THE PATRIOT – MCQ NOTES

1] Robert Browning- Victorian Poet

2] form- Dramatic Monologue
3] Reflect’s Browning’s philosophy- “God’s is in heaven ,and all’s right
with the world”
4] ends on a note of optimism
5] subtitle- An old story (means universality of the theme)
6] 1st STANZA
A] roses ,roses all the way
B] myrtle was mixed with roses.Myrtle is sacred to Demeter &
Aphrodite- indicates that the people virtually worshipped him
C] the church spires were wrapped in flaming flags in his honour
D] the house- tops were crowded with people to take a glimpse of
the patriot- such was the adoration and love
E] symbolism- the moment the patriot entered the city
Triumphant – the old order started to weaken- that’s why
Roof-tops seemed to sway – leaders were in trepidation.
7] 2nd STANZA
A] the moment the patriot entered there was celebration
B] church bells started to ring in honour; ( metaphor)- like the way
air is full of moisture –(mist) similarly so the air was soaked in bell
sounds
C] a crescendo of cheers- the old walls rocked with crowd & Cries
( symbolism of 6 E reiterated)
D] the patriot could have utilized this popularity for Personal
advancement.
E] could have expressed disappointment- mere noise repels
F] referred to the crowd as – ‘Good Folk’
G] could have asked for anything- like the sun from Yonder skies-
hyperbole
H] such was the craze of the unthinking crowd they would have
answered- ‘And afterward ,what else’
I] public opinion is fickle,unreliable- they flow with popular
sentiment- and can be manipulated by other politicians.
8] 3rd STANZA
A] regret in retrospect( review of the past)
B]it was he who leapt at the sun- did the impossible- made many
powerful enemies as the welfare of the people was his mission- went
against exploitative rich & powerful.
C] Allusion to Icarus and Daedalus- refer to notes given
D] he gave the sun to his loving friends ( common people) to keep-
meaning gave them a better way of life
E] no one could have done more than him- he did not leave anything
undone- this dedication makes him a patriot not a politician or leader
F] the consequence of all his dedication and taking up impossible
challenges irony made him the most hated man of the country
G] his harvest (the end result of his deeds- metaphor) is that he is
being taken to be executed
H] he reaps ( metaphor) death
I] this total turn took place exactly a year after.
9] 4th STANZA
A] the scenario is totally different- diametrically opposite
B] there is nobody on the house –tops now
C] a palsied few [ invalid] at the window set
D]the entire city have gone to Shambles Gate- the site of execution
E]it is the best sight for they can see him hanged- such is the hatred
and blood thirst that they want to see him die with their Own eyes.
F] the patriot can comprehend that some are by the scaffold’s foot-
near the platform of the gallows
10] 5th STANZA
A] deliberately made him endure acute suffering – malicious
B] it was raining ; and with hand tied behind his back he was being
dragged outside the city where he will be executed
C] rain- symbolism- nature crying to see his pathetic predicament
D] unnecessary torture- the rope which had tied his wrist behind is
unnecessarily tight – cutting into his bones;
E] people have thrown stone at him apparently for his year’s
misdeeds
F]his foreheads bleeds
G] irony- he left no stone unturned for the welfare of his people- and
today they throw stones at him
H] they completely forgot how they greeted him a year ago-simply
wiped out of their minds
11] 6th STANZA
A] ‘Thus I entered ,and thus I go’- summary of his contribution to the
city- reminds one of Jesus and Palm Sunday- refers to Jesus’
triumphal entry into Jerusulem ; people had scattered palm branches
in front of Christ as he rode into Jerusalem; Jesus rode on donkey-
animal of peace while horse is animal of war.
B] many great patriots have died a martyr – triumphant in a
battlefield; dropped down dead- the patriot too sacrificed his life for
his Country
C] After death his spirit will face God- Almighty will ask him as to
what he received from the world-
D] He has not been paid anything for his endeavour and dedication
E] God will bless him and reward him – this is his consolation and
belief
F] he is safer thus in the hands of God
12] ALLITERATION
Roses roses
Myrtle mixed
Crowd and cries
Dropped down dead
13]PERSONIFICATION
The house-tops seemed to heave and sway
14]IMAGERY
REFER TO PG 122- 124 OF WORK BOOKLITERARY DEVICES IN THE
PATRIOT
15] RHYME SCHEME- 6 stanzas of 5 lines- ABAABA
16] JUXTAPOSITION-
• The arrival of the Patriot is juxtaposed with he being taken to
be executed
• Rooftops swaying with people – rooftops empty
17] ALLITERATION
• Roses ,roses
• Myrtle mixed
• Crowd and cries
• Dropped down dead
18] METAPHOR- ‘And you see my harvest,what I reap’
The Patriot compares his deeds to harvest and what he receives
as a consequence
19] IRONY
‘For they fling whoever has a mind’
The dramatic irony lies in the situation of the popularity and
downfall of the political
Leader.It springs out from; in the beginning he was
revered[ respected] like God and within a year they treat him
like a traitor
20] TONE
The poem opens with an admiring and adoring tone; The poet
gives details of an effusive welcome in nostalgic mood.Then he
gives the description of a situation after a passage of one
year.Here he is lamenting and is resigned.
21] HYPERBOLE- [exaggeration]
• Line-2 ‘With myrtle mixed in my path like mad’
• Line- 9 ‘But give me your sun from yonder skies?’
• Line-11 ‘Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun’
21] METONYMY – substitution or replacement with a word closely
related to original.Eg- crown for King
• Sun/Sky
• Reap/harvest
• Scaffold/Shambles Gate
22] ANTITHESIS- a sentence of contrasts
• Line- 26 ‘Thus I entered ,thus l go’
23] ALLUSION –indirect reference to an event or thing
• Line-11 ‘Alack it was I who leaped at the sun’
The allusion is towards a Greek myth of Icarus whose father gave him
a pair of wings which he attached with wax and told him not to go
too close to the sun; Icarus became so rapturous with the ability to
fly that he forgot his father’s warning.The wax melted and Icarus fell
into the sea and died.
• There is also allusion to crucifixion of Christ in the 5th stanza
24] SYNONYM
The word ‘path’ and ‘way’ are synonymous
25] OLD ENGLISH WORDS
• yonder • naught
• trow • dost
• thou • tis
26] SYMBOLS
• Roses- welcomed the Patriot with love ,respect ,honour and
passion
• Path- political career
• Myrtle- symbol of purity ,love ,innocence and generosity
• Spires- A symbol of hopeful gestures and strength
• Sun – stands for something unreachable
• Forehead- denotes good luck- but the patriot’s forehead was
bleeding indicating his bad luck
• Rope- confinement and restriction
• Rain- tears and loss
27] VISUAL IMAGERY
• It was roses roses all the way
• The church-spires flames,such flags they had
• Just a palsied few at the windows set;’
28] AUDITORY IMAGERY
• ‘The air broke into a mist with bells’
• ‘The old walls rocked with the crowd and cries’
29] TACTILE IMAGERY
• ‘A rope cuts both my wrists behind’
• ‘And I think ,by the feel ,my forehead bleeds’
30] KINESTHETIC IMAGERY [ perception of movement]
• ‘The house-tops seemed to heave and sway’
• ‘Alack it was I who leaped at the sun’