were full of roses and myrtle flowers.
“It was roses, roses, all the way.”
Crowds stood on rooftops to see him. The whole city celebrated him with bells and colorful flags. But now everything has changed. Now, after only a year, the same people hate him. They think he has done wrong, so they want to punish him. 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 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. But Browning does not end the poem with sadness. Instead, he brings a very strong feeling of hope.
Browning’s Optimism in the Last Stanza: The most important part of the poem is the last stanza. Here we see Browning’s true optimism. The patriot does not curse the crowd. He does not complain about people’s betrayal. He only looks toward God with trust. He says:
“’Tis God shall repay: I am safer so.”
This line shows that the patriot believes God will judge him fairly, even if people do not. This is the center of Browning’s optimistic philosophy. Browning believes that life may look unfair and people may betray. Success may turn into failure, but God’s justice is final and perfect. So even in the moment of death, the patriot feels safe. He believes that God will reward him for his honesty and sacrifice. This positive faith is the main reason why Browning is called an optimistic poet.
Pain and Hope Together: Another important quality of Browning’s optimism is that he does not ignore pain. He fully shows suffering, loneliness, and heartbreak. In “The Patriot,” we see the silent rooftops, the tied hands, the bleeding forehead, and the stones thrown by the people. The patriot walks toward death in the rain.
But Browning always adds a light after the darkness. He wants to teach that pain is not the end. There is always hope beyond suffering. The patriot’s physical suffering becomes smaller when he thinks of God’s reward. This mixing of pain and hope is a clear sign of Browning’s optimistic message.
Optimism Through Faith in God: Browning’s optimism does not come from the world. It comes from faith. He believes that human beings make mistakes, but God never makes mistakes. So, when the patriot loses everything, he still believes he will receive justice from God.
In conclusion, Robert Browning is truly an optimistic poet. “The Patriot” clearly proves this. Even though the poem shows cruelty, change, and betrayal, Browning ends it with a powerful message of trust and hope.
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