t glory and present suffering. He tells us he was once loved by the people. But now, the people have forgotten his sacrifice. They are taking him for execution. The poem also shows the patriot’s faith in God’s justice. Let us appreciate the poem below.

The Patriot’s Glory and People’s Betrayal: At the beginning of the poem, the patriot remembers a joyful day one year ago. People welcomed him like a great hero. They filled the streets with roses and myrtle flowers. He says:

“It was roses, roses, all the way.”

People crowded the rooftops to see him, even for once. They celebrated him with church bells and colorful flags. The patriot says,

“Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun.”

It means he tried his best to do great things for the people. But now, after only a year, people have forgotten his sacrifice. He is being taken for execution. It is raining as he walks to his death. People throw stones at him. He feels blood on his forehead. He says:

“They fling…

Stones at me for my year's misdeeds.”

This dramatic change shows how quickly public opinion can change.

Faith in God: Browning does not end the poem with sadness. Instead, he brings a very strong feeling of hope. In the last stanza, the patriot shows strong faith in God. He says:

“’Tis God shall repay: I am safer so.”

This line shows his belief that God will judge him fairly. The world may treat him cruelly, but God will reward him with justice. This hopeful ending is the main reason people call Browning an optimistic poet.

Form, Meter, and Rhyme Scheme: “The Patriot” is written as a dramatic monologue. In this type of poem, a single speaker speaks. From his story, we learn about his character, feelings, and thoughts. This form lets Browning explore the mind of his character. The poem follows a regular rhyme scheme of ABABA in every stanza. This gives the poem a musical and balanced sound. The meter is mostly accentual tetrameter and iambic tetrameter. The following line is an example of accentual tetrameter, which means four strong syllables with a varying number of weak syllables.

It was ro- | ses, ro- | ses, all | the way,

Metaphor, Images, and Symbols: Browning uses many figures of speech in this poem. Here, roses symbolize love, honor, and fame. The flowers show how much people admired him a year ago. The rain symbolizes sadness, punishment, and the dark mood of his final journey. The sun is a symbol of impossible glory. When the patriot says he “leaped at the sun,” it means he tried to do something too great for the people. But it brings his downfall like Icarus in the Greek myth. These images help readers feel the patriot’s rise and painful fall.

Tone and Language: The tone of the poem changes from happy to sorrowful, and finally to hopeful. The first stanza is full of joy and nostalgia. The middle stanzas show betrayal, cruelty, and pain. The last stanza becomes calm and hopeful because the patriot puts his trust in God. Browning uses very clear and simple language to express strong emotions.

In conclusion, “The Patriot” is a powerful dramatic monologue. It shows the rise and fall of a patriot. It teaches us how quickly public opinion can change. But the poem also gives hope through the patriot’s faith in God.