PROSPICE
BY
ROBERT BROWNING
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ABOUT THE WRITER:
Robert Browning, a poet of Victorian Age, was no way poet of that age. Victorian Age was a period of great political and economic activity. However, Browning’s poetry was untouched by the effect of theory of evolution (development, growth, progress, advancement), industrial revolution (rebellion, revolt, uprising), and scientific discoveries. He had extreme faith in life and love. He was extremely (very, tremendously, awfully. Really, particularly) optimistic(hopeful ,positive, bright, cheerful) and the same attitude is seen in his poetry. His works include Sordello _ (1840), Dramatic Lyrics (1842), Dramatic Romances and Lyrics (1845), Men and Women (1855), Dramatis Personae (1864) etc.
Everyone would agree to the fact that Browning was a great artist as far as the perfection (excellence, faultlessness, exactness, aptness of dramatic monologue (a long speech) is Concerned. He was incomparably (excellently, unbeatably, matchlessly, outstandingly, supremely) greater than his more popular contemporary poets. His finest works are composed in this style. He gave variety (diversity, multiplicity, range) and richness (wealth, prosperity, fortune) to this form. In Dramatis Personae, Browning carries forward his study of human beings and produces a number of dramatic monologue. These monologues are intellectual and philosophical in character.
Browning is predominantly (mainly, mostly, largely, chiefly) a poet of Hope and Faith. Throughout his career, Browning held up the steady (stable, firm, fixed, solid, sound) light of hopeful and optimistic concept (idea, notion, perception, impression, view, belief) of life before the doubt-tracked Victorians. He looked with scorm (disrespect) at the pessimistic (negative, gloomy, distrustful) school of poetry growing round him.
Once he declared;
“Death, death, it is the harping (musical instrument with strings) on death that I despise (scorn, hate, loathe) so much. What fools who talk thus? You know as well as I that death is life. Just as our daily momentarily (for a moment, briefly, temporarily, for a short time) dying body is nonetheless (however, nevertheless, on the other hand) alive, and ever recruiting (employ, take on, enlist, engage, sign up, enroll) new forces of existence. Never say I am dead.”
ABOUT THE POEM:
The present poem Prospice was included in the collection the Dramatis Personae(1864). This poem was composed after the death of his wife in this poem, the poet imagines that he is face to face with death. However, he is not at all scared (frightened, afraid, terrified, Fearful, Worried, anxious, timid). He shows a great courage and is prepared for the worst. The poem challenges death.
EXPLANATION
These lines are taken from Robert Browning’s famous poem, Prospice. The poem reveals his optimism and philosophy. The poem is written after the death of his wife.
However, the poet is not at all nervous after her death. In fact, he is sure to meet her in heaven and so is not at all afraid of death.
The poet dose not fear death. He actually welcomes it, as he knows it that only after death he can meet his beloved wife. He is ready to face the death bravely and fearlessly. The way a mountain climber has to face fog and mist, storms and snowfalls, a dying man will also have to face suffocation and blurriness(vagueness, dimness)of eye sight. The breathing also grows difficult, limbs(members, branches) becomes cold. All these are the symptoms (indication, warning, sign) of death. However, the poet is not at all scared.
In these lines the poet says that he has faced many troubles in life. He has always fought with all of them very bravely. Now the death is the last battle and he does not want to be a coward (a person who lacks courage). The victory over death will Be his reward. He will have the opportunity to meet his wife. He does not want to be blindfold like a coward before execution (implementation, carrying out, completing, finishing). He wants no mercy from death. The poet has always been a fighter. In his last fight with the Death, he challenges Death to do his worst and cause him the maximum suffering. He would like to die like the brave heroes of old who suffered and endured (bear, tolerate, suffer, undergo) heroically (bravely, courageously, fearlessly, daringly).
In the above lines, the poet has concentrated on the strength of a great soul and the courage of one who is prepared for the worst.
He wishes to experience the complete fury (anger wrath) of death. He is ready to face undue (excessive, too much, unnecessary) sufferings in his deathbed. In his way, he will be paying the debts and may enjoy perfect bliss (heaven, paradise, enjoyment, happiness, delight, pleasure) in the life to come. He believes that the terror and pain of Death is only momentary (brief, temporary, short-lived, quick). Soon it ends and the person who has suffered bravely experiences a peace out of pain and then sees the light of heaven. It is this faith, which sustains (maintains, continues, carry on, keep up, keep going, uphold) and strengthens (reinforce, make stronger, build up, support) the poet. He is quite optimistic that after death he would embrace (hug, Hold, hold in arms, squeeze) his beloved wife once again. He has left everything in the hands of God.
The poem is important for, many reasons. The first and foremost (leading, chief, principal) reason is that it is one of the most inspiring poems written on the subject of death. The second thing is that it expresses the poet’s passionate (obsessive, adoring, loving) love for his wife. The poem is written after death. The poet does not want to have anything between him and his wife hence is ready to endure (bear, tolerate, suffer, undergo) everything. The poem also brings out the poet’s optimism and his faith in the immortality (eternal, everlasting, undying, never-ending, endless) of the human soul. The body can perish, but the soul endures. His beloved wife may be death as far as physical self is concerned but her spirit lives on with God in the other world. True lovers are sure to meet in real life or in life after death.
CONCLUSION
The poem is autobiographical. The poet expresses it from the heart. The poet firmly believes that their separation (division, taking apart, partition) in the world would be a union in the heaven. In short, the poem is a tribute (compliment) to the memory of his departed wife and confident assertion (declaration, claim) of the poet’s own belief in the immortality of the soul.
