In the first two stanzas, the setting is in the joyous village which is described beautifully. The patriot has come back from war successfully and even the “house-roofs seemed to heave and sway” using a simile to create imagery in readers mind that everything and everyone loved the patriot and are celebrating his arrival by throwing “roses” on him which symbolizes the love they have for him. Roses are red, linking to blood, war and anger. This link shows that the speaker viewed war as pleasant because of the fact they were viewed as heroes. This poem starts of positive as this event took place “a year ago”. Then it carries on beautifully describing the village and its atmosphere as “the air broke into mist with bells”. Browning has used a lot of visual and auditory imagery in this poem as the patriot says “the old walls rocked with the crowd and cries” which is an example of personification as he is telling the readers that it was such a cheerful event as if even the walls applauded for him. Browning has also used alliteration as he says “crowd and cries” to emphasize the idea of walls cheering for the patriot. The tone set in these two stanzas is of enjoyment and celebration. It then moves to a promise made by the crowd when he says “give me your sun from the yonder skies” although the task is surely impossible, the crowd replies in agitation “And afterward, what else?” this shows the reader that the crowd highly appreciates and respects the patriot and would go to any level to give him whatever he demands. It shows the enormous faith and belief he could raise a year ago. The increasing positive tone in the first two stanzas reflects and shows that the speaker enjoyed being viewed as this.
In the third stanza, the patriot seems to feel that his country didn’t give as much to him as he did. There is a feeling of sorrow in him as he says “Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun” this informs the readers that although he asked for the sun it looked like to him that he was the one who gave the sun to his country, he fought the war for them “To give it my loving friends to keep”, keeping it safe and protecting it for his friends and people of his country. Browning has also used personal pronoun in this stanza as the patriot says “I” and “my”. The patriot is proud of himself, he feels as though he did everything for his country what others couldn’t do. browing has also used enjambment in this stanza so that the readers read the sentence in fast pace to show the poets emotions.
In the third stanza of Robert Browning’s poem the tone changes from a positive to a negative, more bitter regretful tone to display how he went from hero to war criminal after the war, the author uses the same imagery but expresses it in a negative tone. Now as the years gone by, there is no one who supports him, Browning informs the reader of this event as he says “There’s nobody on the house-tops now” the patriot is feeling lonely and disappointed as to why his country left him for such a little misunderstanding speaking in a bitter tone. The tone of this poem has quickly shifted from happiness to sadness which is an example of pathetic fallacy, the shift in the tone teaches the significance of the disaster in store for the hero (the patriot), a year later. The use of ancient phrases like “all allow” and archaic words like alack, trow are perfect examples of Browning's obscurity. Later on in this stanza, Browning informs us that the patriot is being punished at the “Shambles gate” and “Scaffolds foot” which creates imagery in readers mind that the patriot was also punished how Jesus Christ was punished.
Furthermore in this poem, there is another example of religious imagery as the patriot says “For they fling, whoever has a mind, stones at me...” it is a biblical phrase which shows the readers Browning’s deep understanding in religion. There is also a comparison presented, as earlier on in this poem, the patriot’s country loved him and he was there hero, as he arrives from war they throw “roses” at him whereas now he is in shambles gate where prisoners are crucified, and his country is now throwing “stones” at him for his years misdeeds. The setting has become violent and unpleasant. The poem states, “A rope cut both my wrists behind” clearly showing he was being held as a criminal after the war. The poem represents how views changed from fighting the war and being overvalued to criminal after the war when the deeds which were once glorified were reviewed and seen as bad, therefore now being held as a criminal.
Although he has been crucified at the shambles gate and the false indecisiveness shown by the crowd, the patriot has still optimistic faith that he will be protected in heaven, this informs the readers, poet's strong hope and deep faith in god. There is also a use of alliteration which emphasizes people have stop believing in him since he describes them as “drop down dead”. In the opening line of the last stanza, “Thus I enter and thus I go.” The poem finishes off with the idea that while the public might not be able to be consistent with its honor, the patriot himself knows that god will give him an appropriate judgment and he shall be much safer in heaven.
The whole poem tells the readers that even a highly respectable character can fall from grace within the short time of a year as well as the outwardly easy conversion from hero to villain. This poem have few meanings, but the most important one of them is the false opinion and views of the public. The Patriot by Robert Browining contrast how things can quickly change, this poem has a clear moral, complacency is what you should not easily set in. this poem is very effective in evoking the passionate feelings and purpose across to the readers.
