This was once my video presentation during my sophomore years when we touched the topic on English-American Literature. See it!!!

1. ROBERT BROWNING
Early Life:
o May 7, 1812-December 12, 1889
o an English poet, playwright whose
mastery of dramatic verse
especially dramatic monologues.
o a Victorian poet.
o only son of Sarah Anna and Robert
Browning.
o Robert’s father is a literary collector
where he was raised in a household
significant literary resources.

2. o His mother, to whom he was very
close, was a devout talented
musician.
o By twelve, he had written a book of
poetry which he later destroyed
when no publisher could be found.
o He was educated at home by a tutor
via the resources if his father’s
extensive library around 6,000
books.
o By fourteen, he became a great
admirer of Romantic poets
especially Shelley.

3. o He refused a formal career and
dedicated himself to poetry.
o He stayed at home until the age of
34 and dependent to is family until
marriage.
o His father sponsored the publication
of his son’s poems.
o In 1834, he accompanied Chevailer
George de Benkhausen, the Russian
consul-general. On brief visit to St.
Petersburg and began Paracelsus
published in 1835.

4. o The publication had some
commercial and critical success
being noticed by Wordsworth,
Dickens, Landor and Tennyson.
o It was a monodrama without action,
dealing with the problems
confronting an intellectual trying to
find his role in society.
o It gained him access to the London
literary world.
o As a result, he met Macready who
invited him to write a play.

5. o Strafford was performed five times.
He then wrote two other plays, one
of which was not performed while
the other failed, he fallen out with
Macready.
o In 1838, he visited Italy looking for
background for Sordello, a long
poem in blank verse presented as
the imaginary biography of
Mantuan bard spoken of by Dante
in the Divine Comedy, set against a
background of hate and conflict
during Guelph-Ghibelline wars and
was published in 1840.

6.  Marriage Life:
o In 1845, he met the poet Elizabeth
Barrett. They began regularly
corresponding and gradually a
romance developed between them
leading to their marriage.
o Elizabeth’s poems included love
sonnets that increased her
popularity cementing her as an
eminent Victorian poet.
o She was a contender to become Poet
Laureate after William Wordsworth
death, the position eventually gong
to Tennyson.

7. o From the time of their marriage
until Elizabeth’s death, he lived in
Italy residing Florence at Casa Guidi
which is now a museum to their
memory.
o Elizabeth and Robert’s only child
was Robert Wiedemann Barret
Browning.
o He described Italy as his university.

8. o Men and Women
o In 1853, he worked with this
two volume poem for he is now
well known and it made a little
impact.
o The Ring and The Book
o In 1868, he published this long
blank verse based on
convoluted murder-case.
o It is composed of 12 books and
ten lengthy dramatic
monologues.
o Concluded by Browning
himself.
o Poet’s most ambitious project
and arguably his greatest work.
o It was successful both
commercially and critically.
o Robert Browning Society was
formed in 1881 and his work
was recognized as belonging
within the British Literary
Canon.
o An Epic-length poem that
justify the ways of GOD to
humanity.

9. o Porphyria’s Lover
o My Last Duchess
o Rabbi Ben Ezra
o How they brought the good
news to Aix
o Evelyn Hope
o The Pied Piper of Hamelin
o A Grammarian’s Funeral
o A Death in the Dessert
o A Cavalier Song
o A Woman’s Last Word

10.  I.
 All June I bound the rose in sheaves.
Now, rose by rose, I strip the leaves
And strew them where Pauline may
pass.
She will not turn aside? Alas!
Let them lie. Suppose they die?
The chance was they might take her
eye.
II.
How many a month I strove to suit
These stubborn fingers to the lute!
To-day I venture all I know.
She will not hear my music? So!
Break the string; fold music's wing:
Suppose Pauline had bade me sing!
 III.
My whole life long I learned to love.
This hour my utmost art I prove
And speak my passion---heaven or
hell?
She will not give me heaven? 'Tis
well!
Lose who may---I still can say,
Those who win heaven, blest are
they!
 Robert Browning

11. o In his remaining years, after a
series of long poems published
in the early 1870’s, the volume
Pacchiarotto and How we worked
in Distemper included an attack
against Browning’s critics
especially Alfred Austin who
became Poet Laureate.
o Parleyings with Certain People of
Importance in their Day was
produced that speak of his own
voice.
 Asolando, published on the day
of his death, a concise and brief
lyric poem.
 December 12, 1889, the dead of
Browning and was buried in
poet’s corner in Westminster
Abbey adjacent to that of
 Alfred Tennyson.