Selected Dramatic Monologues Of Robert Browning

Browning was a revolutionary who broke away from conventional subjects and their conventional treatment to write about real men and women in a language not far removed from real speech. In 1828, at the age of 16, Browning enrolled at the University of London, but he soon left, anxious to read and learn at his own pace. The random nature of his education later surfaced in his writing, leading to criticism of his poems' obscurities. In 1833, Browning anonymously published his first major published work, Pauline, and in 1840 he published Sordello, which was widely regarded as a failure. He also tried his hand at drama, but his plays, including Strafford, which ran for five nights in 1837, and the Bells and Pomegranates series, were for the most part unsuccessful. Nevertheless, the techniques he developed through his dramatic monologues -- especially his use of diction, rhythm, and symbol -- are regarded as his most important contribution to poetry, influencing such major poets of the twentieth century as Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, and Robert Frost.

The greatness of Browning is a strength of character in the poetry. The technique of 'dramatic monologue' that he develops enables him to provide story and portrait at once, combine colloquial language and rich specialized language suited to the character and world of the speaker.

First published in 1966. This title complies a selection of critical articles by various authors on the poetry of Robert Browning. The editor has collected a number of important general studies of Browning’s mind and art by English and American critics, as well as studies on individual poems. This book will be of interest to students of literature.

Robert Browning (1812 – 1889) was one of the defining figures of the Victorian age. Famous in his lifetime for his elopement and marriage to Elizabeth Barratt, his critical reputation grew steadily in the years following her early death. Browning’s mastery of dramatic verse was evident throughout his career, from such chillingly unforgettable monologues as ‘My Last Duchess’ and ‘Porphyria’ to the mature work included in his collection Dramatis Personae. This selection, chosen by leading scholars, reveals the innovation, complexity and profound psychological insight that have ensured Browning’s enduring reputation and his continuing appeal to readers today. Browning: Selected Poems results from a completely fresh appraisal of the canon, text and context of the writer’s work. The poems are presented in the order of their composition and in the text in which they were first published, giving a unique insight into the development of Browning’s art. An introduction and chronology offer useful background material, whilst annotations and headnotes provide details of composition, publication, sources and contemporary reception. This authoritative yet accessible selection should become the first point of reference for scholar, student and general reader alike.