Poem Patriot into Traitor (Robert Browning) Summary Imp Qs Ref Explanation

Poem Patriot into Traitor (Robert Browning) Summary Imp Qs Ref Explanation

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Poem:

It was roses, roses, all the way,
With myrtle mixed in my path like mad
The House-roofs seemed to heave and sway,
The church-spires flamed, such flags they had,
A year ago on this very day.

The air broke into a mist with bells,
The old walls rocked with the crowd and cries.
Had I said, 'Good folk, mere noise repels--
But give me your sun from yonder skies?
They had answered: And afterward, what else?

Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun
To give it my loving friends to keep
Naught man could do, have I felt undone;
And you see my harvest, what I reap
This very day, now a year is run.

There's nobody on the house-tops now-
Just a palsied few at he windows set;
For the best of the sight is, all allow,
At the Shambles Gate--or, better yet,
By the very scaffold's foot, I trow.

I go in the rain, and more than needs,
A rope cuts both my wrists behind;
And In think, by the feel, my forehand bleeds
For they fling, whoever has a mind,
Stones at me for my year's misdeeds.

Thus I entered, and thus I go
In triumphs, people have dropped down dead.
'Paid by the world, what dost thou owe
Me?'--God might question; now instead,
'Tis God shall repay: I am safer so.

Robert Browning:

English poet born Camberwall, 7 May, 1812, died London,12 December, 1889.

Browning, a bank clerk's son married Elizabeth Barret in 1846 and the couple lived in Italy until her death in 1861. Browning never entirely recovered from the loss of his wife, but returned to England and introduced a new conversational strength to English verse. His dramatic monologues, such as 'My Last Duchess', have psychological subtlety: his verse drama The Ring and the Book (1868-69), uses multiple viewpoints. A Toccata of Gallupi closes on a characteristic note of longing: 'Dear dead women with such hair, too--what's become of all the gold / used to hang and brush their bosoms? / I feel chilly and grown old'.

 

Idea of Poem:

A reading of Robert Browning's poem makes a conscious of the contemporary political scene, its turmoil and treacheries. What was once infrequent, has become in the Third World, frequent through coups, take-overs and usurpations. Behind such gory scenes and scenarios is political immaturity, institutional instability and economic insecurity. As usual, Browning ends not on a tragic, but on a next-world optimistic, note.

Browning through this dramatic monologue, has captured the mood of disillusionment and frustration of a leader who was considered a hero yesterday, but due to an unfortunate political upheaval, has been branded as a traitor. His tragic downfall is pitiable. And now condemned by the people, he hopefully waits for the judgement of God to redeem him.

Patriot Into Traitor

This poem is a monologue of a leader who is now out of power. The poem reveals the frustration and disenchants of a leader who is now regarded a traitor. His life is hit by a political turmoil and he is out of power. His collapse is painful. Now the people who threw rose petals at him criticize and attack him. He is waiting for the judgment of God.

The poem describes many ups and falls in the life of the leader. In the very narrow span of one year, the glory of the leader vanishes and he is left with nothing to give to the people. The reader enjoys every word of the poem. Every word is a story itself. This poem is a satire on so-called democratic systems of the world.

Summary

Robert Browning is a brilliant poet. His poetry describes various social and natural aspects of human life. In his poem "The patriot into traitor" he has also depicted the scenes of the life of a political leader. The poem is an illustration of political immaturity of the people of 3rd world countries.

The poem is a monologue of a political leader. He narrates his story. He says that in the early days of his political career, he has many fans. He was a famous leader of the country. People were willing to sacrifice their lives for him. They threw rose petals and other flowers on him. They adorn his way with flowers. They loved him. He says that the people were crazy to see him. They welcomed him from house-tops with flags. The leader continues to tell the story of his political climax. He says that the bells rang for his dinners and there were servants and slaves in his palace. If he had wished the people would have brought him the sun from the sky.

Instead of all this passion of the people. The leader demanded nothing from them, He himself tried to help the people. He tried to make them happy and rich. He achieved for them what he could.

Now after one year, his days have changed. He has lost his power. He is no more the darling of the people. He finds no one on the roofs to welcome him. The people have branded him a traitor. He is considered useless. Nobody wants to see him.

The leader tells that now he is walking in heavy rain. The people who were passionate about him, are throwing stones at him. They are calling him a traitor. His forehead is bleeding. The people are attacking him for his crime.

The leader fells there. he thought of his glorious regime. He reflects his success and his marvelous entry into politics. But he met a bad end. He served the people when he was in power. He sacrificed his everything for the people. As a result, he is treated as a traitor. The leaders is hopeful of a nice reward from God in the life hereafter.

The poem is a criticism on democracy in the third world countries. The poet wants to clarify the prevailing intolerance in so-called democratic practices is harmful to the soul of democracy. That is why a political leader in power is liked and appreciated. But those who are out of power are considered criminal. The people forget the favors and benevolence of their leaders. The poet wants to convey us a message that we must be tolerant and mature in politics and social life.

Dramatic irony, political satire exact and realistic expression and optimistic end have made the poem a remarkable piece of poetic art.

Important Questions

Question 1: Does the poem Patriot into Traitor reflects the mood of frustration and disillusionment?

Answer: The poem reflects the mood of frustration and disillusionment but that does not lead to pessimism in the end. It starts with apparent pessimism and concludes in optimism and the reward by God in the next life. 

The poet is justified to show the mood of frustration and disillusionment because

he describes the attitude of the people and the peak of the glory being enjoyed by the ruler just a year ago. 

The ruler in the poem was thought a patriot just a year ago and the people were welcoming him enthusiastically. They were throwing rose petals at him and the streets were filled with the people to see the popular leader. 

So in this way that even the churches(sacred places) were adorned which, we know, are not adorned except at the time of religious celebrations and events. He had great care for the people and wanted to do everything for them. 

He tried to do whatever he could to help his people; even he could bring the sun and the moon, i-e, he tried to do even impossible things for his people when he was in authority but when he was dethroned people drove him toward gallows for punishing him and he was called a traitor.

It was just disillusionment because that kind of treatment could not have been expected, the least, by that ruler who was so famous. It was quite unbelievable. A year ago, the very people were crying with joy. There was a jingle of bells and they had spread flowers on his way. 

How could they change themselves so suddenly just like a weathercock after the coupe d'état. That was a sudden disillusionment for the leader when the very people were throwing stones at him and there was nobody to greet him. 

The few palsied ones because people had gone to see the real show that was near shambles where the past patriot had to be hanged. So, the tone of frustration, dissatisfaction, and disillusionment is found there all the time the narrator of the story is telling the story of his bad luck and the behavior of the world with him.

Question 2: Discuss Patriot into Traitor as a dramatic monologue?

Is the poem Patriot into Traitor a dramatic monologue. Discuss

What is a monologue?

Answer: A monologue is a speech delivered by a character when he is alone on the stage. It is either an address to the audience or talking to oneself. It can be called dramatic because it is replete with dramatic irony. In a dramatic monologue also called a soliloquy the character reveals his inner self.

The poem, Patriot into Traitor is a dramatic monologue because the deposed ruler is talking to himself. He tells about his political rise and fall. When he was in power, people honored and cheered him. But when he was out of his power; they

maltreated him, stoned him and considered him a traitor, and ordered to hang him. His plans were sincere, bold, and true. He did not hide anything. He criticized and condemned selfish people.

Now he expresses his full faith in God. He yearns for the final decision of God on the day of judgment and hopes to be rewarded for his good actions. The poem is an explicit example of a dramatic monologue.

Question 3: Explain the contrast in the fate of the hero is shown in the poem, Patriot into Traitor.

Why did the followers of the Patriot, when he was in power, say: And afterward, what else?

Answer: In this poem, the poet describes the tragic downfall of a political leader. Two pictures of the same person have been shown. The first picture is one year old and the second picture is the present one. The patriot is presented there in both of them. people have to have a look at him.

One year ago, the political leader entered the city as a victorious fellow. People welcomed him wholeheartedly. He was their hero. They loved him. They honored him. They obeyed him. The paths were decorated with flowers and the bells were being rung to welcomé him. If he would have ordered the people to bring sun for him, they would bring.

Today, people have gathered at the shamble's gate where he is going to be hanged on the charge of being a traitor. He is bleeding due to the stones thrown by the public. He will be killed for his so-called crime but he hopes to get his reward in Heaven by the hands of God. And that reward will be better than the reward of people.

Question 4: Patriot into Traitor ends at a note of optimism. Elaborate.

The patriot is a great Explain.

Answer: In this poem, the poet describes a political leader. Actually, Robert Browning belongs to Victorian society. In the Victorian age, people were selfish and greedy. They rejected the call of God. Even for their worldly achievements they rejected the religious restrictions. 

They did not believe in God and the eternal reward of God. The poet tries to establish man's faith in God. Through this poem, the poet advises the people that they should only depend on God and His blessings. 

The world cannot give anything to its fellow beings. As the political hero of this poem, he faces many people of his own country who disgrace him. But he is hopeful that God will give him a reward for his good deeds. He never decreases his faith in God.

Tis God shall repay: I am safer so. 

This line shows the strong belief of political hero in God and His merciful nature. He thinks that reward of God is more valuable than that of worldly people.

Reference:

This is stanza has been taken from the poem “Patriot into Traitor” written by Robert Browning.

Context:

This poem is a criticism of politics and people?s opinion. When a leader comes into power, people call him a patriot. When he is dethroned, the same leader is considered a traitor. This is the tragedy of modern politics. The leader in this poem fell a victim to the same state of affairs. When he came into power, people showered flowers at him as a patriot. But after a year, they declared him a traitor, when he was no more in power. They took him to the gallows. But Browning has ended his poem not on a tragic, rather on a next world optimistic note.

Explanation:

Stanza 1

It was roses, roses, all the way,
With myrtle mixed in my path like mad
The House-roofs seemed to heave and sway,
The church-spires flamed, such flags they had,
A year ago on this very day.

In these lines the poet says through the mouth of a political leader, when for the first time, only one year ago, on that very day, he came to power, the people gave him a very warm welcome. There were roses mixed with myrtle flowers which people spread on his way through and through. The house-tops were crowded with people and they were moving and swinging like mad people. Also they were so happy as if they were mad. The minarets and domes of churches were shining with light. These churches were decorated with colourful flags. All this was on that very day when the politician came into power and it took place only one year ago.

Stanza 2

The air broke into a mist with bells,
The old walls rocked with the crowd and cries.
Had I said, 'Good folk, mere noise repels--
But give me your sun from yonder skies?
They had answered: And afterward, what else?

When the people were given him a warm welcome they rang bells and raised slogans. These different voices mingled with one another and produced a sort of music. The air became misty and heavy because of the noisy slogans and the ringing bells. The slogans of the crowd were so heavy and loud that the adjacent walls of the road-side houses trembled with various cries and noise of the crowd. These people were welcoming 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 was executed (done and what else they could do for him „the leader?).

Stanza 3

Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun
To give it my loving friends to keep
Naught man could do, have I felt undone;
And you see my harvest, what I reap
This very day, now a year is run.

In these lines the leader regretfully says that the people did not help him, instead, it was he who leaped at the sun and made impossible, possible for them. He brought the sun down and handed it over to his dear friends (country men). He made them realize that every impossible could be made possible for sincere friends. As such he made every effort and did not leave any thing undone for them. Had he left anything undone, nobody else would have done that for them. But he further says with great sorrow that today when only one year has lapsed and that he is no more in chair, his reward can be seen. It can also be seen what he is reaping as a reward of his deeds. He has been branded as a traitor by the people of his nation.

Stanza 4

There's nobody on the house-tops now-
Just a palsied few at he windows set;
For the best of the sight is, all allow,
At the Shambles Gate--or, better yet,
By the very scaffold's foot, I trow. 

In these lines the poet mourns that nobody can be seen on the housetops to welcome him now. It is quite opposite to the scene when he was received by them. Now there are only a few people, who are rather paralyzed and are standing at the windows. Now they are watching a different sight. This sight is a sort of ridicule and everybody agrees to it. Obviously, the sight is horrible because the leader is now being taken to the slaughter-house, or it can be better said, the leader thinks, that he is being taken to the gallows to be hanged there. It is all the reward of his good deeds. His deeds have been converted into wicked deeds and people are now punishing him for his supposed misdeeds.

Stanza 5

I go in the rain, and more than needs,
A rope cuts both my wrists behind;
And In think, by the feel, my forehand bleeds
For they fling, whoever has a mind,
Stones at me for my year's misdeeds.

In these lines the poet also mopes over his sad condition. He says that the people are carrying him to the gallows in the rain. They unnecessarily, have tied his hands behind his back with a tight rope. When they are taking him to the slaughter-house, the rope cuts his both hands at wrists. The culprit (the leader) feels that his fore-head is bleeding. This is because everybody in his right sense is throwing stones at him. Everybody feels that he has done nothing for his countrymen. Every person has turned against him and the achievements of his past one year have been changed to misdeeds. This means they have forgotten his service to them and they are now punishing him for his good work for them.

Stanza 6

Thus I entered, and thus I go
In triumphs, people have dropped down dead.
'Paid by the world, what dost thou owe
Me?'--God might question; now instead,
'Tis God shall repay: I am safer so. 

In the given lines the poet, through the mouth of the deposed leader says that he was brought honourably to the chair and with great pomp and show but now he is being taken very insultingly to the gallows. He says sometimes great heroes fall from their climax and die. Such has not happened to him. Had he died in the peak of his power, he would have been happy. Further the leader ridiculously says that 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. He says 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 a reward because God is just and He would give him the best reward in the other world for his service to his people. He would be safe with God in the world here after.