Robert Browning was a famous 19th century English poet known for dramatic monologues and obscure references. He was largely self-taught and found fame later in life. Browning's poem "Meeting at Night" describes a romantic, secret meeting between lovers using sensory imagery and symbolism. The poem establishes a night landscape and builds anticipation as the narrator crosses the beach and fields to their tryst. On meeting, their hearts beat louder than their voices in joy, conveying the passion and excitement of their clandestine rendezvous.

1. Robert Browning – ‘Meeting at Night’
I.
The grey sea and the long black land;
And the yellow half-moon large and low;
And the startled little waves that leap
In fiery ringlets from their sleep,
As I gain the cove with pushing prow,
And quench its speed i' the slushy sand.
II.
Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach;
Three fields to cross till a farm appears;
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch
And blue spurt of a lighted match,
And a voice less loud, through its joys and fears,
Than the two hearts beating each to each!
Robert Browning - Brief Biography
Robert Browning (1812-1889) is one of the most famous poets of the 19th century (Victorian period). He's
particularly well-known for his early monologue, "My Last Duchess."
By the time Browning was 14, he was familiar with Latin, Greek, French, and Italian. Browning was largely
self-taught, with only a brief stint at the University of London, which likely contributed to later criticism
about the obscure literary references in his works. From his early years, he dreamed of being a poet...
Browning's early works were failures, and he gained fame as a poet only after his wife died in 1861. The
first work that received good reviews was his "Men and Women" in 1855, but "The Ring and the Book,"
which is sometimes considered Browning's greatest contribution to literature, was published in 1869. His
dramatic monologues featured unforgettable characters that come to life in his poems. First published in
Dramatic Romances and Lyrics, 1845, as "I Night, II Morning," and given the present titles in 1849.
Robert Browning’s Marriage
Robert Browning first met Elizabeth Barrett in 1845, after reading her poetry and corresponding with her
for some time. They were married just a year later, in 1846 against the wishes of her father. A son was
born to the couple in 1849, and they named him Robert "Pen" Browning. Elizabeth died in 1861.
Lines Analysis
The grey sea and the long black land; Alliteration- long ‘l’ sounds slow down the pace, the
And the yellow half-moon large and low; reader focuses on the night landscape being
described. Also, note the use of colour to bring the
landscape to life. The first lines establish the poem
as being a sensory, romantic poem.
And the startled little waves that leap Imagery describing waves lit by the narrator’s
In fiery ringlets from their sleep, lantern being displaced by the moving vessel. Fire is
often a symbol of passion and romantic love.
As I gain the cove with pushing prow, Imagery- a prow is the front of the boat ‘pushing’
And quench its speed i' the slushy sand echoes the eagerness of the narrator to meet his
lover. Alliteration -Sharp ‘p’ sounds also mirror the
narrator’s enthusiasm to reach the meeting.

2. First person perspective makes the poem seem
personal and engages the audience in the story.
The frequent use of the senses in this poem, in this
Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach; case smell, brings the landscape to life and gives
Three fields to cross till a farm appears; the poem a sensuous feel. The sibilance ‘sea-
scented’ also adds to the amorous tone. The night is
warm, another reference to heat.
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch The caesura here quickens the pace of the poem.
And blue spurt of a lighted match, The meeting of the lovers is drawing nearer. The
sibilance of ‘quick sharp scratch’ also breaks up the
rhythm echoing the lover’s excitement. We also
note that the lovers are meeting in secret; the
narrator has to tap on the window to be let in. Why
such secrecy? ‘Blue spurt’ could possibly be a sexual
reference. Fire is a common symbol of passion.
The final image depicts the narrator’s joy at being
And a voice less loud, through its joys and fears, with his lover. Their two hearts beating together is
Than the two hearts beating each to each! louder than their voices. This image communicates
the lovers’ excitement at the success of their
clandestine meeting. The exclamation at the end of
the poem also emphasises the happiness of the
lovers.
Structure
Throughout the poem loose iambic tetrameter keeps a steady, yet sedate
rhythm until line nine when the caesura and sibilance adds pace to mirror the
narrator’s excitement at the proximity of his lover. The use of ‘And’ at the
beginning of lines 10 and 11 also speeds up the pace at the end of the poem.
Tone
There is a sensuous, excited tone to the poem. There could also be said to be a
large amount of sexual euphemisms in some of the images ‘the pushing prow’
‘quenching’ its speed in the ‘slushy sand’ and the ‘blue spurt’ of the lighted
match. The poem is about romantic love and the use of the senses adds to the
sybaritic atmosphere created by this clandestine assignation.
Possible class activities
Divide the students into groups and give them a line of the poem each to analyse
for imagery, semantics/diction etc. Feedback and consolidate – annotate the
poem.