Robert 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 Browning's 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 Browning's views on spirituality changed, his poetry also gives insight on the internal conflicts within his life. The paper will explore 's spiritual journey as is reflective in his ...
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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 "(as cited in,Miller, 1953, p.9). 's tendency toward skepticism was recorded early on. 's 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 Flower's house to discuss music, poetry, and aethism (Irvine & Honan, 1974). Eliza Flower , with whom Browning was infatuated was an influence in Browning's 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 Shelley's book, Queen Mab , Browning became an aethist and a vegetarian(DeVane & Smalley, 1984). He ...
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in his early poetry. eloped to Italy with Elizabeth Barret. Upon meeting his extremely religious wife and with her persuasion, Browning began to realize that Shelley's 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 wife's immediate will to believe"(Markus,1995, p.219). Eventually, though, 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, Browning's wife, believed that "spiritualism offered an alternative to melancholy: an assurance reinforcing ...
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"Robert Browning." Essayworld.com. August 17, 2004. Accessed November 22, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Robert-Browning/12801.
"Robert Browning." Essayworld.com. August 17, 2004. Accessed November 22, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Robert-Browning/12801.
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