Robert Browning (2215 words) Essay Example For Students

Robert Browning (2215 words) Essay Robert BrowningRobert Browning, one of the most talented poets of the Victorian period, is famous especially for his dramatic monologues. Often these long poems deal with such issues as love, death, and faith. Much of his work is directly reflective of his life and of those issues that were of direct concern to him. One conflict seen throughout Brownings poetry is one of spirituality. His poetry forms a spiritual timeline; it reveals his spiritual influences and opinions. It formed his own Bible of beliefs which he possessed. Because Brownings views on spirituality changed, his poetry also gives insight on the internal conflicts within his life. The paper will explore Robert Brownings spiritual journey as is reflective in his poetry. Robert Browning was born in Camberwell, near London, England on May 7, 1812. He was raised by his father, also Robert Browning, and by his deeply religious mother, Sarah Anna Weideman-Browning. His often indulgent parents gave him the freedom to explore new literary and philosophical ideas of the time period, yet he was also instructed to believe the unexplained mysteries of the Christian faith(Miller, 1953). His mother, who had strong ties to the congregational church, took great time to instruct Robert in his religious studies. With this open atmosphere, however, Browning exhibited signs of disinterest in religion during his early childhood. The town preacher, in fact , found it necessary to publicly scold for restlessness and inattention Master Robert Browning(as cited in,Miller, 1953, p.9). Robert Brownings tendency toward skepticism was recorded early on. Robert Brownings first deviation from his faith was at the age of fifteen or sixteen. His primary influences were the Flower family and the writing of P.B Shelley. Browning often traveled to the Flowers house to discuss music, poetry, and aethism (Irvine Honan, 1974). Eliza Flower , with whom Browning was infatuated was an influence in Brownings aethism. She was one of the primary influences that turned Browning away from the Christianity of his mother. His other influence, the writing of Shelley, a known aethist, taught Browning to be an independent free thinker. After reading Shelleys book, Queen Mab , Browning became an aethist and a vegetarian(DeVane Smalley, 1984). He rejected his mothers world to gain a sense of liberty and independence(Irvine ; Honan, 1974). This faith change at such an early age seemed to lead to a continual spiritual inconsistency throughout his life. Browning had trouble accepting any faith or religion he chose to follow and often questioned his judgment in faith related decisions. Robert Browning considered Shelley to be moral because he was true, simple hearted and brave(cited in Payne, 1967, p.198). He found him to also be a man of religious mind because Shelley was everywhere taking for granted some of the capital dogmas of Christianity, while most vehemently denying their historical basement (cited in Payne, 1967, p.199). Browning clearly possessed a great respect for Shelley which followed him through much of his early poetry. Brownings life was fundamentally affected(Miller, 1953, p.9) by the Shelleys writing. During his adolescence, Browning may have recognized Shelleys, fearless spiritual independence(Miller, 1953, p.9). He noticed a principal of conduct whereby to measure in the years to come not only the sum of his own poetic achievement but the very nature of human integrity itself(Miller, 1953, p.9). Although there is no available poetry written before his first published work, Pauline, his early aethism is still reflec ted in his early poetry. Robert Browning eloped to Italy with Elizabeth Barret. Upon meeting his extremely religious wife and with her persuasion, Browning began to realize that Shelleys poetry had led him to a life of self-absorption. Yet, Robert took a skeptical attitude on the spiritual rappings, spurred on perhaps by his wifes immediate will to believe(Markus,1995, p.219). Eventually, though, Robert Browning made the decision to return to his Christian faith, perhaps due to his respect for his deeply religious mother or to the persuasion by his spiritually inclined wife. It is said that Elizabeth, Brownings wife, believed that spiritualism offered an alternative to melancholy: an assurance reinforcing faith(Miller, 1953, p.192). Browning, however was often skeptical of his wifes spiritualism. Despite this, Pauline reveals a return to God, but also displays an undying reverence to Shelley. Pauline, Robert Brownings first published work, was published in 1832. Pauline was undisputedly representative of Brownings reacceptance of Christianity. Some critics believe that his mothers reaction to his intellectual rebellion was probable one of the major factors in Brownings return to faith(Williams,1970, p.19). Others agree that the unbending spiritual beliefs of his wife may have led him down such a road(Miller, 1953)). The exerpt in Pauline most clearly representing this is the conclusion which is also an invocation to Shelly. sun treader I believe in God and truth and love; and as one just escaped from death Enemy A Seperate Peace EssayAs Browning became older, death became an ever present danger. He was confronted with the thought of hell condemnation and a fear of the existence of God. Rather than attempting to find secular peace, Robert Browning turned his heart and soul toward the Church and all of its principles. He was able to accept Christian dogma and believed in God as a part of his life, rather than death. As explained in Poetry Criticism:Browning concludes his long years of scrutiny not in a theodicy, but in a reaffirmation of his personal faith in God and the indestructibility of the soul. Not what God means in this vast universe, but what God means to him, Robert Browning, and to all believing souls, is the sum and substance of it all. (p.69)Browning lived his life with the concept of a God present always in the world. (DeVane and Smalley, 1984). His faith was not a philosophy or religion, but rather involved intuition. Browning discerned what God meant to him and what app lication it had on his life. His real theme in his poetry was a God in the spirit of the individual(Markus, 1995 p.221). From his experiences,as expressed by professor Royce, Browning met, in his own way, the problems set before him not only by tradition, the Christian conception of God (cited in Payne,1967, p. 200). Robert Brownings spiritual journey was not one of disinterest but one of great meditation and thought. Browning appeared to take time contemplating his spiritual beliefs. In his poetry, there is evidence of God and Christianity in both positive and negative aspects. Both aspects helped Browning to make faith decisions and come to a conclusion that could leave him in peace. Robert Browning died December 12, 1889. He faced death with genuine knowledge of his beliefs concluding a long and conflictory study of his faith through the poetry he wrote. The following poem is an accurate expression of the spiritual conclusion that Browning finally came to and freely accepted toward the end of his life. ProspiceFear death? to feel the fog in my throat,The mist in my face,When the snows begin, and the blasts denoteI am nearing the place,The power of the night, the press of the storm,The post of the foe;Where he stands, the Arch Fear in a visible form,Yet the strong man must go: For the journey is done and summit attained,And the barriers fall,Though a battles to fight ere the guerdon be gained,The reward of it all. I was ever a fighter, so one fight more,The best and the last!I would hate that death bandaged my eyes, and forboreAnd bade me creep past. No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peersThe heroes of old,Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad lifes arreaesOf pain, darkness, and old,For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave,The black minutes at end,And the elements rage, the fiend-voices that rave,Shall dwindle, shall blend,Shall change, shall become first a piece out of pain,Then a light, then thy breast,O thou soul of my soul! I shall clasp thee again,And with God be the rest!Biographies