Robert Browning's Dramatic Monologue Analysis

Writing Assignment – “Fra Lippo Lippi”
In Robert Browning’s dramatic monologue “Fra Lippo Lippi” we as the readers are presented with a lot of background information about the speaker itself. This monologue overall subjects a monk/painter of Renaissance Italy. I find this monologue very interesting because of the fact that Browning uses sarcasm and witty personality in his favor at the beginning of the poem. The trait of the authorities being overzealous in the monk’s eyes is what charms the beginning first half of the monologue. For this writing assignment, I will analyze specific lines of 1-60; I believe the monk reveals a lot about himself as a character in the very first half of the poem which is why I find this of significance. While analyzing these specific lines, I will also describe how these lines help us as readers better understand this character in question.
In these lines, brother Lippo appears to be before authority figures. While most disobedient citizens who are before the law will admit to their crime or accept it, brother Lippo decides to “talk” his way out of this mishap. Brother Lippo is apparently caught at midnight at a brothel and sees absolutely nothing wrong with this crime. Specifically from lines 5-6, “And here you catch me at an alley’s end, Where sportive ladies leave their doors ajar?” we as readers are able to

conclude that the monk feels that no punishment should be made. This helps us as the readers to further determine that the monk has no respect for authority figures or women even. As a character, the monk seems very lively, entertaining and amusing. I argue this, because even after the authorities got physical with brother Lippo, he still remained cheerful throughout the poem.
Furthermore, in lines 16-26, brother Lippo reveals a lot about his character as well.

He mentions Cosimo of the Medici, a well-respected family in Italy and attempts to use their name to his advantage. “Three streets off--he’s a certain..how d’ye call? Master__a…Cosimo of the Medici,” Despite the fact that brother Lippo doesn’t actually know this family he still throws their name around and challenges to shame the authorities with it. I argue that this tell us as the readers that Brother Lippo is also one of imagination and falsification. Brother Lippo can’t be trusted and all of the words that he speaks seem to all be

false.
As for further character analysis, I argue that brother Lippo allows us as the readers to apply character analysis by covertly telling us of his secrets. He uses this trick to his advantage and also uses his passion for art to his advantage also. His uses his art to pain religious things and scenes and while arguing with the authorities his imagination begins to turn them into art as well. Overall, I think the monk reveals a lot about himself in this monologue intentionally and unintentionally. Some of which he reveals voluntarily by airing out his dirty laundry while other he playfully spoke upon while trying to dodge trouble.