Robert Browning Activity

Robert Browning, Victorian Poet Activity

1. What were the predominant values, attitudes and ways of thinking of Victorian society?

- England was becoming more urban; newspapers reported on crime and lust within the city being presented as 'splashy tales'

- People became to have more faith within science explanations rather than following their religion

2. Describe the major trends and developments of the Victorian era.

- Newspapers had become more popular

- Became urbanised; resulting in close towns

- Violence and poverty increased

- Views changed (religion and science)

3. In one paragraph, give a brief summary of Browning's early years and background.

Robert Browning was born in Camberwell in 1812 to parents, Sarah and Robert. His mother was an evangelical and also a talented painist, whilst his father became a clerk and had also owned a library consuming 6000 volumes.

Coming from well-read and educated parents, poet, Robert Browning was intelligent and a reader throughout his childhood. He had learnt several languages by the time he was at the age of fourteen and had attented the University of London until 1828 until he decided to leave to read at his own pace.

4. What impact did his childhood and education have on his career as a writer?

Robert Browining's childhood had impacted on his career in the way that his father was educated well and had loved to read. He had been the one that had encouraged Browning into the literature world bringing him to his career. Robert Browning would have recieved a great education as his parents had had an interest in his life and possible future career his father had encouraged.

5. Give a brief explanation of the term DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE in Victorian poetry.

Dramatic Monologue is when a character is speaking or communicating to an audience that is not there but its obvious throughout the poem of the effect.

- There is a speaker and an implied audience

6. What are the three suggested requirements of a Browninesque dramatic monologue?

- Silent listener

- Speaker uses a case making, argumentative tone

- Audience complete dramatic scence from within, by filling in the gaps and using our imagination

7. What is meant by the term 'silent listener'?

A silent listener is when the audience in silent therefore allowing effect and impact.

8. What is the effect Browning is trying to achieve by the use of this technique - how does it position the reader?

I don't quite understand the technique in depth so am unsure in how it positions the reader..

9. Why did some of his contemporary readers find it difficult to read and interpret his work?

- Had a different way of writing poetry than other poets in those times

- Large vocabulary range

- Rare and unusual techniques were being used, which had led to the audience becoming confused of the story or effect in which it should be having

10. What were some of the contributing factors to aid in the peak of his career in the 1860's?

The death of his wife in 1861 was a contributing factor to the peak of his career. This was around the time that his "Collected Poems" (1862) , "Dramatic Personae" (1863), and "The Ring and The Book" (1868-9) were soon published. It was said that people had bought and read these texts out of sympathy.