Robert Browning: The Master of Dramatic Monologue

Even had you skill
In speech-(which I have not)-to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say, 'Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Or there exceed the mark' -- and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,
-E'en then would be some stooping...

The month of April ushers in more than showers and flowers; it is also National Poetry Month. One man surely to be celebrated at this time is Robert Browning. Considered one of the great nineteenth century poets, Browning is known for his unique styles called dramatic monologue.

Dramatic monologues, also referred to as personal poems, are literary devices that were popularized by the likes to Robert Browning. In dramatic monologue, the poet speaks through a character as if giving a speech. Browning's unique twist on this poetic style goes one step further. In his verses, Browning presents self reflecting characters, who unintentionally reveal their world and their own darker sensibilities. In using this technique, Browning creates deeply interesting characters with which readers become vested.

Browning's dramatic monologues often involve devious characters or conflicted souls. His lines offer more than character points, but reveal setting and conflicts. In the My Last Duchess, the central character is a Duke, who while revealing a portrait of his late wife, reveals that he had her executed. A similar theme holds in Porphyria's Lover, where an insane man kills his true love. Other works, such as Home Thoughts From Abroad, express a man's longing for home.

True to his mastery of the dramatic monologue, Browning also offers characters with layers. He presents elements of personality which causes a reader to have sympathy for the tragic soul or understanding for the characters' perspective.

Browning also uses an argumentative style to his verse. His character attempts to make a rationale case. At first, the reader may think they are the ultimate arbiter, but in the Browning monologue, the reader is merely a listening and the rationalized thoughts are intended for another. In the case of My Last Duchess and Karshish, the Duke and Karshish are merely being self-reflective.

Browning also plays with the psychological elements of their characters. Insanity and obsession are key to the world that Browning creates through his verses. The reader, thanks to Browning being a meticulous wordsmith, transcends into the speaker's world and situation.

While we think of something Shakespearean as a dramatic monologue, more contemporary masters offer excellent examples of the art form. From the Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister to Fra Lippo Lippi, Robert Browning was one of the best at dramatic monologue and offered many memorable lines and characters for readers to enjoy. His genius has and will continue to entertain and influence great writers.