Patriotism-Sir Walter Scott Central Idea and Summary

Patriotism 

- Sir Walter Scott   

About Poet:
Sir Walter Scott (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832) was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time. He was the first English-language author to have a truly international career in his lifetime His novels and poetry are still read, and many of his works remain classics of both English-language literature and of Scottish literature.  



About Poem:
In the poem patriotism, the poet says somewhere in the country lives a man with his soul and conscience so dead, who has never in his life, not even once said to his own country that this is his own native land. If we come across such a person, we should mark him well.
An unpatriotic person is not liked by anyone. He is a wretch and miserable person. No matter how rich or powerful he is, he is concentrated all in self. He never becomes the subject of minstrel songs. Though he may be proud of his name and earn high titles of fame and position, his wealth is boundless as anyone may wish to claim, yet in spite of those high titles, unlimited power and pelf ; money wealth often implying ill-gotten gains-affluence, fortune, funds, riches; this wretched soul concentrated all in himself. Ultimately, he shall forfeit (deprived of) his fair renown living, and die twice; body and soul; before he goes down to the vile dust from where he originally sprung up, with no tears to weep for him, no one to honour him and no one to sing praises of him.  
 
Words: 
breathes: v. = survives/ taking in air
heart.... burn'd: ph. = worried
wandering: v. walking slowly
foreign strand: np=alien land
Minstrel: n. = singer or musician in the Middle Ages
rapture: n. = extreme happiness
swell: v. = fill with pride
pelf: n. = wealth
wretch: adj. = a person who does bad deed
forfeit: v. = give up or lose
renown: n. = state of being well-known