victorian-poetry

VictorianPoetryRobertBrowningHowdoIlovethee?Letmecounttheways.IlovetheetothedepthandbreadthandheightMysoulcanreach,whenfeelingoutofsightFortheendsofBeingandidealGrace.Ilovetheetothelevelofeveryday'sMostquietneed,bysunandcandle-light.Ilovetheefreely,asmenstriveforRight;Ilovetheepurely,astheyturnfromPraise.IlovetheewithapassionputtouseInmyoldgriefs,andwithmychildhood'sfaith.IlovetheewithaloveIseemedtoloseWithmylostsaints,---Ilovetheewiththebreath,Smiles,tears,ofallmylife!---and,ifGodchoose,Ishallbutlovetheebetterafterdeath.nothisinvention,madethispoeticformreachesitsmaturityandperfection.•atypeofpoem,favoredbymanypoetsintheVictorianperiod,inwhichacharacterinfictionorinhistorydeliversaspeechexplaininghisorherfeelings,actions,ormotives.Themonologueisusuallydirectedtowardasilentaudienceorlistener.dramaticmonologueDramaticMonologueThespeakerprovidesinformation,notonlyabouthis/herpersonality,butalsoaboutthetime,thesetting,thekeyevents,andothercharactersinvolvedinthesituation.Combineselementsofpoetry(form&structure);fiction(psychologicaldevelopmentofcharacterandsituation);anddrama(monologue).CharacteristicsAdefinedspeakerAdefinedaudienceAspecificcontext/situationTherevelationofcharacter,includingapsychologicalflawADefinedSpeakerThespeakerisNOTthepoet.Thespeakerisacharacter(realorfictional).Thepersonalityofthespeakerisfullydevelopedandrevealedthroughthedevelopmentofthesituation.ComplexpersonalhistoryPsychologicaldepthMotivesforactionADefinedAudienceTheformatisamonologue,meaningonespeaker.Theformatimpliessomeoneelseispresentandlisteningtothemonologue.ASpecificContext/SituationThereisadefinedsettingorplace,whichisdevelopedasthepoemprogressesThereisadefinedsituationoroccasionthatleadstothemonologueTheRevelationofCharacterandPsychologicalFlawDuringtheuninterruptednarrative,thespeaker’spersonalityisrevealedthroughthesituation.MostofBrowning’smonologuesincludetherevelationofapsychologicalflaw—aflawwhichthespeakerisnotawareofORdoesnotperceiveasaflaw.Whatisthedifferencebetweendramaticmonologueandsoliloquy?Whatisthedifferencebetweendramaticmonologueandlyric?MyLastDuchess”:agreatexampleofdramaticmonologue,basedonincidentsinthelifeofAlfonsoII,dukeofFerrarainItaly.Theduke'sfirstwife,Lucrezia,diedin1561afterthey'dbeenmarriedfor3years.dramaticmonologueAlfonsoIId'Este1533-1597marriage1558,firstwifeLucrezia,diedtwoyearsafterwards,poisoningormurdering.1565,secondwifeBarbaraofAustria1579,thirdwifeMargheritaGonzagaQuestions1.WhoistheDukeofFerraratalkingtointhepoem?WhyishisguestvisitingtheDukeofFerrara?2.Whyaretheonlytwonamedpeopleinthepoem,FràPandolfandClausofInnsbruck?3.TheDukewasnotentirelypleasedwithhislatewife,theLastDuchess.Whyandwhathedidaboutit.4.WhatimpressionoftheLastDuchessdoyougetfromthepoem?5.WhatisyourimpressionoftheDuke?6.WhydoestheDuketellthisstoryabouthislastDuchesstotheservantofthemanwhosedaughterhehopestomarrynext?ReadthePoemMyLastDuchessThat'smylastDuchesspaintedonthewall,Lookingasifshewerealive.IcallThatpieceawonder,now:FraPandolf'shandsWorkedbusilyaday,andthereshestands.Will'tpleaseyoutositandlookather?IsaidFraPandolfbydesign,forneverreadStrangerslikeyouthatpicturedcountenance,Thedepthandpassionofitsearnestglance,Buttomyselftheyturned(sincenoneputsbyThecurtainIhavedrawnforyou,butI)Andseemedastheywouldaskme,iftheydurst,Howsuchaglancecamethere;so,notthefirstAreyoutoturnandaskthus.Sir,'twasnotHerhusband'spresenceonly,calledthatspotOfjoyintotheDuchess'cheek:perhapspossessiveself-prideinbeingabletohireafamouspainter;wealthpossessivejealousyFraPandolfchancedtosay,HermantlelapsOvermylady'swristtoomuch,orPaintMustneverhopetoreproducethefaintHalf-flushthatdiesalongherthroat:suchstuffWascourtesy,shethought,andcauseenoughForcallingupthatspotofjoy.ShehadAheart--howshallIsay?--toosoonmadeglad,Tooeasilyimpressed:shelikedwhate'erShelookedon,andherlookswenteverywhere.Sir,'twasallone!Myfavoratherbreast,TheboughofcherriessomeofficiousfoolBrokeintheorchardforher,thewhitemuleSherodewithroundtheterrace--allandeachWoulddrawfromheraliketheapprovingspeech,Orblush,atleast.Shethankedmen,--good!butthankedSomehow,--Iknownothow--asifsherankedTheDuke’sjealousy;hestartstorevealmorethanheplannedkindtoeveryonewhoiskindtoherShewasamodestpersonwhogotembarrassedbycomplimentsMygiftofanine-hundred-years-oldnameWithanybody'sgift.Who'dstooptoblameThissortoftrifling?EvenhadyouskillInspeech--(whichIhavenot)--tomakeyourwillQuitecleartosuchanone,andsay,JustthisOrthatinyoudisgustsme;hereyoumiss,Orthereexceedthemark--andifsheletHerselfbelessonedso,norplainlysetHerwitstoyours,forsooth,andmadeexcuse,--E'enthenwouldbesomestooping;andIchooseNevertostoop.Ohsir,shesmiled,nodoubt,Whene'erIpassedher;butwhopassedwithoutMuchthesamesmile?Thisgrew;Igavecommands;Thenallsmilesstoppedtogether.ThereshestandsAsifalive.Will'tpleaseyourise?We'llmeetThecompanybelow,then.Irepeat,HeisgettingjealousoverherbeingkindMurder?rank/titleTheCountyourmaster'sknownmunificenceIsamplewarrantthatnojustpretenceOfminefordowrywillbedisallowed;Thoughhisfairdaug