Chapter's summary : Text and Summary of Prose and Poem

About the Poet           Robert Browning (1812-1889), a Victorian poet, is famous for his romantic monologues which are penetrating studies of personality as well as vigorous poetry. His 'The Ring and the Book' explores the human mind by telling the same story twelve times, each time from the point of view of a different character. About the Poem           A patriot is a person who loves, supports and defends, and, if need be, dies for his country. He is loved, admired and even worshipped by the public as long as he is found useful. But the public is fickle. The moment 'the patriot' losses its favour, he is discarded and consigned to the dust bin. Browning has given two contrasting pictures of 'the patriot' - from being a hero once, to now being a persona non grata. The account here is in the words of the hero himself and he succeeds in conveying his agitated state of mind. The Patriot It was roses, roses, all the way, With myr...

About the Poem           Pied Piper is the hero of a German folk legend in the Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning. He, like Bhagwan Shri Krishna, played upon his pipe. When the Pied Piper, the rats followed him, fell into river and perished. And once when he played some merry tunes on his pipe, out came little boys and girls shouting and cheering. Such was the captivating spell cast by the Piper  ! Hemelin Part-1 Into the street the Piper stept, Smiling first a little smile, As if he knew what magic slept In his quiet pipe the while; Then, like a muscial adept. To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled, And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled, Like a candle-flame where salt is sprinkled; And ere three shrill notes the pipe had uttered, You heard as if an army muttered; And the muttering grew to a grumbling; And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling; And out of the houses the rats came tumbling; Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats, Bro...