The Patriot. Robert Browning. Appreciation By P.S.Remesh Chandran.
Editor, Sahyadri Books & Bloom Books, Trivandrum.
By PSRemeshChandra, 13th May 2011.
Short URL http://nut.bz/1i9q667s/
Posted in Wikinut Poetry, Drama & Criticism
Browning
was a skilled poet, an expert in creating frantic situations in poetry.
In the Pied Piper of Hamelin it was mysterious loss of all children
from a town due to a word not being kept. In My Last Duchess it was
killing of a long line of innocent duchesses by a jealous duke, the
story being told without even presenting a second character. In The
Patriot, it is adoration by people immediately followed by chaining,
dragging through the streets, stoning by crowds and execution in the
gallows.
Majestic portrayal of fall from authority and subsequent condemnation.
 |
| Young Browning. A painting. |
Robert
Browning in his poem ‘The Patriot’ describes the different treatments
the same man receives from the same people within a course of one year.
First he was received by the people royally like a patriot. After one
year he was dragged through the streets by the same people and given a
scornful send-off to his death as a condemned man. The poet does not
tell exactly what crime was committed by such a famous and worshipped
man to be sent to the gallows within one year. Perhaps he might have
turned a traitor to his country or people, or might have done much
favouritism and corruption for his friends while he was in power, or
else people might have made a serious mistake in judging him.
People’s applause and esteem is but a momentary bubble soon to explode.
 |
| Royal reception of a popular hero. |
We
have examples of a Caesar returning victoriously after an Egyptian
Tour, received jubilantly by people in Rome and declared by Senate as
the Dictator for the entire Roman lands and after that, within days,
assassinated by a senator in front of all senators fearing for the
likely chance of him declaring himself as an Emperor of Rome. We also
have before us the example of the Oracle of Delphi proclaiming none was
wiser than Socrates and then Socrates being assassinated by the City
Council of Athens for a puny charge of corrupting their youth. The
execution of Sir. Thomas Moore, the modern day Socrates, also is vivid
in our memories. History is so full of such admonition messages from the
past that now we all know that people’s applause is but momentary and
that their admiration shall not be taken into account in assessing a
man’s real worth.
We have fetched the Sun for you: Need anything more?
 |
| Only moments would be needed to change this mood of festivity. |
When
the patriot was received for the first time by people, they went mad
and spread on his path roses mixed with evergreen laurels. House roofs
were filled with people just to have a glimpse of their worshipful hero.
Lights burned all night and flags fluttered freely in churches. Sweet
sounds of bells filled the atmosphere. People seemed to be such loyal to
and eager to please their hero then that had he asked for the Sun, it
would immediately have been fetched and they would have asked him, if he
needed anything more.
In the rain, hands fettered, stoned all the way, dragged to the death-post.
 |
| Price of ethereal love paid in earthly blood. |
We
learn from the poem that the patriot did many impossible things for the
people which made them pleased. ‘Nought man could do, have I left
undone’, the poet writes. The patriot did everything for his people that
a man could do. All of a sudden people turned against him and decided
to hang him publicly as a punishment for his crimes committed during one
year. Everything he did during one year had become crimes when viewed
from another angle. Now we see him hands fettered, suffering in rain,
stoned all the way, being dragged to the death post. And now there is
nobody on the roof-tops to watch the spectacle. All have gone to the
death-post at Shambles’ Gate to witness the best sight of hanging him.
What an unpredictable twist of human attitude!
A condemned and executed man is received to the merciful hands of God.
 |
| Crucified for delivering the message of love. |
We
have seen this exact scene in history a few centuries before, in the
mountains of Gagultha. A human representative of the creator and moulder
of mankind, an innocent carpenter, was executed on the cross for the
crime of loving mankind. On his way to death, the patriot has a few such
consoling thoughts. A man honoured in this world may most likely have
to suffer in heaven. But a man who is unjustly tortured and punished in
this world is sure to get God’s love in the other world. Thus, though on
the brink of his death, the patriot is solaced enough at the thought of
being really safe in the hands of God within minutes.
___________________________
Pictures Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
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Tags
Appreciations, British Poets, English Literature, English Poems, English Poets, English Songs, P S Remesh Chandran, Poetry, Reviews, Robert Browning, Sahyadri Books And Bloom Books Trivandrum, Songs, The Patriot
Comments
Sara
27th May 2011 (#)
Thanks for this really useful article!
Rathnashikamani
17th Jun 2011 (#)
Excellent analysis by an excellent editor.
PSRemeshChandra
17th Jun 2011 (#)
Browning
painted such an excellent and majestic scene with words that it was
very easy for me to remember it and redraw. Moreover I did an experiment
with this poem. When I functioned also as a journeyman lecturer, I
taught this poem while reading it for the first time. My first thrill of
reading, actually singing it for the first time could therefore be
transferred somewhat to the students. They said it was a pleasant new
experience for them, but they never knew I was reading the poem for the
first time. Therefore I still remember vividly my analysis of the poem
then. Another time I did the same thing with a famous short story, Anton
Chekhov’ 'The Bet'. Me and the whole band of learners were carried
away and could not speak or look at others for several minutes. It is
not the skill of the reteller but the excellent editorial powers hidden
in the writer that make readers spellbound.
PSRemeshChandra
Editor of Sahyadri Books & Bloom Books, Trivandrum. Author of several books in English and in Malayalam. And also author of Swan : The Intelligent Picture Book.
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