole atmosphere resounded with the sound of bells rung in his honour. The house-walls shook with the cries and thrills of the crowd. He appreciated the enthusiasm of the people. The people were so mad after him that if he had asked them to offer him the sun from the distant sky, they would have answered him what else he desired.

The poet regrets to think that it was he who tried to attempt the impossible for the peace, comfort and pleasure of his countrymen. He did everything he could do for them. But he got no reward for his impossible achievement. Instead, his deeds were considered to be misdeeds and he was sentenced to death. Now when he had fallen on evil days, the people had grown indifferent towards him and had also shifted their loyalties at other place. Today, when he was being taken to be hanged, there was nobody on the house-roofs to bid him farewell. Only a few paralysed persons were sitting at the windows. The people had gathered at the Shambles’ Gate, the gate the gallows, to see him die.

The patriot seemed to be in a very miserable and pitiable condition. He was moving to the scaffold in the rain. His wrists were tied with a rope which had made cuts on his wrists. By the sense of touch, he felt that his forehead was bleeding. Some people mocked at him and showed their resentment. They threw stones at him for his evil deeds. The poet says that the people who were throwing stones were the ones who had an active mind and were aware of his misdeeds. The speaker did not seem to be angry with these people for throwing stones at him. He did not blame the people because he knew that they had misunderstood him.

The speaker (the patriot) thinks that he entered his country amid great rejoicings and honour. But he was leaving it in humiliation and insults. Due to the excess of joy in such victory people often collapse. Had he been rewarded by the people for his services, God would have not cared for him. But now, when people have not recognised his services, he will be rewarded by God in Heaven. This is a better way to meet him in Heaven for the reward of his services, rendered in this life.

The Patriot Poem Summary Introduction

The Patriot is a dramatic monologue written by the renowned English poet and playwright Robert Browning. He is well known for his dramatic monologues and is widely celebrated as one of the foremost poets of the Victorian era. It was first printed in Men and Women (1855). In this poem, the poet talks about politics, patriotism, religious faith and the harsh reality of the leaders who are true to their sense of patriotism. It speaks about the sacrifice of such leaders who are misunderstood by the people.

The speaker of the poem is a patriot who narrates his tale to us as he has been taken to the scaffold to be executed publicly for his misdeeds. He tells us of his situation how he was once well loved by everyone and how he is now despised by the same people. The patriot is innocent of having done any misdeeds and it is only out of the misunderstanding of the people that he is being put to death. His death sentence is for the wrong reason and although he has tried to persuade the people to listen to him, it has done him no good.

The poem is a harsh critique on public sentiment and morality. It stresses on the point that not all decisions made or supported by the people are the right decisions or even in their only interest. The poem has a sense of universality to it as history has witnessed the rise and fall of many such ‘patriots’ throughout its course a grim reminder that life is uncertain.

The Patriot Summary Stanzawise Word-Meanings, Paraphrase and Explanation

1. It was roses………………….very day.
Word-meanings : Roses = the flowers smelling sweet fragrance. These flowers grow on a bush that usually has sharp thorns. Here ‘rose’ symbolises love and honour. It …………. roses = the rose flowers in large number. All the way = the way through which the patriot’s procession had to pass to the final destination; all over the path of reception. Myrtle = a sort of small tree having sweet-smelling white or pink flowers and black berries. Like mad = the people were behaving as if they were insane; madly. Heave = a motion up to down, down to up. Spires = minarets of the church. Flamed = shone.

Paraphrase : The patriot (or a political leader) who had been declared a traitor for committing political offences and was sentenced to death, was being carried to be hanged. While moving to the scaffold, he observes the people’s callous and cruel attitude towards him and recalls his glorious past days, when for the first time, only a year ago, on that very day he came to power, the people gave him warm welcome. There were roses mixed with myrtle flowers which people spread on his way through and through.

The people were so excited and eager to get his glimpse that they climbed on the roofs of the houses which seemed to be swinging and swaying. They seerfted to be behaving in such a way as if they had become mad after him. The minarates and domes of churches were shining with light. These churches were decorated with colourful flags. All this happened on that very day when the patriot came into power and it took place only one year ago.

Reference to the Context: These lines depicting the patriot’s recollection of the kind of welcome he received on the very day a year ago, have been extracted from the poem entitled The Patriot, written by Robert Browning.

Here the poet describes the tragic downfall of the patriot who was warmly welcomed by his people when be returned triumphant over the enemy. The patriot recalls that a year ago on the same day, the people seemed to be mad after him. They seemed to be very eager to get his glimpse, but just after a year, they brought a great change in their attitudes and behaviour. They had grown completely indifferent towards him.

Explanation : The patriot (who once had been a popular and famous political leader in the eyes of his countrymen) is the speaker of the poem. As he had been proved a traitor due to committing political offences and other misdeeds, he was sentenced to death and he was being carried to be hanged. While moving to the scaffold, he recalls when, a year ago, on the same day, he was given a grand welcome by the people on his arrival to the town as a hero. His path was strewn with sweet smelling roses which symbolised their love and loyalty for him.

They were behaving as if they were insane after him. (They seemed to be mad in their zeal and enthusiasm.) There was a huge crowd. The people were seen on the roofs of the houses. The people were so excited to the patriot that they were jumping and leaping and it seemed as if the roofs of the houses were swaying. The church spires were decorated with beautiful flags. In this way, the patriot received a memorable welcome a year ago on the same day.

Critical Comments :

1. Nothing is stable in the world. It is also true to the rise and fall of glory. The circumstances are not always same, they are changing.
2. The people are emotional and fickleminded. They are easily swayed with the changing circumstances.
3. The heaving and swaying motion creates an image of over-crowding, emblematic of the speaker’s importance.
4. A year day : It foreshadows that something has changed.
5. The image of‘roses’ connotes the love that the speaker receives from the public.

2. The air broke ………………….what else ?
Word-meanings : The air = the entire atmosphere of the place. The air bells = the bells were ringing everywhere with so much vehemence that it seemed that the air was getting misty with the ……………bell-sound. Broke into mist = changed into thickness. Rocked = shook. Cries = shrill cries and slogans. Folk = people. Mere … repels = sheer noise appears repulsive. But ……………skies = instead of creating noise, they should come forward to contribute for their country. What else = what else he desired.

Paraphrase : The patriot recalls his glorious time saying that when he rose into power, he had become a popular hero in the eyes of his people. As he entered the town, the people showed great zeal and enthusiasm on his arrival arid welcomed him warmly. In this welcome, the people rang the bells and raised the slogans of his victory.

These different voices mingled with one another and produced a sort of music. The whole atmosphere had become misty and heavy because of the noisy slogans and ringing bells. The slogans of the crowd were so heavy and loud that the adjacent walls of the road side houses trembled. The people were greeting him so happily that if he had told them that mere noise and slogans did not please him and that they should give him the sun, that is there in the sky far away from them, they would have replied that it would be executed and they would have asked him what else they could do for him.

Reference to the Context : These lines showing the patriot’s contemplation on his glorious past while moving to the scaffold, have been extacted from the poem entitled The Patriot, written by Robert Browning.

Here the patriot, after observing great change in the people’s attitude and behaviour, recalls the same day a year ago when he was given a warm welcome and his victory was appreciated everywhere. . .

Explanation: The patriot kept recalling the same day a year ago when he was given a warm welcome by his people on his returning home town. A year ago, on the same day, the atmosphere and circumstances were entirely different. The whole atmosphere seemed to be foggy due to huge crowd. The atmosphere had become vibrant. The people seemed to be full of zeal and enthusiasm. On his arrival to the town, the people were blowing trumpets. They were ringing the bells. The old walls were full of people. They were sitting in large number over the walls. They were crying and shouting slogans for their hero. It had demanded from them something impossible, like the sun from the distant sky, they would have granted his demand. They would have asked him what else he desired.

Critical Comments :

1. These lines show how the people were under great impact of overwhelming emotions.
2. The people are fickle-minded and they are easily swayed in the changed circumstances.
3. The air bells : The poet has used auditory image.
4. But what else : Here the poet has used hyperbole.

3. Alack, it was ………………….is run.
Word-meanings: Alack = expressing sorrow or regret. Leaped = jumped to get the sun (made great affort to do something impossible). Loving friends = dear countrymen. Nought = nothing. Left undone = if he had not made attempt to achieve perfection. Harvest = achievement. Reap = to get as a reward. This very day = on the same day, a year ago.

Paraphrase : The poet regrets to think that it was he who always stood for making the welfare of his people and tried his best to do some impossible task to make his people happy. He struggled hard for his country. He left no stone unturned to serve them. If he had left the task undone, there would have been none to accomplish it. He staked the precious moments of his life for the sake of his country and countrymen. Instead of rewarding for his accomplishment, he had been declared a traitor. As a reward of his struggle, he was being led to be hanged. He feels highly upset because of the change in people’s attitude. They do not love him and think him a corrupt traitor. Everything has changed for him in a year.

Reference to the Context: These lines showing the patriot’s lamentation and sorrow at the changed attitude of the people who had shifted their loyalties at somewhere, have been extracted from the poem entitled The Patriot, written by Robert Browning.

Here the poet expresses the remorseful and sorrowful feelings for the people who, after forgetting his achievement, had shifted their loyalties at other place. He feels highly dejected at the reward which he received from the public.

Explanation : The patriot regretfully says that the people did not help him, instead, it was he who leaped at the sun and made impossible into possible for them. He brought the sun down and handed it over to his countrymen. In other words, it was he who tried to do some impossible task to make his people happy and comfortable. If he had left the task undone, there would have been none to accomplish it. The patriot feels highly dejected at the reward which he had obtained in return of making welfare of his countrymen. In other words, it is a matter of sorrow for the patriot that the people had forgotten all that he had done for them. They were easily swayed by the present situation without using their intellect. Everything had changed for him in a year.

Critical Comments :

1. The poet brings to us a fact that the circumstances of life are always changing and they are beyond the control of human being.
2. The poet gives a subtle reference to the old Greek mythological tale of Icarus and Daedalus. Just like Icarus, the speaker admits that he too was overly ambitious and leaped at the sun.
3. The poet has captured the mood of frustration of a leader who was considered a hero yesterday, but due to an unfortunate political upheaval, had been branded a traitor.
4. The poet brings to us the fickle attitude of the people. He shows how love, respect and honour given to someone is momentary and is subjected to erratic changes.

4. There’s nobody ………………….I trow.
Word-meanings : There’s ……. now = now nobody could be seen on the roofs of the houses to welcome him as the people had left for the Shamble’s Gate. Palsied = invalid persons; paralysed. Just ……. set = those who could not move outside and reach at the place of execution, were looking through the windows from their houses. Best of the sights = the best view of the patriot’s being hanged. All allows = generally accepted. Shamble’s Gate = the gate leading to the place of execution. Scaffold = a raised platform of timber on which the criminal is executed. By the very ………..foot = quite near the scaffold to have the best view of his execution.

Paraphrase : As opposed to the setting in the first stanza, now the place was all empty. Now, there was nobody on the roof-tops cheering him. Only a few people who were victim of palsy (a disease) and were unable to cross the threshold of their houses, were watching the patriot as he marched towards his death. The reason why no one was there to see the patriot, was because people had gathered at the Shamble’s Gate, the gate of gallows, to see him die. The people wanted to be where the action was. The patriot makes the heart-touching comment saying that the best sight was at the gate of the slaughter house, or at the very foot of the scaffold.

Reference to the Context: These lines depicting the fickle-mindedness of the people and their callous and cruel attitude, have been extracted from the poem entitled The Patriot, written by Robert Browning.

The speaker comes on the real ground and realises his present state after observing the changed circumstances. He describes the present setting and in a way contrasts it with the one on the same day a year ago. Now he had been declared a traitor and was being carried to be executed.

Explanation : Now, a year after the day of reception, the patriot fell on evil days. His accomplishments were deemed as political offences and he was sentenced to death for committing political offences. He was being taken to the gallows. He found that the scene had totally been changed. Now no one could be seen on the roofs of the houses because they had changed their attitudes and loyalties. Now they considered him a traitor. They had no love for him. Some paralysed people who were unable to walk to the place of execution, were sitting at the windows of their houses and were watching him. Most of the people had gone to the Shamble’s Gate or were quite near the scaffold to have the best view of his execution.

Critical Comments :

1. The people, because of being fickle-minded and emotional, change their thoughts and loyalties.
2. In the world, everything is temporary. It is also true to the rise and fall of glory. One who rises high and touches the summit of glory, cannot remain at the top for longer.
3. Overambitiousness is very dangerous and leads to the downfall.
4. ‘Palsied’ is the term given to the old and riddled with disease. This juxtaposes against what the patriot has achieved in his life.
5. We can hear the dismay in the speaker’s voice with the idea of his ‘trow’. This creates quite a sluggish image of movement, like an upset child, as if he is upset and reflecting.

5. I go………………….misdeeds.
Word-meanings: I……….rain = it was raining when the patriot was being carried to be executed. More than needs = a longer than necessary rope is used to tie up his hands on the back. Cuts = injuries on his wrists. By the feel = sense of touch. My………..bleeds = his forehead bleeds with stones pelted at him. Fling = throw. Misdeeds = evil deeds.

Paraphrase: As the patriot was walking towards the scaffold, it was raining heavily. His hands were tied behind by a strong and long rope – so tight that it made cuts on his wrists. He had now arrived closer to the Shamble’s Gate where all the people were gathered. He knew the steadfast certainty of death ahead of him. As he was walking, he thought that his forehead was bleeding. He could only feel the trickling of blood. The people throwing stones at him were causing the injuries. Stones had replaced the petals of roses. He says that the people who were throwing stones were the ones who had an active mind and were aware of his ‘misdeeds’.

Reference to the Context: These lines showing very pitiable and tragic state of the patriot who is moving to the gallows, have been extracted from the poem entitled, The Patriot, written by Robert Browning.

Here the poet shows pathetic and miserable condition of the patriot who was being taken to be hanged. The patriot who was once welcomed and respected by the people, had become the subject of the people’s callousness and contempt. The people had no sympathetic attitude towards him.

Explanation : The patriot was being taken to be executed in the midst of heavy rain. He was being led to the scaffold. His wrists were tied back so tightly with a long rope that it made serious cuts (injuries) on his wrists. He felt that his forehead was bleeding. The people who once respected and loved him, had become so callous and cruel that they were throwing stones at him. They were hurling the stones to show their resentment for the so called misdeeds done by him during the year. Indeed it was an ironic situation that the people had completely forgotten his good deeds which were done for their welfare.

Critical Comments :

1. It is important to consider how the bleeding of his forehead could be a symbol of the Crown of Thorns, and the image of his being dragged through the streets also mimics the death of Jesus.
2. ‘I go rain’ : This simple use of pathetic fallacy helps to add the depressed mood and could be argued to be emblematic of the speaker’s inner- cries and sadness.

6. Thus I entered …………………. safer so.
Word-meanings : Thus I entered = the patriot was warmly welcomed when he entered the town as a victor. Thus I go = his departure is very humiliating and heart rending. Triumphs = victories. Dropped = fell. Paid = rewarded. ’Tis …… so = the patriot thinks that it is good that he has met his death as it is now God’s turn to pay him for his deeds and therefore he thinks he is in safer hands.

Paraphrase: The patriot was brought honourably to the throne with great pomp and show but now he was being taken very insultingly to the gallows. He says that sometimes great heroes fall from their climax and die. Such had not happened to him. If he had died in the peak of his power, he would have been happy. Further the leader (the patriot) ridiculously says that the heroes can not expect reward from God in the next world because they get their reward in this world. In his case people have not done him justice. They have killed him. Then he says that after death he will go to his Lord (creator) where God might question him about his deeds he had done for the people. He would reply that he had done his best for them but they rewarded him with shame. Now he will ask God for reward because God is just and he would give him the best reward in other world.

Reference to the Context: These lines showing the speaker’s firm faith in God’s judgement, have been extracted from the poem entitled ‘The Patriot’, written by Robert Browning.

The speaker says that there is a tremendous contrast between the scene of his entry and that of exit. He also shows his firm faith in God and His judgement. He believes that he will truly be rewarded by God in Heaven.

Explanation : When the patriot entered the field of politics, he was a hero in the eyes of the people i.e., countrymen. On his arrival to the town, he was warmly, welcomed by the people. The people showed their intense love and respect for him. But his departure was very woeful and humiliating. Now in the eyes of people, he was nothing but a traitor. The patriot says that in such victories as have brought him honour, some people often collapse in excees of joy. As he is fortunate enough to escape such a death, he thinks that the hanging is a blessing in disguise. Since he had not been rewarded by the people, he was certain to be rewarded in heaven. He feels safer in the hands of God. So he thinks himself in a better position than he would have been otherwise. Consoling himself like this, he snatches victory out of his defeat.

Critical Comments :

1. These lines show an optimistic view of the poet. The poet has firm faith in God.
2. The people are fickle-minded. With the changed circumstances, they shift their loyalties.

The Patriot Summary About the Poet

Robert Browning was bom at Comberwell, a suburb of London, on May 7, 1812. His father, a clerk of the Bank of England, had a library of about six thousand books. His mother was a woman of mixed German and Scotch descent. She loved music and art. So Robert Browning inherited from his parents great love for literature, philosophy, music and arts. His early education took place at home. At the age of fourteen, he was admitted to a school for young gentlemen at Peckham. Then he was placed under the care of a private tutor. It is said that he had read the great Elizabethan writers, Byron and Shelley, by the time he was fourteen, within the next six months, he had also read Keats.

At the age of seventeen, he was admitted to University College, Gower Street. There he studied Greek for a term or so. Then he was directed to prepare himself for medical profession. He was also made an apprentice to a doctor of Gay’s Hospital, London. But this profession was not to Browning liking. So he gave it up soon, and decided to read more poetry, and become a poet. His love for poetry and music was so strong that soon he began to compose his own poems. As a boy, he was precocious and intelligent to a high degree. He also loved psychoanalysis of his own soul.

In 1834, Browning visited Russia, riding some fifteen hundred miles during the tour. During his first visit to Italy (1838) he came under the influence of Venice, an influence which was to prove permanent. An interest in the poems of Elizabeth Basrett ripened into love and as her father refused consent to their union, they married secretly (Sept. 1846) and eloped to Italy. Mrs. Browning was six years older than her husband.

The period following his marriage was the happiest, and most fruitful from the point of view of poetry in Browning’s life. His genius blossomed out under the influence of happy love and Italian climate and art. They stayed on in Italy till Mrs. Browning’s death in 1861. Her death was, a great shock to him but Browning always disliked display of sentiment. He returned to London and devoted himself to the education of his son. The great healer Time, softened his grief and Browning become a constant figure in London society.

Public recognition came rather late to Browning. In 1860 his publisher sold not a single copy of his poems in six months, but in 1871 fourteen hundred copies of Prince Hohenstiel Schwangan were sold within five days of its publication. In 1899 Browning had gone on visit of Italy where his son had settled as an artist. In November he was taken ill and died in Venice. His son had just read the telegram from the publishers, announcing the triumphant success of Asolando, when the brave and noble old man fell into his last sleep, on the night of December 12, 1889. Before death, Browning’s later life was spent chiefly in London with usually one or two trips to France or Italy every year. He was the centre of an admiring group of friends and an adoring crowd of disciples, and he enjoyed with dignity and self-respect the homages offered to him.

His major works are : 1. Pauline (1833), 2. Paracelsus (1835), 3. Sordello (1840), 4. Dramatic Lyrics (1842), 5. Dramatic Romances and, Lyrics (1845), 6. Men and Women (1855), 7. Dramatis Personae (1864), 8. Ring and the Book (1868-69), 9. Finfine at the Fair (1872), 10. Red Cotton Night Cap Country (1873), 11. Asolando (1889).

His Dramas are : 1. Strafford (1837), 2. Pippa Passes (1841), 3. King Victor and King Charles (1842), 4. The. Return of the Druses (1843), 5. A Jlot in the Scutcheon (1843), 6. Colombe’s Birthday (1844), 7. A Soul’s Tragedy (1846), Luria (1846), and In a Balcony (1853).

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