Patriotism

Patriotism means the loyalty of a person to his/her own nation or the leaders of a nation. A patriot is a person who is on the side of his/her own nation.

Poem

Breathes there the man, with soul so dead,

Who never to himself hath said,

"This is my own, my native land!

Whose heart hath never within him buried?

At home his footsteps he hath turned.

From wandering on a foreign strand!

If such there breathe, go mark him well;

For him, no minstrel raptures swell,

High though his title, proud his name,

Boundless his wealth as wish can claim,

Despite those titles, power, and pelf,

The wretch concentrated all in self,

The living shall forfeit fair renown,

And doubly dying shall go down,

To the vile dust from where he sprung,

Unwept, unhonoured, and unsung.

Summary:

Patriotism is written by poet Sir Walter Scott who has described the nature of an unpatriotic person who only loves his money and power. So his death is double death; physical death and death of his soul. This is because he is unpatriotic to his native land where he is born that country only gave him that much power and wisdom but he is not utilizing it properly. He is wandering in a foreign strand and collecting boundless money. However, according to the poem, it is worthless. No one will sing for him if he comes in a higher post and because he does not have any feeling of patriotism. He will be happy because of his post and hard work but no one else will. He is a wretch; a miserable person concentrated all in himself.

He always looks towards himself but no one else. According to the poem, he is like a dog that does not have any feeling of love towards his motherland and any other than himself. Therefore, his soul is dead. He is living but his heart is not buried in his body. When he returns home, his money and power lure him and he strives to return to the same place for his power and riches. When he dies, he will go to the useless dust from where he was born, and upon his death; no one will sing for him, no one will honor him. In addition, from this poem, we can get a moral that we have to die for the same country, our motherland that gave us our life. We should really have respect and love for our native country no matter what the costs may be. Then only will our soul die in peace and in honor. We will be sung upon our death and will always be remembered.

Questions:

1. What is the poem entitled?
2. Who has composed the poem?
3. What is the poem about? Or what is the theme of the poem?
4. Who is called a dead man? Who dies twice?
5. What is patriotism?
6. How does an unpatriotic person die?
7. What is far better than heaven?
8. Who are unsung by the countrymen?
9. What kind of person lives with soul dead?

Answers:

1. The poem is entitled Patriotism.
2. Sir Walter Scott has composed the poem.
3. The poem is about the love for one's country.
4. A dead mean means here an unpatriotic man who doesn't love their own country. An unpatriotic man dies twice.
5. Patriotism is a deep love for the nation that can give their own life for the sake of their country.
6. An unpatriotic person dies without being cared for by anyone just like dogs who don't care about their motherland anymore.
7. Native land is far better than heaven.
8. An unpatriotic people are unsung by the countrymen.
9. That kind of person who doesn't love their own country but only works for themselves only lives with their soul dead.