The Patriot Analysis

This poem represents how fickle and misguided the public can be. This man (the patriot) who was once branded as a hero and was cherished and could achieve anything that

he desired in a short space of time has become rejected and sentenced to death. The character reflects over his time and rather than openly admitting that he his being sentenced for the wrong reasons, seem to accept that the sanctions

being placed upon him are correct - demonstrating that he may be weak willed and easily persuaded (rather like the rest of the public.) However, there is still a sense of optimism inside of him - represented by the final paragraph, which is

almost like an epilogue where he talks about how he is waiting at God\'s gates to be judged. He says that he shall be safer in heaven, and therefore this shows that deep down he must believe that he is morally correct -

despite what the public believe. There are examples of pathetic fallacy in this poem which help to shift the tone of the poem from light to dark very quickly. Furthermore there are lots of examples of religious imagery which

signify the Patriots sense of traditionalism but also his sense of hope. Although this is \"an old story\" you could argue that this poem is very representative of our society today, and this idea of having \"15 minutes of fame\".

This poem arguably was ahead of its time and is a perfect example of Browning\'s precise and delicate skill in dramatic monologues.