The Patriot: An Old Story is written in Browning's signature style, reflecting his murkiness, profound spirituality, and tremendous confidence. The poem's theme is widely applicable since it deals with the demise of great individuals. Power and grandeur are ephemeral and will never last forever. Even the most revered figures will be forgotten once they are gone. Patriotism is an important subject for Browning since he was born in a country that had just experienced its own War of Independence. He felt a sense of responsibility to write about such a crucial issue even though he was only interested in doing so from a personal perspective. Browning's father was a government official who worked for the Foreign Office in London. When Richard was only nine years old, his family moved to South Carolina where he grew up in relative poverty. His parents had hoped to give him a good education but instead he learned at an early age how to make a living by writing poems. When he was twenty-one, he traveled back to England where he spent the rest of his life. During this time, he published several collections of poems which made him famous all over Europe. He died at the age of forty-nine after falling off of his horse while riding in Richmond Park. In 1845, Britain and America went to war against each other. This conflict ended three years later with a British victory but at a high cost for their army.