The Refined Image of the Oriental in Browning’s Two Victorian Plays: A Psychoanalytic Reading

The purpose of this paper is to examine the way in which Robert Browning dissociates himself from the predominant Orientalist mode that viewed the Orient as a zone for exoticism. Despite his misconception of the Orient, there are bright aspects in his plays which can be described as a kind of reverence and respect. The study is a psychoanalytic reading of the oppressed Oriental who tries to assimilate, yet he fails. Consequently, psychological problems such as alienation that results from racial prejudice, a damaged self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts develop. At the same time, the study examines betrayal. In other words, the characters surrounding the central character allow Browning to construe the loyalty of the protagonist and the reversal involved in betrayal as stoically accepted. Luria: A Tragedy (1846) and The Return of the Druses (1843) are two Victorian plays to be explored in this study drawing on Frantz Fanon’s psychoanalytic criticism.

Robert Browning’s Poem Porphyria’s Lover: Viewed from the Perspective of a Short Story

Robert Browning quite as an exception to his contemporary Victorian poets opted for the psychoanalysis of his characters in his poems. His obsession of delving deeper into the psyche of his characters most often lent his poems with the essence and atmosphere of a story, to be more accurate – a short story. Browning’s readers still today hovers in the labyrinth created in his poetic world. He leaves his readers in such a juncture from where the readers time and again look back into the plot of his poems to find answers of the mysteries invested by the poet. Stylistically being much ahead of the contemporary trend of poetry, Browning’s poems could be labeled as futuristic. His artistic faculty in his poems can only be somewhat explained and understood if analyzed from the perspectives of a short story. Only then the crossroads where Browning leaves his readers in his poems can find a destination and provide a literary solution. One of the most extraordinary poems of Robert Browning is ‘Porphyria’s Lover’. This paper is an analysis of the poem from the perspective of the features of a short story. The plot and theme of the poem is quite obscure especially the ending of the poem leaves the readers with a feeling of puzzle and incompleteness. In order to explain this puzzle and incompleteness this study presents an elaborate discussion of the characteristics of short story. Then it discusses the storytelling ability of Browning in his poems and finally based on the findings presents an analysis of the poem to determine the matching characteristics of a short story in the poem. The study is completely based on a qualitative analysis.

Insanity and Murder in Robert Browning’ and Robert Lowell’s Dramatic Monologues

The study aims at fathoming Robert Browning’ and Robert Lowell’s intentions of choosing the dramatic monologue as a means of exploring human psyche. Significantly, the themes of insanity and murder are not ideal from an esthetic perspective, but for Browning and Lowell it provides the key to probe into human character and fundamental motives. This study examines Browning’ and Lowell’s dramatic monologues that address crime and the psyche of abnormal men. Browning’ and Lowell’s poetry in this regard unravels complicated human motivations and delineates morbid psychologies. Their monologues probe deep down into the mind-sets of their characters and dissect their souls to the readers. The main character of each of Browning’s dramatic monologues, My Last Duchess and Porphyria’s Lover; discloses his true self, mental health, and moral values through his monologue in a critical situation. Ironically, each monologue invites the reader to detect the disparity between what the character believes the story to be and the reality of the situation detected through the poem. In Lowell’s The Mills of the Kavanaughs, the monologue is delivered by the victim herself. Yet, the fact that the poem reflects Lowell’s individual experience and trauma indicates that the monologue is delivered by the poet-victimizer as well.

INFINITE VISION oF ARTHUR MILLER

Apart from social, economic and political questions, Arthur Miller was equally interested in ethical and spiritual issues. He tried to answer many questions regarding the origin of man and woman upon this planet. Of course, he had great faith in the working of divine system and the presence of God. Like Robert Browning and R.W. Emerson, he believed in merciful God and regarded Him the creator and preserver of human life and natural objects. Like Hindu saints, he asked himself - Who am I? What is the aim of life? What is the significance of self-illumination? Why are people misguided by ego, pride, lechery, greed, violence, folly, vanity etc. and ultimately suffer. But due to his optimism he believed that life can be made better if efforts are made by all kinds of people. His infinite vision is elaborated and analyzed in this article as he shows his faith in mercy, wisdom, right action, right knowledge and right conduct. There is no denying the fact that in his tragedies he shows no indifference to ethical values and answers the questions - 'How to live?'

Insanity and Murder in Robert Browning’ and Robert Lowell’s Dramatic Monologues

The study aims at fathoming Robert Browning’ and Robert Lowell’s intentions of choosing the dramatic monologue as a means of exploring human psyche. Significantly, the themes of insanity and murder are not ideal from an esthetic perspective, but for Browning and Lowell it provides the key to probe into human character and fundamental motives. This study examines Browning’ and Lowell’s dramatic monologues that address crime and the psyche of abnormal men. Browning’ and Lowell’s poetry in this regard unravels complicated human motivations and delineates morbid psychologies. Their monologues probe deep down into the mind-sets of their characters and dissect their souls to the readers. The main character of each of Browning’s dramatic monologues, My Last Duchess and Porphyria’s Lover; discloses his true self, mental health, and moral values through his monologue in a critical situation. Ironically, each monologue invites the reader to detect the disparity between what the character believes the story to be and the reality of the situation detected through the poem. In Lowell’s The Mills of the Kavanaughs, the monologue is delivered by the victim herself. Yet, the fact that the poem reflects Lowell’s individual experience and trauma indicates that the monologue is delivered by the poet-victimizer as well

Browning’s and Serembe’s Love Poems

Browning’s and Serembe’s love poems will be analyzed in this research paper in order to illustrate how they reflected their efforts to present the idea of love in their poetry. In the ‘By the Fire-Side’, one of the major poems of Robert Browning during the thesaurus of the British Victorian period and Zef Serembe’s ‘Song for Longing’, considered by many to rank among the best love poems of Rilindja (Renaissance) poets in the nineteenth century Albania. The two poets, do not consider the idea of love in the abstract term. They include love by referring to the specific details, Browning, to his love relationship with a famous poetess Elizabeth Barrett, their elopement and union in Italy, and Serembe to his love for a girl from his native village, who immigrated to Brazil and subsequently died. In these poems, both poets explore the intimate atmosphere they tried to establish for their beloved women, by describing the places that witnessed the birth and growth of their love. ‘By the Fire-Side’ and ‘Song for Longing’ comprise a common element; they are personal love poems that describe their ideal love, personal feelings, and passion of their love. While Robert Browning in his poem writes about a peaceful and satisfied married life, full of sweet memories and images of his wife, Zef Serembe’s poem is a picture of his sentiment, primarily of solitude and disillusionment. The comparative and descriptive research methods have been helpful while conducting this research paper.