Robert Browning as an Optimistic Poet.

Answer

 Justify Robert Browning as an optimistic poet.

Robert Browning (1812-1889) is an English poet and playwright. He implies his supremacy in the dramatic monologue section. This makes him one of the greatest leading writers in the history of English literature. Browning is a consistent thinker of an optimistic philosophy of life. That’s why he is, at a time, a moralist and a religious teacher. Let’s explore points that highlight Browning’s optimism as depicted in these poems.

Browning as an Optimist: As an optimist, Browning portrayed almost all kinds of people from different stages of society in his poems. He has gone so far as to study the relationship between Man and the entire world. His poems are full of courage and inspiration. We can prove Browning as an optimist more clearly from the following analysis.

Belief in Salvation: Browning is a man with hope about the fate of humans. Actually, his hope is not for this world, but for the next world too. He believes that the soul of a human being is immortal. After death, there will be an action for Man by God named salvation. Here, he will be rewarded or punished for his deeds from his birth to his death. In “Andrea Del Sarto,” Andrea, the Renaissance painter, laments his artistic compromises. However, soon he finds solace in the purpose of his art:

Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp,

Or what’s a heaven for?

Through these lines, Browning suggests that choosing one’s ideals, despite imperfections, can lead to a form of spiritual fulfillment or salvation.

Belief in the Immortality of the Human Soul: We already know that Browning has a strong belief in the immortality of the soul. According to him, only the human body dies, but the soul lives. Again in “The Last Ride Together”, the speaker of the poem says that after death his and his beloved’s soul will enter and meet into eternity and will stay there eternally. 

Faith in Divine God: There is no doubt that Browning has firm faith in the divinity of God. At the very outset, Browning’s speakers often wrestle with religious and moral questions. However, they ultimately demonstrate a faith in a divine presence guiding human affairs. In “My Last Duchess,” the Duke’s control over his late wife. Despite the Duke’s morally doubtful actions, the poem itself reveals a belief in divine order and justice:

Notice Neptune, though,

Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity.

The Duke’s appreciation for art and beauty, even amidst his controlling nature, suggests a belief in a higher aesthetic and moral order.

Optimism on Industrialization: Browning’s optimism extends to the changes brought about by industrialization. In “Fra Lippo Lippi,” Browning portrays a world where art and industry coexist. Fra Lippo Lippi, a monk and artist, embodies a zest for life. Browning suggests that human creativity and industry can lead to a richer, more meaningful existence.

This world’s no blot for us,

Nor blank; it means intensely, and means good.

These lines reflect an optimistic view of the world. This includes the changes brought by industrialization, which holds meaning and potential for good. 

Celebration of Life and Love: Browning’s poetry frequently celebrates the richness of life and the intensity of human emotions, particularly love. In “The Last Ride Together,” the speaker reflects on a last ride with his beloved. He embraces the transient moment with optimism:

I and she

    Ride, ride together, for ever ride?

Here, Browning suggests that even in transient moments, there is a profound beauty and eternal quality that can be found in love.

From the above discussion, we can conclude that Browning’s strong, optimistic faith is notable in the Victorian age. If we scan all the English poets, we may not find as many complete, conscious, magnificent men with a sense of optimism as Robert Browning.