Introduced by the Duke of Ferrara, the late duchess herself is denied the chance to present herself to the agent herself. However she cannot do this since she has passed away, for reasons unknown to the agent. The late duchess’s voice is silent now forever. The runaway slave is also silenced. There is no say in whether or not she was allowed to be with the man she loves, nor does she have a say in the matter about her rape, or giving birth to a lighter skinned baby. Neither have a choice with the ways men dictate their lives and suffer as a result of it, but their voices resist the oppression forced down upon them.
‘Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s point’ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning tells the plight of a female African slave living in the New World. Tragedy befalls her after first losing her lover, then again when her owner rapes her, and then she commits infanticide with her baby. Her life comes to an end when they hang her, her voice silenced by her own choice.
Browning’s use of thirty six stanzas, each about roughly seven lines, instills breaks into the poem. These breaks combined with the tone of the poem exude how the narrator feels about the turn of events in her life. “About our souls in care and cark/ Our blackness shuts like prison-bars…”calls the bleak view that she has on the life of a slave (E. Browning 1131). In the beginning, with the discovery of a new, budding love, her voice is hopeful. “I sang his name instead of a song, / Over and over I sang his name, / … I sang it low, that the slave-girls near / Might never guess, from aught they could hear …” reflects her quiet but joyful outlook of life (E. Browning 1133). Afterward, when he is taken and killed, the narrator loses her chance for true love; while grieving, her...
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...obert Browning and Elizabeth Browning used both women to show the immorality of the aristocracy and the men of that time period. Robert Browning displays the brutality of the duke with his descriptions about how he felt about his last duchess. Elizabeth Browning shows the inhumane treatment of the narrator, both reflecting the idea that money gives them the right to treat fellow people like objects and placing them in a negative light.
Works Cited
Robson, Catherine, and Carol T. Christ. "The Victorian Age." The Norton Anthology English Literature. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. 9th ed. Vol. E. New York: Norton &, 2012. 1130-137. Print.
Shmoop Editorial Team. "My Last Duchess Speaker"Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Robert Browning’s Poetry.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2002. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.
For it is a commonplace of our understanding of the period that the Victorian writer wanted above all to “stay in touch.” Comparing his situation with that of his immediate predecessors, he recognized that indulgence in a self-centered idealism was no longer viable in a society which ever more insistently urged total involvement in its occupations. The world was waiting to be improved upon, and solved, and everyone, poets, included had to busy themsel...
When Victorian Era, England is brought up in most context’s it is used to exemplify a calm and more refined way of life; however, one may overlook how the children of this era were treated and how social class systems affected them. Samuel Butler’s The Way of All Flesh is a novel written to take a closer look at the life of children growing up in the unfair social hierarchy of Victorian Era England. Butler’s main characters are Theobald and Ernest, who grow up during the time period; Overton, who is Ernest’s godfather, is the narrator of the novel and provides insight into Theobald and Ernest as they mature through the novel. Theobald is the son of a wealthy, strict, and abusive father who treats him with no mercy, but leaves him with a rather significant inheritance from his Christian publishing company, at his death. Ernest is the son of Theobald, who beats him with a stern fits over even the pettiest things in
I read a critical article on Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess”. I confess it was harder to find something in the NCLC’s than I would’ve thought. There was a considerable accumulation of critiques on Browning’s work, but very little on “My Last Duchess”.
In conclusion, biographical information of two poets, the symbols in three poems, the settings in three poems, and the shared theme have been discussed. “How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Meeting at Night” by Robert Browning, and “Parting at Morning” by Robert Browning have been thoroughly researched.
Since a young age Barrett Browning had shown significant amounts of interest in poetry and literature. By the age of four she had began reading and writing verse. “She was educated at home, and learned classic Greek, Latin, and several modern languages” (Shilstone 646). For being self-educated, her devotion to poetry, literature, and classical studies was exceptional (EXPLORING Poetry). “Elizabeth could read Homer in the original at 8 years old” (Greer). “She completed an epic poem, ‘Battle of Marathon’. when she was thirteen, and her father had it privately printed” (Greer).
most obviously conveyed by the writers of the time. Houghton examines the dogmatic framework behind the ideals presented by Victorian writers, as such dogmatism is often seen as one of the defining characteristics of the age. A profound difference between the Victorians and the Romantics, for instance, seems to be expressed when he writes:
“The act of reading is a partnership. The author builds a house, but the reader makes it a home.” (Jodi Picoult) Elizabeth Browning has built a house that attracts readers of all kinds. Diversity flows throughout her metaphorical home, which disproves a numerous amount of scholars’ claims about her. Browning’s “Sonnet 43” has been criticized for overly personal emotion and dated language. Browning’s immense fan base has actually resulted from the same aspect that she is criticized for. Her diction creates a sympathetic view for her readers. Elizabeth Browning’s criticism is unjust as she creates a relatable feeling for her readers, the diction in which she uses sparks immense thought, and her creativity is captivating.
In essence, Elizabeth Barrett Browning dramatic monologue proved a powerful medium for Barrett Browning. Taking her need to produce a public poem about slavery to her own developing poetics, Barrett Browning include rape and infanticide into the slave’s denunciation of patriarchy. She felt bound by women’s silence concerning their bodies and the belief that “ a man’s private life was beyond the pale of political scrutiny” (Cooper, 46).
Robert Browning frequently wrote dramatic monologues to enhance the dark and avaricious qualities in his works. Browning's use of this particular style is to "evoke the unconstrained reaction of a person in aparticular situation or crisis" (Napierkowski 170). A poem may say one thing, but when mixed with dramatic monologue, it may "present a meaning at odds with the speaker's intention"(Napierkowski 170). This change may show the reader more insight into the poem without directly stating the underlying facts. The reader is allowed to "isolate a single moment in which the character reveals himself more starkly" (Napierkowski 171). Browning's use of dramatic monologue "disposes the reader to suspend moral judgement" (Napierkowski 171) causing a haughtiness to hover over many of his works.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born on March 6, 1806 near Durham, England to Edward Barrett Moulton. Elizabeth’s family was from Jamaica. Her father’s health was derived from extensive sugar plantations in Jamaica; this was the proprietor of “Hope Island”. Her father began to suffer from financial losses, and could no longer afford to maintain the Hope Estate. She was the eldest of twelve children. Elizabeth was an English Poet who was known for her love poems. Elizabeth’s childhood nickname was “Ba”. She spent most of her childhood at a country house in MarrenHills, Worcestershire. At the age of four she composed verses. She began to write poetry at the age of six. Before Elizabeth was ten she read the histories of England, Greece, Rome, and several other Shakespeare plays. Elizabeth was educated at home. At the age of fifteen she was seriously ill as a result of a spinal injury and heart palpitations that plagued her permanently. Doctors treated her with morphine that she would have to take for the rest of her life. Elizabeth wrote her first book by the age of fifteen. Unlike her two sisters she immersed herself in the world of books. By the age of twenty she was offered to the public with no induction of au...
The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Victorian Age: Introduction." The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Victorian Age: Introduction. 2010. Web. 23 Feb. 2014
"History in Focus." : The Victorian Era (Introduction). Institute of Historical Research., Apr. 2001. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.
Browning's amazing command of words and their effects makes this poem infinitely more pleasurable to the reader. Through simple, brief imagery, he is able to depict the lovers' passion, the speaker's impatience in reaching his love, and the stealth and secrecy of their meeting. He accomplishes this feat within twelve lines of specific rhyme scheme and beautiful language, never forsaking aesthetic quality for his higher purposes.
Colvile, Derek. Victorian Poetry and the Romantic Religion. Albany, NY: State University of New York, 1970. 34-42.
1. Frost, Robert. Robert Frost’s Poems. Ed. Louis Untermeyer. New York: Washington Square Press, 1968. 194.