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Browning: A Selection by W.E. Williams
A selection of Browning's poems by W.E. Williams.
- GenresPoetry
345 pages, Paperback
Published November 18, 1976
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About the author
Robert Browning
2,726 books455 followersRobert Browning (1812-1889) was a British poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, especially dramatic monologues, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets.
Browning began writing poetry at age 13. These poems were eventually collected, but were later destroyed by Browning himself. In 1833, Browning's "Pauline" was published and received a cool reception. Harold Bloom believes that John Stuart Mill's review of the poem pointed Browning in the direction of the dramatic monologue.
In 1845, Browning wrote a letter to the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, professing that he loved her poetry and her. In 1846, the couple eloped to Europe, eventually settling in Florence in 1847. They had a son Pen.
Upon Elizabeth Barrett Browning's death in 1861, Browning returned to London with his son. While in London, he published Dramatis Personae (1864) and The Ring and the Book (1869), both of which gained him critical priase and respect. His last book Asolando was published in 1889 when the poet was 77.
In 1889, Browning traveled to Italy to visit friends. He died in Venice on December 12 while visiting his sister.
Browning began writing poetry at age 13. These poems were eventually collected, but were later destroyed by Browning himself. In 1833, Browning's "Pauline" was published and received a cool reception. Harold Bloom believes that John Stuart Mill's review of the poem pointed Browning in the direction of the dramatic monologue.
In 1845, Browning wrote a letter to the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, professing that he loved her poetry and her. In 1846, the couple eloped to Europe, eventually settling in Florence in 1847. They had a son Pen.
Upon Elizabeth Barrett Browning's death in 1861, Browning returned to London with his son. While in London, he published Dramatis Personae (1864) and The Ring and the Book (1869), both of which gained him critical priase and respect. His last book Asolando was published in 1889 when the poet was 77.
In 1889, Browning traveled to Italy to visit friends. He died in Venice on December 12 while visiting his sister.
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July 15, 2022
Browning is well known for his dramatic monologues which enable the reader to step inside the minds of his characters, who are often depraved, mentally unstable or morally deplorable. Writing dramatic monologues was nothing new in itself (think of Claudius' 'O my offence is rank' soliloquy in Hamlet), but Browning's use of the poetic form to achieve this was hugely innovative.
His clever manipulation of language almost transcends the limits of poetry. His use of caesura, enjambment and parenthesis make his poems conversational and true to everyday speech. The disrupted poetic narrative of My Last Duchess, for example, conveys the breakdown of the speaker very well - it reads much like a stream of consciousness narrative.
Having said all that about Browning's monologues, my favourite poem is this collection was Summum Bonum, a very simple but beautiful love poem. It's distinctly more mature and composed than his other poetry, probably since it was published in his last collection before his death.
His clever manipulation of language almost transcends the limits of poetry. His use of caesura, enjambment and parenthesis make his poems conversational and true to everyday speech. The disrupted poetic narrative of My Last Duchess, for example, conveys the breakdown of the speaker very well - it reads much like a stream of consciousness narrative.
Having said all that about Browning's monologues, my favourite poem is this collection was Summum Bonum, a very simple but beautiful love poem. It's distinctly more mature and composed than his other poetry, probably since it was published in his last collection before his death.
Displaying 1 of 1 review