Analyzing Of Robert Browning Poetry Essay, Research Paper
Table of Contents Bibliography page 1 Home-Thoughts from Abroad Poem .. page 4 Analyzing Home-Thoughts from Abroad Poem .page 5 Meeting at Night Poem page 6 Analyzing Meeting at Night Poem ..page 7 Bibliography of Robert Browning Very few poets have made poetry their career. As a youth in his teens, Robert Browning calmly declared that he would make poetry his life s work. With equal calm, his parents accepted his decision, and encouraged him greatly. Success came slowly, but Browning was convinced of his own genius. His parents continued to support him for many years. Fairly late in life, Browning achieved the fame he so eagerly saught. Much of his work is still enjoyed by readers who like quick dramatic flashes that illuminate human personality. Robert Browning was born May 07, 1812 in Camberwell, a suburb of London. Robert came from a very wealthy and cultured family. His father, whose hobby was collecting a huge library of books on unusual subjects, was a clerk in the bank of England. His mother was well trained in music. Except for a few years of school, Robert received most of his education from his parents, and from his own reading, in a wide variety of areas. His first poem ever published was Pauline in 1833. His first important long poem was Paracelsus (1835). The public ignored it, but a few cities liked it. The famous actor-manager, William Charles Macready, asked Browning to write a play for him. Browning wrote “Strafford” which was staged in 1837. It had success, but several later ones were failures. In 1840, Browning published another long poem Sordello. Browning was still little known to the public, when in 1845, he wrote an admiring letter to the poet Elisabeth Barrett. The letter established a friendship, and that gradually developed into love. In 1846, Browning eloped with Elisabeth. During the 15 years of their married life, Browning devoted himself to her. They had an incredibly happy marriage. Elisabeth had ill health, and it was worsened by the English climate, so they made a home in Florence Italy, in the palace later made famous by Elisabeth s poem, Casa Guidi Windows. When she died, his own literary star began to rise, and he returned back to London with his son. Later on in life, his son moved to Venice. Browning s shorter poems remain the most popular. The dramatic monologues such as My Last Duchess, are favorites with some readers. Some poems with deeper messages are Pippa Passes, and The boy and the angel.Brownings longest, and as many think his greatest work is, The Ring and the Book, (1869). It s a poem that tells a murder from different points of view. Some books say that it is from 9 points of view, and others say that is from 12.During the last 20 years of his life, he wrote 15 volumes of poetry and was adored by London s literacy society. In 1881, a society was founded in his honor, and his reputation was extremely high.Robert Browning died on December 12, 1889 at his son s house in Venice, while visiting. Browning s last poem Asolando, was published on the day of his death. His body was interred in Poets Corner, West Minister Abbey. At the time of his death he ranked with Tennyson, as the leading English poet of his time.Browning s works will always be known for their enormous vitality, and for their understanding of human psycology. They express a great love for life, that occur very rarely in great poetry. He ll always be remembered for his memorable characters, and his great insight into human nature. Home-thoughts, from AbroadOh, to be in EnglandNow that April s thereand whoever wakes in EnglandSees, some morning, unaware,That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheafRound the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough In England now!And after April, when May follows,And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!Hark, where my blossom s pear-tree in the hedgeLeans to the field and scatters on the cloverBlossoms and dewdrops — at the bent spray s edge — That s the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,Lest you should think he never could recaptureThe first fine careless rapture!And though the fields look rough with hoary dew, All will be gay when noontide wakes anewThe buttercups, the little children s dower– Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower.
Poem AnalyzingHome-Thoughts, from Abroad(a.)This poem was talking about the life in England. Robert once lived there, but had to move to Italy, due to his wife s ill conditions. He was describing the life there, how wonderful it was, and beautiful. At the end of the poem it says “Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower.” I looked up that flower, and it grows in Italy. That last line tells you that he is comparing England to Italy, and really he would rather be back living in beautiful England, with all it s pretty birds and flowers. (b.) This poem really doesn t have a lot of poetic devices. It does say however “Buttercups, the little children s dower.” The buttercups were not really the children s dower, meaning that the buttercups were passed on to them after someone passed away. It s just saying that it s really special to the children. (c.) There was lots of imagery in the poem. I ll just name off a couple of examples. “Where my blossom s pear-tree in the hedge leans to the field and scatters on the clover.” I could easily picture the pear tree leaning over the field and all it s blossoms falling on the field, creating a carpet of flowers. When he said, “And though the fields look rough with hoary due, all will be gay when noontide wakes anew.” It s like maybe in the morning the fields not looking so great, but then you can picture a beautiful field with sunshine shining down on it, when it turns noon. (d.) The theme of this poem is about being homesick, for the place that you love. It s hard being away from the place that you lived all your life, and this poem describes how Robert felt about it. (e.) This poem has a major connection to his life, because he really was living it. He lived in England his whole life, and when his wife couldn t handle England s climate he had to move to Italy. He was writing about how he was missing England, and it was easy to tell that he wanted to go back, but knew there was no way he could. Elisabeth was too important to him. (f.) I chose this poem because I could see right away that it had a major connection to his life. Also, a lot of his poems are hard to understand, since they were written almost 200 years ago. This one I immediately understood. I have never really moved too far, but I m sure that it would be really hard, and I understand where he is coming from. Meeting at Night The gray sea and the long black land;And the yellow half-moon large and low;And the startled little waves that leapIn fiery ringlets from their sleep,As I gain the cove with pushing prow,And I quench its speed I the slushy sand. 2 Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach;Three fields to cross till a farm appears;A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratchAnd a blue spurt of lighted match,And a voice less loud, through its joys and fears,Then the two hearts beating each to each! Poem Analyzing Meeting at Night (a.) This poem is about a guy in a boat, travelling over the sea. It describes him on the water and then it tells of him docking on the beach. He docks on the beach, and sees a farm in the distance, over three fields. He goes over to the farm, and meets his lover there. (b.) There is really only one poetic device in this poem, and it s personification. It says “And the startled waves that leap in fiery ringlets from their sleep.” It gave the waves human characteristics, by them leaping, and waking from their sleep. (c.) For imagery, I can really see the match that he is lighting. It says, “A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch and blue spurt of a lighted match.” It s also easy to see the fierce waves coming over the boat. ( From the quote in b.) (d.) The theme of this poem would have to be love. Both Robert and his wife Elisabeth are both well known for their love poems. This poem is describing all the obstacles he had to go through, just to get to her. Then at the end, they meet. How romantic! (e.) It s hard to say if this is connected to his life or not. This situation could have happened to him, I don t know. Robert and his wife were very much in love, so maybe the girl that he speaks of, is Elisabeth. I could also say that it was a description of his life as well though. Robert did not become famous right away, he had to go through a lot, to get people to notice him. Then when he started writing poems to Elisabeth, it just all took off for him, he married, and lived happily ever after! (f.) I chose this poem because a lot of Robert s poems are hard to understand, and I understood this one. There were very few that I actually could, so I thought I d jump on the chance. This poem, also had a poetic device, which tended to hard to find as well. Both Robert and his wife are both famous for their love poems, so I decided to use it.