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Life of Robert Browning

by William Sharp

September, 1996  [Etext #656]


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Life of Browning by William Sharp





Please note:
  The Following Books relating to Robert Browning are now online:
  ---------------------------------------------------------------

Corson, Hiram.  An Introduction to the Study of Robert Browning's Poetry,
  3rd edition.
    This book is primarily concerned with Browning's poems.
    Advantages:  This book is an excellent introduction to Browning.

Orr, Mrs. Sutherland.  Life and Letters of Robert Browning, 2nd edition.
    This book is primarily concerned with Browning's life.
    Advantages:  As a close friend, the author has a good grasp of the facts,
      and is meticulous in her treatment of the material.
    Disadvantages:  As a close friend, the author is sometimes partisan.

Sharp, William.  Life of Robert Browning.
    Despite the title, this book is as much a critique of Browning's works
      as it is a biography of the poet.
    Advantages:  Further removed from poet, the author is willing to make
      some criticisms.  As an early and frequently quoted work on the subject,
      this book is a good resource.
    Disadvantages:  Due to carelessness on the part of the author
      and his publisher, a number of factual and other errors were made.
      Although this electronic text has corrected many of the obvious errors,
      they are frequent enough to leave misgivings.





[Note on text:  Italicized words or phrases are capitalised.
Some obvious errors may have been corrected.]





Life of Robert Browning

by William Sharp.





Contents.



Chapter 1.

London, Robert Browning's birthplace; his immediate predecessors
and contemporaries in literature, art, and music; born May 7th, 1812;
origin of the Browning family; assertions as to its Semitic connection
apparently groundless; the poet a putative descendant
of the Captain Micaiah Browning mentioned by Macaulay;
Robert Browning's mother of Scottish and German origin;
his father a man of exceptional powers, artist, poet, critic, student;
Mr. Browning's opinion of his son's writings; the home in Camberwell;
Robert Browning's childhood; concerning his optimism;
his fondness for Carravaggio's "Andromeda and Perseus"; his poetic precocity;
origin of "The Flight of the Duchess"; writes Byronic verse;
is sent to school at Peckham; his holiday afternoons; sees London by night,
from Herne Hill; the significance of the spectacle to him.


Chapter 2.

He wishes to be a poet; writes in the style of Byron and Pope;
the "Death of Harold"; his poems, written when twelve years old,
shown to Miss Flower; the Rev. W. J. Fox's criticisms on them;
he comes across Shelley's "Daemon of the World"; Mrs. Browning
procures Shelley's poems, also those of Keats, for her son;
the perusal of these volumes proves an important event
in his poetic development; he leaves school when fourteen years old,
and studies at home under a tutor; attends a few lectures
at University College, 1829-30; chooses his career, at the age of twenty;
earliest record of his utterances concerning his youthful life printed
in `Century Magazine', 1881; he plans a series of monodramatic epics;
Browning's lifework, collectively one monodramatic "epic";
Shakespeare's and Browning's methods compared; Browning writes "Pauline"
in 1832; his own criticism on it; his parents' opinions;
his aunt's generous gift; the poem published in January 1833;
description of the poem; written under the inspiring stimulus of Shelley;
its autopsychical significance; its importance to the student
of the poet's works; quotations from "Pauline".


Chapter 3.

The public reception of "Pauline"; criticisms thereupon;
Mr. Fox's notice in the `Monthly Repository', and its results;
Dante Gabriel Rossetti reads "Pauline" and writes to the author;
Browning's reference to Tennyson's reading of "Maud" in 1855;
Browning frequents literary society; reads at the British Museum;
makes the acquaintance of Charles Dickens and "Ion" Talfourd;
a volume of poems by Tennyson published simultaneously with "Pauline";
in 1833 he commences his travels; goes to Russia; the sole record
of his experiences there to be found in the poem "Ivan Ivanovitch",
published in `Dramatic Idyls', 1879; his acquaintance with Mazzini;
Browning goes to Italy; visits Asolo, whence he drew hints
for "Sordello" and "Pippa Passes"; in 1834 he returns to Camberwell;
in autumn of 1834 and winter of 1835 commences "Sordello",
writes "Paracelsus", and one or two short poems; his love for Venice;
a new voice audible in "Johannes Agricola" and "Porphyria";
"Paracelsus", published in 1835; his own explanation of it;
his love of walking in the dark; some of "Paracelsus" and of "Strafford"
composed in a wood near Dulwich; concerning "Paracelsus" and Browning's
sympathy with the scientific spirit; description and scope of the poem;
quotations therefrom; estimate of the work, and its four lyrics.


Chapter 4.

Criticisms upon "Paracelsus", important one written by John Forster;
Browning meets Macready at the house of Mr. Fox; personal description
of the poet; Macready's opinion of the poem; Browning spends
New Year's Day, 1836, at the house of the tragedian and meets John Forster;
Macready urges him to write a play; his subsequent interview
with the tragedian; he plans a drama to be entitled "Narses";
meets Wordsworth and Walter Savage Landor at a supper party,
when the young poet is toasted, and Macready again proposes
that Browning should write a play, from which arose the idea of "Strafford";
his acquaintance with Wordsworth and Landor; MS. of "Strafford" accepted;
its performance at Covent Garden Theatre on the 26th May 1837;
runs for five nights; the author's comments; the drama issued
by Messrs. Longman & Co.; the performance in 1886; estimate of "Strafford";
Browning's dramas; comparison between the Elizabethan and Victorian
dramatic eras; Browning's soul-depictive faculty; his dramatic method;
estimate of his dramas; Landor's acknowledgment of the dedication to him
of "Luria".


Chapter 5.

"Profundity" and "Simplicity"; the faculty of wonder;
Browning's first conception of "Pippa Passes"; his residence in London;
his country walks; his ways and habits, and his heart-episodes;
debates whether to become a clergyman; is "Pippa Passes" a drama?
estimate of the poem; Browning's rambles on Wimbledon Common
and in Dulwich Wood, where he