UNIT 13 ROBERT BROWNING

Structure
13.0 Objectives -
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Browning : Life and Works
13,3 Rospice
13.3.1 Poem
13.3.2 Glossary
13.3.3 Discussion
13.4 Meeting at Night and Parting at Morning
13.4.1
13.4.2
Poem
Glossary .
13.4.3 Discussion
13.5 My Last Duchess
13.5.1 Poem
13.5.2 Glossary
13.5.3 Discussion
13.6 Let Us Sum Up
13.7 Suggested Reading
13.8 Answers to Exercises

OBJECTIVES
In this Unit, we shall introduce you to another eminent Victorian poet Robert Browning.
We have selected four poems for you which will give you an idea of some aspects of
Browning's poetic art. After reading this Unit carefully, you should be able to :
distinguish between a lyric, dramatic lyric and dramatic monologue;
r explain the features of Browning's poetic technique;
appreciate the distinctive quality of Browning's art;
discuss the selected poems.

13.1 INTRODUCTION
In the previous Unit, you read some poems by Tennyson. As you can see, Victorian poetry is
different from the poetry of the Romantics. The Romantics were primarily interested in
nature. On the other hand, while the Victorians were interested in nature, they were more
fascinated by human nature. You will find this tendency in the poetry of Browning,
especially in his dramatic poems wherein there is a searching psychological analysis of his
characters and their motives.

Browning has often been considered a "difficult" poet. There may be several reasons for this
"difficulty".
a) Sometimes, Browning has the tendency to say too much in too few words. For the sake
of achieving brevity and emphasis, several words are omitted. In technical terms this is
called 'ellipsis'. In such cases, the meaning has to be inferred from the overall context of the
poem.
b) At other times, there are sudden jumps from one thought to another in Browning's poetry.
It may then become difficult for the reader to keep pace.with these quick transitions.*
c) Browning was also a very learned man. He often supposed that his readers could easily
understand the vast range of allusions that he introduced in his poems.

All these factors contribute to some extent to the difficulty in understanding Browning. But
after the initial difficulties have been solved, you will find the reading of Browning's poetry
a rewarding experience.

We have selected some of Browning's shorter poems for you. Are they easy or difficult?
Response to poetry is something very individual and you may or may not agree with the
comments of even renowned critics. Moreover, a poem can have different interpretations
and thererore no single interpretation can qualify as the most authoritative or authentic one.
As you read the poems, try to monitor your responses,to them. You may require several
readings before you feel you have understood the poem. You will notice that with each fresh
reading, you will observe some beautiful poetic touch, some delightful phrase or some vivid
image that had escaped you in your earlier readings. Poems are meant to be enjoyed! As we
become more aware of the poet's art we find thht our enjoyment increases with our .
awareness.

Let us take a brief look at the poems we will read in this Unit. First we will read the lyric
%spice (a Latin word that is pronounced/prospikay/). You will recall that a lyric is a short
poem that has a songlike quality. The subject matter is usually personal and the poem
expresses deeply felt emotions and states of mind. We shall then take up another pair of
lyrics 'Meeting at Night' and 'Parting at Morning'. These can be broadly called 'dramatic'.
.In this kind of poem; the poet does not speak in his own voice but the situation is described
by an imaginary character. This is similar to a dramatic monologue. But a dramatic
monologue is different because there the focus is not on the actions but on the character and
motives of the speaker. Our final poem 'My Last Duchess' is a masterpiece of this kind.

Browning, as you will see, is quite different from Tennyson. He is primarily a thinker.
Moreover, his poems are more difficult than Tennyson's which are marked by clarity and
simplicity. You will notice some more differences as you read selected poems.

13.2 BROWNING :LIFE AND WORKS

LIFE
Robert Browning was born in i812 to parents who introduced him to both literature and
music at an early age. His youth coincided with the great spurt of writing by the Romantic
poets. While still in his teens, he was so influenced by Shelley that he converted to atheism
and vegetarianism. In 1828, Browning joined London University but left without taking a
degree. He knew that he wanted to be a poet and had written poems at an early age but his
first volume of poems was only published in 1833.

Browning was already a poet of some standing when he read some new poems by Elizabeth
 Poetry
Vktori~ Barrett. He fell in love with her without seeing her and subsequently married her, remaining
devoted to,her till her death in 1859. Browning dedicated his entire life to writing. Though
primarily a poet, he also wrote 8 plays between 1837 and the time (1845) when he met
Elizabeth Barrett. His letters too have been published. That he was successful is clear from
the fact that during his lifetime, Browning Societies were formed to promote an
understanding of his pptry. When he died in Venice in 1889 his body was taken back to
England to be laid to rest in the Poet's Comer at Westminster Abbey. This is the ultimate
honour for any English poet.

Selected Works :
Poems
Pauline (1833)
Paracelsus (1835)
Sordello . (1840)
Men and Women . (18'55)
Dramatis PerSonae (1864)
The Ring and the Book (1869)
Fifine at the Fair (1872)
La Saisiaz (1878)
Asolando (1889)
Plays
~trafford (1837)
Colombe's Birthday
Pippa Passes (1841)
A Blot in the Scutcheon

13.3 PROSPICE
This poem was first published in Dramatis Personae (1864). Prospice, a Latin word, means
'to look forward'. The poet speaks in his own voice. Death, as you know, has preoccupied
the meditations of poets and philosophers. John Donne defied and challenged death in the
famous words 'Death, be not proud! ' He regarded death as one long sleep and nothing as
powerful or dreadful as it is often made out to be. In this poem, Browning too discards fear
of death. Death for him is something to be faced bravely. It is only after death-that Browning
can hope to be restored to his beloved wife, the poetess Elizabeth Barrett Browning who had
died after a long and persistent illness. (She died in Italy in 1861. Their intense love has
'
almost become legendary!) In this poem, we find a sample of Browning's optimism.
Perhaps you have come across his oft-quoted lines from the poem 'Pippa Passes' which
read :
God's in His heaven
All's right with the world.
Browning's optimism rested on his enthusiasm for life and on his belief in God.
Let us now read the poem, as many times as necessary. The glossary that follows should be
helpful. In case there are some words or phrases that you still do not understand, consult a
dictionary.

13.3.1 Poem
PROSPICE
Fear death?-to feel the fog in my throat,
The mist in my face,
When the snows begin, and the blasts denote
I am nearing the place,
The power of the night, the press of the storm,
The post of the foe;
Where he stands, the Arch Fear in a visible form,
Yet the strong man must go:
For the journey is done and the summit attained,
And the barriers fall,
Though a battle's to fight ere the guerdon be gained,
 The reward of it all.
I was ever a fightq, so--one fight more,
The best and the last!
I would hate that death bandaged my eyes, and forbore,
And bade me creep past.
No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peers
The heroes of old,
Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life's arrears
Of pain, darkness and cold.
For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave,
The black minute's at end,
And the elements' rage, the fiend-voices that rave,
Shall dwindle, shall blend,
Shall change, shall become first a peace out of pain,
Then a light, then thy breast,
0 thou soul of my soul! I shall clasp thee again,
And with God be the rest!

13.3.2 Glossary
fog :thick mist, here it refers to the suffocation of death
blasts :violent gusts of wind, which the poet imagines must announce the approach of death
post :place or position
foe :enemy, that is, death
Arch Fear :Chief Fear, death is personified
ere :before
guerdon :reward
forbore :refrain
a
peers :equals in status. The poet probably refers to the other poets of earlier ages
brunt :full impact
arrears :debts
rave :talk wildly

13.3.3 Discussion
Let us first look at the poem critically and then analyse Browning's use of poetic devices.

Critical Summary
The poem begins with a rhetorical question. 'Fear death?'--clearly the poet does not. What
does the poet suggest in the next eight lines? He compares imminent death with a journey up
a steep mountain. A climber must experience a feeling of suffocation and shortness of breath
as he climbs through the mists. As he goes higher up the mountain, the snowfall and the
stormy blasts of wind seem to signify that the summit is approaching. In the same way. a
man passes through several trials and tribulations before he comes face to face with death.
*Thepoet continues with the image of the climber toiling up a mountain, All turns dark, the
storm rages fiercely as he approaches the position of the enemy. And who is this 'foe' that
the poet refers to? This fpe is none other than the 'Arch Fear' death. Death is the enemy thats
all human beings fear. The poet speculates on the stages that one must pass through before
one's death. The darkness will intensify, and the storms will increase as he nears the
stronghold of death, the eneniy of'hfe. There he will actually see death standing in his
fearful form. But even the strong and brave must finally~succumbto him. Just as the
jouniey ends when the climber reaches the summit after surmounting all difficulties.
similarly the poet will overcome all hardships and face death bravely. All must eventually
die.

In the next eight lines, the poet pnders over how life's battles are won after great struggle.
r
. a ,." a . .. 1 . . . . . ... . " ..".-. m . .. .
 face and overcome man). obstacles. The reward can only be had after a fierce struggle. The
poet recalls that he has always been a fighter in I'ife and would like to face death in a final
and glorious battle. He wants to embrace death bravely and will not have his eyes bandaged
so that he avoids looking death in the eye. In other words he would not like to slip into death
with his eyes closed. He does not expect any concessions from death. He would not like
death to gently take him away. He does not want to slink away quietly.

The poet would like to savour death in the manner of his equals, the other great poets of the
past. He would like to face death head on, without the slightest fear or hesitation. By facing
-
the pangs of death, he will instantly pay back all the debts that he owes to life. What does
*
Browning mean by 'glad life'? He seems to say that as he had a happy life and as he had not
. suffered in life, he will be happy to undergo pain, cold and darkness so that he is able to
finish the share of suffering that life might have assigned to him.

Browning believes that the brave person is able to turn even the worst situation to his own
advantage. The moment of despair will soon end. And even though the storm may blow in
all its fury and strange wild voices may be heard, all will gradually subside. What does he
wish to say? He simply means that the worst calamities die down if faced bravely. This then
shall be his attitude to death. After the tumult, there will be peace and calm. It seems as if
the poet will then emerge from darkness and despair to light and hope. The poet will then be
restored to his beloved whom he addresses as 'thou soul of my soul!' He will embrace her
and forget all else which he leaves unto the care of God.

The poet moves from images of darkness to light, from despair to hope, from the pain of
loss to the ecstasy of reunion with the beloved. All this is possible with confidence in
himsklf and faith in God. The poet Werally looks beyond death to eternal and joyous life.
Death thus is rendered powerless and ineffective. Not only is this poem about the conquest
of death but also about his love for his wife. For this poem was written shortly after her
death. The prospect of being re-united with his beloved, even if it in death, charges the poet
with the courage to face death. It is a loving tribute to the memory of his beloved wife.
1

Poetic Devices
Death is an abstract concept. Browning has personified it giving it a 'visible form' that
inspires fear. Death is thus a dreaded enemy who lnhablts a stormy pitch dark place; The
process of dying is likened to a journey through the cold, dark and dreary slopes of a steep
mountain. The personification is sustained throughout the poem. The images of mists,
storms and darkness capture the fedrful aspect of death. These word pictures serve to make
an abstract ooncept like death into a concrete fact that can be easily visualized. The
metaphor of the journey is extended to stand for the struggles of life as well. In the lines
'For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave. The black minute's at end', you will notice
,that 'sudden' means 'suddenly'. Alsonotice the economy of the sentence 'The black
minute's at end'. As we pointed out in the introduction, this tendency to pack a lot into a f'ew
words is a specific trait of Browning's art.
. .
.a

The lines rhyme alternately and the rhyme scheme is abab cdcd efef and so on. The metre is
more difficult to determine. The pentameter lines alternate with trimeter lines thus creating
an impression of quick forward movement that ties up with the journey metaphor, As you
can notice, Browning makes extensive use of alliteration. Read these lines aloud and savour
. the sheer music of the s and p sounds. 'Shall dwindle, shall blend, Shall change, shall
become first a piece out of pain .....

Exercise I
Explain the following lines with reference to the context :
For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave,
The black minute's at end, .....
0 thou soul of my soul! 1 shall clasp thee again,
And God be with the rest! -
 - -

Robert Browning

1 . 4 MEETING AT NIGHT and PARTING AT

MORNING
We shall take up these two short poems together as they complement each other. These early
poems were.published in Bells and Pomegranates (1842) and written presumably before
meeting EJizabeth Barrett. These are not necessarily based on the poet's experience but are
extremely vivid. Nor are they spoken in the poet's own voice. They read almost like a short
story and capbe taken as characteristic examples of dramatic lyrics. In the first lyric, the
speaker desczbes his eager journey by sea and land till he reaches the house of his beloved
on a remote farm in the dead of night. The second lyric, regards the inevitable parting in an
unsentimental objective way. The retrospective tone of this poem is calm in comparison
with the eager breathless quality of the earlier one where the lover is motivated by the single
thought of seeing his beloved. You wi4i notice that both poems are marked by an extreme*
economy of detail. Here Browning achieves his effect more by suggestion than by
explanation. Now let us examine each poem separately..

13.4.1 Poem
Read the poem several times, if necessary. You will find the glossary usefu!,

MEETING AT NIGHT
THEgrey sea and the long black land;
And the yellow half-moon large and low;
And the startled little waves that leap
In fiery ringlets from their sleep,
.As I gain the cove with pushing prow,
And quench its speed i' the slushy sand.

Ttien a mile of warm sea-scented beach;

Three fields to cross till a-farm appears;
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch
And blue spurt ofa lighted match,
And a voice less loud, thro' its joys and fears,
Than the two hearts beatinn each to each!
13.4.2 Glossary -
fiery :looking like fire; flaming; here the reference is to the moonlight reflected on the
waves that makes them assume the colour of flames.
ringlets :curls; the waves look like curly hair.
cove :part of the sea sheltered by a wide curve of the shore.
prow : the pointed front part of the boat.

The poem opens without a preamble. We are transported straight to the narrator's boat being
rowed in the grey sea. In the distance, the long line of the shore looks dark in the night. The
golden half-moon seems suspended low in the sky. The reflection of the moonlight on the
waves gives them the appearance of the tousled golden curls of someone who has suddenly
woken up from sleep. The narrator's boat reaches a small bay. The prow of the speeding
boat comes' to a stop in the soft, wet sand.

The narrator then continues his eager journey on foot, walking along for about a mile on the
warm beach that smells of salt water and fish (In literature, you will find in general that
wanhth and summer and pleasant smells are associated with happy and fulfilled love
whkreas winter and cold are associated with parting and sorrow). The lover then crosses
three fields till he comes to a farm. He taps at a particular window. He can hear the sound of
a matchstick striking a box after which a blue flame of a lighted match becomes visible. He
then hears his beloved's voice which is softer than their heart beats. The voice is full of joy
and fear-joy at his arrival but fear? It is probably the fear of being discovered. The journey
concludes happily as the two lovers join in a passionate embrace.

Poetic Devices
The first feature of the poem to strike you is its brevity and intensity. The lady is not
described, the meeting is barely mentioned. It is only through selective details of the journey
that the excitement of the meeting is built up. The eagerness with which the lover anticipates
the meeting with his beloved is conveyed in the quick pace and rhythm of the poem. The
rhyme scheme of the two short stanzas is ab cc ba; de ff ed. The lines are in pentameter
though you will notice that the metre is quite irregular and therefore it is difficult to
determine its exact category. For example, it is fairly simple to determine the metre in
Alexander Pope's poetry. Let's take the lines :
True wit is nature to advantage dres't;
What oft was thought but ne'er so well exprest.
Take the first two lines of Browning's poem. You will find that the rhythm is much more
elusive.

The musical quality of Browning's poem is ensured, however, by his extensive use of
alliteration; Look at 'long black land', 'yellow half-moon large and low' 'startled little
waves that leap'. The persistent '1' sound conveys a liquid lilting effect that captures the
peace and quiet of the moonlit night. Can you pick out similar phrases for alliterative effect?
Read aloud the line 'And quench its speed in the slushy sand'--don't you find that the
recumng 's' sound conveys the feel of the actual sound produced when the boat ploughs
into the slush producing a squelching sound? This is called the onomatopoeiac effect. A
similar effect can be found in 'sharp scratch' of the matchstick.

Let usmow look at lines 3 and 4. The reflection of the moonlight on the waves is conveyed
in the effective image of a head of curly golden hair of someone who has woken up with a
start. The poem is almost like a painting with its vivid portrayal of a 'grey' sea, 'black' land
and 'yellow' moon. The subdued colours of the first two lines give way to a more vivid
image in lines 3 and 4 as the pace of the lover's journey is conveyed. Not only does
Browning make us see but he also makes us smell the 'sea-scented beach'. He makes us
hear the 'sharp scratch' of the lighted match and finally makes us feel the 'two hearts
beating'. In short, the poem is richly sensuous-an effect that is suited to its romantic theme.
 -
13.4.4 Poem Robert Browning

Now let us turn to PARTING AT MORNING

Read the poem keeping in mind the question : Who is the speaker in this lyric?

PARTING AT MORNING
ROUND the cape oEa sudden came the sea,
And the sun looked over the mountain's rim :
And straight was a path of gold for him,
And the need of a world of men for me.

Glossary
cape :part of land jutting out into the sea.

13.4.5 Discussion
First to the question : who is the speaker in this poem? Taking our clues from lines 3 and 4
we might pose the following questions. Is it the woman this time? Is it the cry of a ruined
and betrayed woman or is it the lament of a woman missing her parted lover'? According to
Browning, it is neither. It is the man again and as Browning puts it '.....it ishis confession of
how fleeting is the belief (implied in the first part) that such raptures are self-sufficient and
'
enduring-as for the time they apNar' (New Poems, p. 176).

The night of rapture passes all too quickl'y. The narrator tells us that the high tide coming
over the cape and the rising sun visible over the edge of the mountain announce the advent
of morning. It also means that the time has come to part. In the third line we are told 'And
straight was the path of gold for him'. Who is the 'him' referred to'? The 'him' refers to none
other than the speaker-the eager lover of the night before who was rushing to the arms of
his beloved. To him the long journey over sea and land had presented no problem. That was
his situation on the night before. Now, on the morniii after, he is confronted with reality
and the japtures and excitement of the previous night are only a memory. In short, he
realizes that the joys of love are fleeting. He must now turn to the material world of men
where duty beckons.

Poetic Devices '

What is the rhyme scheme of this poem? Turn to the poem and indicate it at the end of each
line. Its quite simple, isnt it?-a bb a. What about the rhythm'? As we mentioned earlier, the
rhythm of Browning's poetry is more rugged and difficult to categorize. However, you may
have recognized that these lines are decasyllabic.

Consider the line : 'And the sun looked over the mountain's rim'. What is the poetic device
used here? The sun is pet:~on$ied. The image created is that of someone peeping in to
disturb the lovers. Compare this with similar lines in John Donne's poem 'The Rising Sun'
in which the poet chides 'Busie old foole, unruly Sunne. Why dost thou thus, Through
windows, and through curtainetcall on us?' Donne resents the interfering rays of the sun
that disturb the lovers by signalling the approach of day. In this poem, both sea and sun
seem determined to end the lovers' idyll.

'Path of gold' is an effective metaphor that succinctly connotes the pursuit of wealth and
material goods that the lover must now turn to after the ecstasy of the,previous night.
Similarly the phrase 'world of men' provides a contrast that highlights the changed situation
of the speaker.

You may have noticed that this poem is dramatic as well as lyrical. To sum up in the &rds
of Browning himself : 'Such poems ..... for the most part lyric in expression, always
' dramatic in principle, and so many utterances of so many imaginary persons, not mine'
(Advertisement to Drunluric. L~ri1.s( 1843,))

Let us now turn to the final poem in this unit. It is a form that Browning perfected, that is.
the dramatic monologue. But before we read 'My Last Duchess' let us complete the
following exercise.
Victorian p&try Exercise I1
1) In a few lines write down a critical appreciation of 'Meeting at Night' in the space
provided below.

2) Write a short note on Browning's use of poetic devices in 'Parting at Morning'.

13.5 MY LAST DUCHESS '

#
.
This poem first appeared in Dl-umutic Romunces ( 1842) and has now become a favourite
anthology piece.
Like many of Browning's best poems, 'My Last Duchess' is inspired in Italy. This poem i\
probably a dramatization of an account of Alfonso 11, the fifth Duke of Ferrara, (Ferrara is a
place in Italy) that Browning had read around 1842. He married Lucrezia de' Medici the
young daughter of the duke of Florence. They were a fairly new family compared with the
count. Lucrezia died at the age of 17-she was poisoned. Three years later Alfonso
contracted a mamage with Barbara, neice of the Count of Tyrol. The poem is set in
Renaissance ltaly (sixteenth century ).

. As we have pointed out earlier, this poem is a dramatic monologue. While reading it, we
should be awaie of its distinct features. What is a dramatic &onologue? In a dramatic
monologue :
a) the narrative is related by one person;
b) we can get an idea of theaituation in wqch the person speaks;
C) we can also infer what happened before this particular circumstance is described;
d) the motives and character of the speaker are revealed. For example, the speaker may
praise himself but from the context of the poem, we can infer whether this is justified or
otherwise.
e) the poet makes use of colloquial speech that is appropriate to the speaker (Michael
Mason);
f) the treatment is serious (Mason);
g) the exotic nature of the speaker and the remoteness of the scene distances the dramatic
monologue from both the author and the reader (Mason').
Keepingdhese points in mind, let us now read the poem.

13.5.1 Poem
MY LAST DUCHESS
FERRARA
THAT'Smy last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now : FraPandolPs hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will 't please you sit and look at here? I said
'Fra Pandolf' by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, 't was not
Her husband's presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess' cheek : perhaps
Fra Pandolf chanced to say 'Her mantle laps
Over my Lady's wrist too much', or 'Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
Half-flush that dies along her throat ': such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and'cause enough
For calling up that spot of joy. She had
A heart ... how shall I say? ... too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked whate'er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Sir, 't was all one! My favour at her breast,
The dropping of thi daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace-all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked men-good! but thanked
Somehow-I know not how-as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
In speech--(which I have n o t b t o make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say 'Just this
+Orthat in you disgusts me; here you miss,
'Or there exceed the m a r k ' a n d if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
' Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,
.
-E'en then would be some stooping, and I choose
Never to stoop. Ohpir, she smiled, no doubt,
Whene'er Ipassed her; but who passed without
Much the \ame \mile? This grew; I gave commands;
Victorian Poetry Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive. Will 't please you rise? We'll meet
The company below, then. I repeat,
The Count your master3 known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretence
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;

Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed

At starting, is my object. Nay, we'll go
Together down, Sir. Notice Neptune, though,
Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me.

Ferrara :a place in Italy

Fra Pandolf :a fictitious painter
countenance :face
durst :dare
spotof joy :flush ~f pleasure
mantle :loose, sleeveless cloak
favour :ornament
officious :one who is too eager to help
forsooth :no doubt; in truth
munificence :extreme generosity
warrant :guarantee
Neptune :ancient Roman god of the sea. Also called Poseidon in Greek mythology.
Claus of Innsbruck :imaginary sculptor.

13.5.3 Discussion
Let us begin with a few questions. Who is the speaker in the poem? Who is he speaking to?
What is the time and place? What does he describe? On what note does the poem end? What
sort of person does he emerge as? Who engages our sympathy? Answer these questions.
however tentatively in the space provided, before you read on.

The Duke of Ferrara is speaking to a marriage broker, an envoy of a Count. The Duke of
Ferrara has taken him upstairs ostensibly to show him his artistic treasures, away from the
rest of the company assembled below. This gives him the opportunity of talking to him more
intimately. It aIsbgives him ample chance to soften him up so that his case for a larger
dowry is represented before the Count his master, whose daughter he is to marry shortly. Let
us paraphrase the poem.
 The opens with the Duke of Ferrara pointing to a woman's portrait on the wall. This Robert Brownlng
woman tie introduces as his previous duchess. He also remarks on the lifelike quality of the
portrait. He then goes on to appreciate it as wonderful piece of art and commends the artistry
of Fra Pandolf, who worked for one full day before the portrait assumed its present
perfection. He then requests the envoy to sit down and admire the portrait. You must have
noticed how adeptly Browning is dramatizirig the situation by making quick digression's in
the narrative. He continues that he had mentioned the name of Fra Pandolf on purpose. His
experience so far had been that whoever saw the portrait always questioned him, if they
dared, about how that particular expression came to the duchess' face. The duke, in yet
another aside, says that no one else but him is allowed to draw the curtain that conceals the
portrait. He assures the envoy that he was not the first to question him about it

I
In a slightly ironical tone, the Duke tells the envoy that his duchess' face did not flush with
pleasure in his presence alone. He says that the painter had probably made some routine
remark about the position of the lady's mantle. Or it is possible that he had complimented
her on her beauty saying that it would not be possible to capture the fading blush on her
throat on canvas. The duchess was easily impressed with such courtesies and beamed with
pleasure. The duke, a suave conversationalist pauses for a moment to choose the correct
word to describe the lady's nature. He puts it most delicately saying that 'she had a heart ...
too easily impressed'. This is sarcastically meant for he had no sympathy with or
understanding of the young duchess' innocence. He complains that she liked all that she
saw. He is shocked at her lack of discrimination. Whether she was wearing thdomament
p'resented by her husband, or whether she was looking at the setting sun, or whether she
received a branch of cherries broke'n for her from the orchard by someone eager to please,
I or whether she rode the white mule round the terrace, the duchess would blush or express
her pleasure to one and all equally. He could not get over the fact that since she thanked all
equally she probably held his ancient family name in equal esteem with them.
It was below the dignity of the duke to put a stop to such frivolous behaviour. He then tries
to enlist the envoy's sympathy by asking him how he could have handled such a situation
without compromising his dignity. He simply says that he did not know how to express his
desires to her. He could not tell her how her behaviour disgusted him or how she fell short
of or exceeded the limits of decorum. He was not sure whether the 'duchess would allow
herself to be corrected without defiance, it would still amount to having 'stooped'. And this
is something the duke would permit himself to do on no account. He hastens to assure the
envoy that she was fond of him for she smiled at him whenever he passed. But because of
his extreme consciousness of his exclusive name he could not tolerate the fact that she
smiled at others as well. As this increased, he gave the necessary commands so that her
smiles may be stopped forever. Did he have her shut up in a convent, as Browning has

I
suggested elsewhere? Or did he have her killed? What is your reaction to this cruelty? 1s the
duke mad or is he just a proud and jealous husband?
After having narrated the fate of his unfortunate erstwhile wife, the duke once more tums to
the portrait with the eye of a connoisseur. He then requests his guest to rise so that they may
rejoin the company assembled downstairs. But before they join the others, the duke
shrewdly mentions the point he wishes to make. He hopes that the envoy's generous master
I
will be able to meet his demands for the dowry he hopes to receive on marrying his
daughter. But ever one for propriety and decorum. the duke states that it is not for dowry
that he is contemplating marriage but because he is fully impressed with the merits of the
Count's daughter. At this point the envoy probably fell a step behind to allow the duke to
descend first. The duke graciously insists on their going down side by side. As they walk
down, the duke draws the envoy's attention to a rare bronze statue'of Neptune. taming a sea-
horse that had been cast by the famous sculptor Claus of Innsbruck. What is the symbolic
significance of Neptune taming the sea horse? Does rhe poet suggest that the duke had by
now 'tamed' the envoy? Or is it the usual habit of the duke to tame all--envoys as well as
wives, past and future?
I
I
Poetic Devices
The versification of the poem is marked by freedom of flow. The lines are arranged in
,rhyming couplets such as aa bb cc and so on. But these are not closed couplets which carry a
complete thought or feeling. On the other hand, one line continues into the next line. This is
thus an open couplet and the technique is called enjambment. This is more appropriate
because the monologue form demands an unbroken flow of thought processes. it also caters
to the digressions that are a necessary feature of thinking aloud. For example, if we look at
Victorian Poetry the first two lines, we notice that whiletwall'and'call'rhyme, the sense of 'I call*is only
completed in the middle of the next line. The meter varies in different lines. But even so the
rhythm is calm and stately, much in keeping with the character of the speaker.

Another element that recurs in Browning's poetry, as we have noticed, is alliteration. For
example, 'Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt. When'er I passed her; but who passed without much
the same smile?' are not only musical but also stress the frequency of the offending smiles
and the concomitant irritation that they caused. The voice of the duke almost turns to a
venemous hiss that leads to his sinister commands. Can you pick out some more examples
of alliteration? It is important to remember that the elements of poetic expression like rhyme
rhythm metre alliteration are not an end in themselves. These elements have an artistic
significance only in so far as they are an embodiment of the poet's thought. Therefore, when
we pick out a poetic device we must be able to say in which way it helps the poet's thought,
feeling and overall design.

Also notice the diction in this poem. By using words such as countenance, munificence, '
forsooth and durst, the poet has created an atmosphere of a bygone age, Renaissance Italy in
this case. The duke speaks in an ironical tone whenever he refers to his last duchess. '... she
smiled, no doubt, Whene'er 1 passed her, but who passed without much the same smile?'
His exclusive breeding and social finesse are evident in his reference to her death as 'Then
all smiles stopped together'. The speech is terse-not a single word can be removed without
affecting the whole poem. There are sudden transitions, changes of mood and shifts in
argument induced by the silent envoy. These not only help to generate an impression of
realistic portrayal, but they also reveal the character not only of the duke but also of the
duchess whom he wishes to denigrate.

Exercise 111
I ) Pick out the words and phrasesthat convey the duke's arrogance. Does he refer to his
dead wife's beauty? Is he aware of his crime? What is your attitude towards him? Does
he evoke sympathy, respect, hatred?

2) Do you think that the duke's speech is an indirect threat to his next wife? If so, give
reasons to support your answer.
 Robert Browning
3) Briefly describe the characters of the duke and duchess from your reading of 'My Last
Duchess'.

13.6 LET US SUM UP

In this Unit, we have :
discussed 'Prospice', a lyric on love and death. Here the poet expresses his wish to face
death bravely and 6eroically and without fear. For death would only help to unite him
forever with his departed wife;
read the two short poems 'Meeting at Night' and 'Parting at Morning' that dramatize
and capture the excitement of a lover's visit to his beloved in the dead of night and the
parting of the lovers on the next morning. Duty not love is the final destiny of the lover;
studied Browning's famous dramatic monologue 'My Last Duchess' that provides a
glimpse into the warped mind of a sixteenth century Italian Duke;
been able to understand Browning's poetic techniques : his pictorial art, his use of
metaphor, alliteration, imagery, the rugged rhythm and the musical rhyme of his stanzas
that make the experience of his poetry so memorable.

13.7 SUGGESTED READING

If you would like to find out more about Robert Browning, you could well look at :
Betty Miller. Rohert Browning, A Portrait, John Murray.
G.K: Chesterton, Rohert Browning. English Men of Letters, Macmillan.
For a more extensive reading on his poems, we would suggest :
Valerie L. Bamish. Browning9s.Poetry,Methuen ~ o t e sThis is a short introductory book
that will give you an overview of Browning's life and achievement.
Thomas Blackbum, Rohert Browning--A Study of his Poetry, Eyre and Spottiswoode.
Ian Jack, Browning's Major Poetry, OUP.

13.8 ANSWERS TO EXERCISES

Exercise I
In the previous unit ( l2), we have'already given you some guidelines regarding explanation
o f a passage with reference to its context. You may refer to sub-sections 12.4.3 and 13.2.3,
in case of difficulty.

Exercise I1
i) Refer to sub-section .13.3.3.
ii) You may turn to the discussion on 'Poetic Devices' in sub-section 13.3.5.

Exercise I11
1 ) i ) The duke's aqogance :
Victo~ianPoetry 'She thanked men-g&! but thanked
Somehow-I b o w nbt how-as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody's gift'.
'... I choose
Never to stoop.'
'... 1 gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together...'
ii) The duke does not refer to his wife's beauty but only to its representation,
commenting on the painter's expertise.
iii) The duke is totally unaware of his crime or else he would not refer to his wife's
murder simply as 'I gave commands. Then all smiles stopped together ....' Is the .
man perverted? His cold-bolded attitude can hardly fail to evoke a feeling of
disgust in the reader.
The duke's monologue certainly lays down the code of behaviour that he expects from
any woman that he condescends to many. A veiled threat lurks under his words. For
detailed evident:: tum to the poem in sub-section 13.4.1.
In outlining the duke's character, we hope you've included the following traits : his
extreme arrogance; his cold-bloodedness; intolerance; greed; love for art, hatred of
spontaneous feeling, politeness, ruthless power.
The duchess seems to be an innocent young girl; easily pleased; simple; easily
impressed; unaware of her husband's proud lineage; full of life.