The Last Ride Together Robert Browning B.A Part III English Compulsory By Jaspreet Kaur

Robert Browning 1812-1889 Mostly privately educated. Published his first long poem Pauline at 20. Other works: Dramatic Lyrics, Dramatic Romances. Last volumes of poems Asolando published on the day of his death. Poetry reflects optimism.

Introduction to the poem Taken from Browning’s Dramatic Romances. Is a dramatic monologue. Is the utterance of a lover obsessed by love. Theme- Importance of striving. Love has not been requited; the lover overcomes his anguish, rides with his love for the last time.

Stanza 1 Theme is unusual in love poetry: very far from conventional lover’s complaint. There is no bitterness, anger, despair. Lover is happy that the uncertainty is over. Finds happiness in what there is rather than what could have been.

Stanza 2 The lady hesitates, the lover hangs between life and death. The request for the ride is granted. The lover feels deified- like a deity. Stanza 3 Beautiful image of nature. The western cloud is heavily burdened with the many blessings- thrice blessed by the sun, the moon and the evening star.

Stanza 4 The lover feels refreshed and happy in the beloved’s company. His soul is soothed by the ride, like crumpled paper unrolled by the wind. Finds comfort in the thought that at least the lady does not hate him. Stanza 5 Man’s achievements are always petty, unimportant in comparison to his constant struggles. The lover at least has been granted the grace of one hour.

Stanza 6 Man’s actions/dreams never perfectly translate into reality. Limitations of the flesh, the body ever present. A politicians reward is only a small obituary, a soldier gets his name carelessly “scratched” on his grave. The lover at least has not failed completely. Stanza 7 The poet inspired by beauty himself lives in poverty and ugliness. The lover at least enjoys the ride that the poet can only write about.

Stanza 8 The comparison is to a sculptor and a musician. The sculptor spends 20 years to make a statue of Venus, can’t stop people from turning their eyes to a real beautiful girl. A musician can’t stay popular forever, fashions in music keep changing. The lover at least has his beloved now.

Stanza 9 The speaker concludes- not easy to decide what is good for man. Some dreams must remain unfulfilled. So hope remains for future (in heaven). Stanza 10 The speaker decides- heaven is nothing but realization of highest hopes and dreams. Wants this moment to become eternal, to enjoy the lady’s company forever.

Vocabulary Demurs: lingers Benedictions: blessings Awry: gone wrong Aquiesce: agree Deified: became a god

How does the attitude of the lover in this poem reflect Browning’s attitude towards the importance of striving and his optimism? Prepared by Jaspreet Kaur Associate Professor Dept. of English PGGC-11, Chd.