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What themes does Oliver Goldsmith explore in The Traveller?
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Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmith, oil painting from the studio of Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1770; in the National Portrait Gallery, London
In his 1764 poem The Traveller, Oliver Goldsmith explores themes centered on a philosophical comparison of various national cultures across western Europe.12
The work examines the differing degrees of happiness experienced by citizens within these diverse societies. It is narrated by a restless wanderer who reflects on his personal travels while maintaining a deep, yearning connection to his native land, where his brother resides. Beyond these observations, the poem serves as a vehicle for Goldsmith to express his own political ideas, drawing upon his personal experiences of tramping through the continent.21