the poem, the patriot is a satire on public fickleness. How?
Answers
The patriot speaks about the fickle nature of the people whose views turns like a flip of a coin.
When the patriot first returned a year ago, there was a huge crowd welcoming him with roses strewn all over the path; with flags fluttering on the church spires. He was hero-worshipped and now, within a span of a year, the scenario has changed. He has been accused of being a traitor, criminal and is being executed.
He has not been given a fair trial and people have pelted stones at him for whom he had brought victory. He believes that in God’s abode he will get Justice.
Undoubtedly the crowds are notorious as being fickle minded. Be it the Roman crowd in Julius Caesar or the crowd in the poem, The Patriot, or anywhere else, they are quite volatile, and fickle. They take no time in changing their likes, dislikes, or perspective about anything depending upon the prevalent public opinion.
The poem is a harsh satire on this trait of changing loyalty of the public or society. The speaker of the poem is reminiscing the days a year ago when he was admired respected by the people of his country; the same people are not only curiously excited to see him hanged, but don't hesitate pelting stones at him also. Thus, moving towards the gallows, he just wonders at the fickle-minded people. People have treated all great men and women with the same fickle-mindedness. The saints who were tortured before becoming saints were mocked and persecuted by people always. The speaker in the poem expects reward from God.