Britons,
Guard Your Own
(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase & Analysis)
Britons,
Guard Your Own
Rise,
Britons, rise, if manhood be not dead;
The
world's last tempest darkens overhead;
The
Pope has bless'd him;
The
Church caress'd him;
He
triumphs; maybe, we shall stand alone:
Britons,
guard your own.
His
ruthless host is bought with plunder'd gold,
By
lying priest's the peasant's votes controlled.
All
freedom vanish'd,
The
true men banish'd,
He
triumphs; maybe, we shall stand alone.
Britons,
guard your own.
Peace-lovers
we—sweet Peace we all desire—
Peace-lovers
we—but who can trust a liar?—
Peace-lovers,
haters
Of
shameless traitors,
We
hate not France, but this man's heart of stone.
Britons,
guard your own.
We
hate not France, but France has lost her voice
This
man is France, the man they call her choice.
By
tricks and spying,
By
craft and lying,
And
murder was her freedom overthrown.
Britons,
guard your own.
‘Vive
l’Empereur’ may follow by and bye;
‘God
save the Queen’ is here a truer cry.
God
save the Nation,
The
toleration,
And
the free speech that makes a Briton known.
Britons,
guard your own.
Rome’s
dearest daughter now is captive France,
The
Jesuit laughs, and reckoning on his chance,
Would,
unrelenting,
Kill
all dissenting,
Till
we were left to fight for truth alone.
Britons,
guard your own.
The
poem begins with a clarion call to the British people, urging them to awaken
and defend their nation while they still have the strength and courage. A
looming danger threatens from abroad—a powerful, ruthless enemy backed by
wealth and cunning, whose rise is celebrated and protected by the Church.
Despite these dark times, the poet stresses that Britain might soon stand
alone, and therefore its people must guard their homeland with vigilance.
Tennyson
then paints a picture of the enemy’s power. This force is supported by deceit
and manipulation: priests sway the common people, money buys loyalty, and true
men of freedom are banished. The danger is real and growing, leaving Britain as
possibly the last bastion of liberty.
The
poet acknowledges that Britons love peace, yet warns that peace cannot be
trusted if it comes from liars and traitors. They must hate injustice, not
foreign lands, and act to protect truth and freedom from oppression. France,
once vibrant, has lost its voice, now subdued under the will of this
controlling man, and justice and freedom have been overthrown there.
Finally,
the poem turns to a rallying cry. The people must choose their loyalties
wisely: “God save the Queen” and the values of the nation—tolerance, free
speech, and courage—are worth defending. The enemy, emboldened and cruel, aims
to suppress dissent entirely, leaving Britain as the last hope for truth and
freedom. The repeated refrain, “Britons, guard your own,” reminds readers that
the survival of their nation and its ideals depends on their vigilance and
resolve.
Line-by-line
Paraphrase
Rise,
Britons, rise, if manhood be not dead;
->
Wake up, people of Britain, and show your courage if bravery still lives in
you.
The
world's last tempest darkens overhead;
->
A great and threatening storm is gathering over the world.
The
Pope has bless'd him;
->
The Pope has given his approval to this powerful man.
The
Church caress'd him;
->
Even the Church has shown favor and support for him.
He
triumphs; maybe, we shall stand alone:
->
He seems victorious, and soon we may be the only ones left defending freedom.
Britons,
guard your own.
->
Protect your country and what it stands for.
His
ruthless host is bought with plunder'd gold,
->
His army is funded with stolen wealth.
By
lying priest's the peasant's votes controlled.
->
Deceitful priests manipulate the common people’s support.
All
freedom vanish'd,
->
Freedom has disappeared under his rule.
The
true men banish'd,
->
Honest and virtuous men have been driven away.
He
triumphs; maybe, we shall stand alone.
->
He is victorious, and perhaps we alone must resist him.
Britons,
guard your own.
->
Defend your nation and its values.
Peace-lovers
we—sweet Peace we all desire—
->
We love peace—we all want it.
Peace-lovers
we—but who can trust a liar?—
->
We seek peace, but how can we trust someone who deceives?
Peace-lovers,
haters
->
Though we love peace, we despise those who betray.
Of
shameless traitors,
->
We hate those shameless enough to act against their country.
We
hate not France, but this man's heart of stone.
->
We do not hate France itself, but the cruel and unfeeling man in power.
Britons,
guard your own.
->
Protect your country and your freedoms.
We
hate not France, but France has lost her voice
->
Our anger is not against France, though the nation has lost its freedom.
This
man is France, the man they call her choice.
->
He represents France now, the man chosen to rule it.
By
tricks and spying,
->
He uses deceit and espionage.
By
craft and lying,
->
Through clever schemes and lies.
And
murder was her freedom overthrown.
->
And through his actions, France’s freedom has been destroyed.
Britons,
guard your own.
->
Defend Britain from the same fate.
‘Vive
l’Empereur’ may follow by and bye;
->
Soon people may cheer for the Emperor.
‘God
save the Queen’ is here a truer cry.
->
But here in Britain, shouting “God save the Queen” is the right allegiance.
God
save the Nation,
->
May God protect our country,
The
toleration,
->
Its tolerance,
And
the free speech that makes a Briton known.
->
And the freedom of speech that defines a Briton.
Britons,
guard your own.
->
Stand ready to protect all these values.
Rome’s
dearest daughter now is captive France,
->
France, once beloved by Rome, is now under control and captive.
The
Jesuit laughs, and reckoning on his chance,
->
The Jesuits celebrate and anticipate taking advantage.
Would,
unrelenting,
->
They would, without mercy,
Kill
all dissenting,
->
Suppress or eliminate anyone who opposes them,
Till
we were left to fight for truth alone.
->
Leaving Britain as the only land defending truth and freedom.
Britons,
guard your own.
->
Protect your nation, your freedoms, and your values.
Analysis
in Detail
Alfred
Lord Tennyson’s poem “Britons, Guard Your Own” is a patriotic and cautionary
work that reflects the anxieties and political sentiments of mid-19th-century
Britain. Written in 1852, the poem addresses the threat of foreign domination
and the importance of vigilance, national unity, and the defense of liberty. Tennyson,
who would later become the Poet Laureate of Britain, uses this work to combine
political commentary with moral exhortation, urging his fellow citizens to
safeguard their nation and its values.
From
the very first line, “Rise, Britons, rise, if manhood be not dead,” Tennyson
establishes a tone of urgency and moral duty. The poet directly appeals to the
British people, calling upon their courage and sense of responsibility. The
metaphor of a “last tempest” darkening overhead conveys the looming danger of
European political upheaval, suggesting that Britain could soon be isolated in
its struggle to maintain freedom. Tennyson quickly identifies the source of the
threat: a powerful foreign leader, supported by both the Pope and the Church.
By emphasizing the blessing of the Pope and the caress of the Church, the poet
highlights the complicity of religious institutions in political manipulation,
presenting the enemy not only as militarily powerful but morally and
ideologically dangerous as well.
The
poem repeatedly stresses the enemy’s deceit and ruthlessness. His army is
“bought with plunder’d gold,” and peasants are controlled by “lying priests,”
reflecting Tennyson’s concern with corruption and the subversion of justice.
Through these lines, the poet laments the suppression of freedom and the
banishment of “true men,” presenting a stark contrast between the virtuous
British citizen and the morally compromised foreign ruler. The repeated
refrain, “Britons, guard your own,” serves as both a warning and a rallying
cry, reinforcing the need for vigilance and national unity.
Although
the poem is patriotic, it also reveals Tennyson’s nuanced perspective on peace
and morality. He acknowledges that Britons are “peace-lovers” and desire
harmony, but he cautions that peace cannot be trusted if it comes from
deceitful or traitorous sources. This duality underscores the poet’s belief
that liberty and moral integrity must sometimes be defended through vigilance,
even conflict. Tennyson’s assertion that “We hate not France, but this man’s
heart of stone” distinguishes between opposition to tyranny and hatred of an
entire nation, reflecting a measured and ethical approach to patriotism.
The
poem also explores the broader European political landscape. France, once a
voice of freedom, has been subdued, its liberties overthrown through cunning,
spying, and violence. By presenting France as a cautionary example, Tennyson
heightens the stakes for Britain, portraying his nation as the potential last
bastion of freedom and truth. The juxtaposition of foreign tyranny with
Britain’s constitutional monarchy—expressed in the line “God save the Queen is
here a truer cry”—reinforces national pride and the moral legitimacy of
Britain’s political institutions.
Tennyson’s
poem is heavily rhetorical, relying on repetition, parallelism, and direct
appeals to the reader. The recurring refrain, vivid imagery of storms, and
portrayal of the enemy as both morally and politically corrupt serve to create
a sense of urgency, inspiring collective action. The work also reflects the
anxieties of the Victorian era, a period in which Britain faced both external
threats and internal debates about national identity, morality, and
international relations.
In
conclusion, “Britons, Guard Your Own” is a compelling combination of patriotic
fervor, moral exhortation, and political commentary. Tennyson appeals to both
the intellect and the emotions of his audience, urging vigilance, unity, and
the defense of liberty. Through his portrayal of the enemy’s deceit and the
potential isolation of Britain, he emphasizes the responsibility of every
citizen to safeguard their nation and its enduring values. The poem remains a
vivid example of Victorian patriotic poetry, blending ethical concern,
political awareness, and artistic craft into a forceful call to action.
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