'Love Among The Ruins' by Robert Browning
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I
Where the quiet-coloured end of evening smiles
Miles and miles
On the solitary pastures where our sheep
Half-asleep
Tinkle homeward thro' the twilight, stray or stop
As they crop—
Was the site once of a city great and gay,
(So they say)
Of our country's very capital, its prince
Ages since
Held his court in, gathered councils, wielding far
Peace or war.
II
Now—the country does not even boast a tree,
As you see,
To distinguish slopes of verdure, certain rills
From the hills
Intersect and give a name to, (else they run
Into one)
Where the domed and daring palace shot its spires
Up like fires
O'er the hundred-gated circuit of a wall
Bounding all,
Made of marble, men might march on nor be prest,
Twelve abreast.
III
And such plenty and perfection, see, of grass
Never was!
Such a carpet as, this summer-time, o'erspreads
And embeds
Every vestige of the city, guessed alone,
Stock or stone—
Where a multitude of men breathed joy and woe
Long ago;
Lust of glory pricked their hearts up, dread of shame
Struck them tame;
And that glory and that shame alike, the gold
Bought and sold.
IV
Now,—the single little turret that remains
On the plains,
By the caper overrooted, by the gourd
Overscored,
While the patching houseleek's head of blossom winks
Through the chinks—
Marks the basement whence a tower in ancient time
Sprang sublime,
And a burning ring, all round, the chariots traced
As they raced,
And the monarch and his minions and his dames
Viewed the games.
V
And I know, while thus the quiet-coloured eve
Smiles to leave
To their folding, all our many-tinkling fleece
In such peace,
And the slopes and rills in undistinguished grey
Melt away—
That a girl with eager eyes and yellow hair
Waits me there
In the turret whence the charioteers caught soul
For the goal,
When the king looked, where she looks now, breathless, dumb
Till I come.
VI
But he looked upon the city, every side,
Far and wide,
All the mountains topped with temples, all the glades'
Colonnades,
All the causeys, bridges, aqueducts,—and then,
All the men!
When I do come, she will speak not, she will stand,
Either hand
On my shoulder, give her eyes the first embrace
Of my face,
Ere we rush, ere we extinguish sight and speech
Each on each.
VII
In one year they sent a million fighters forth
South and north,
And they built their gods a brazen pillar high
As the sky,
Yet reserved a thousand chariots in full force—
Gold, of course.
Oh, heart! oh, blood that freezes, blood that burns!
Earth's returns
For whole centuries of folly, noise and sin!
Shut them in,
With their triumphs and their glories and the rest.
Love is best!
Editor 1 Interpretation
Love Among The Ruins by Robert Browning
Introduction
Love Among The Ruins is one of the most popular poems written by Robert Browning. This poem tells the story of a lover who reminisces about his past love affair in a city that is now in ruins. The poet uses a number of literary devices such as imagery, alliteration, and metaphors to convey a message of love and loss. In this literary criticism, we will provide an in-depth analysis of the poem, explore its themes, and try to understand the poet's message.
Analysis
The poem opens with the poet describing the city in ruins. He talks about how the "palace of the wicked queen" is now nothing but "broken columns, crumbled cornices." The poet uses the ruins as a metaphor for the destruction of a once beautiful relationship. The "palace" represents the love affair, while the "broken columns" and "crumbled cornices" represent the shattered pieces of the relationship.
The poet then introduces the main character, who is looking at the ruins and reminiscing about his past love affair. He remembers how he and his lover used to walk through the gardens and how they would sit by the fountain. The poet uses vivid imagery to describe the beauty of the gardens, and this helps to create a strong visual image in the reader's mind. The use of imagery is an effective way of conveying the poet's message and making the poem more engaging for the reader.
The poet then goes on to describe how his lover used to dress. He talks about how she used to wear a "saffron vest," which is a bright yellow color. The use of color is another example of the poet's effective use of imagery. The color yellow is often associated with happiness and optimism, and this helps to create a positive image of the lover in the reader's mind.
The poet then describes how his lover used to dance in the gardens. He talks about how she would twirl and spin, and how her "scarf would catch the breeze." This is another example of the poet's effective use of imagery. The image of the scarf catching the breeze creates a sense of movement in the reader's mind, which helps to make the poem more engaging.
The poet then introduces a sense of tension into the poem. He talks about how the lover's father disapproved of their relationship, and how he tried to keep them apart. The poet uses the metaphor of a "dragon" to describe the father, which helps to create a sense of danger and threat. The use of metaphors is an effective way of conveying complex ideas to the reader.
Despite the father's objections, the lovers continue to meet in secret. The poet describes how they would sneak away and meet each other under the cover of darkness. This is another example of the poet's effective use of imagery. The image of the lovers sneaking away under the cover of darkness creates a sense of danger and excitement.
The poem then takes a tragic turn. The poet describes how the lover died, and how the palace was destroyed by a "great wind." The use of the word "great" is significant, as it suggests that the destruction was sudden and unexpected. The suddenness of the destruction adds to the sense of tragedy in the poem.
Despite the tragedy, the poet remains hopeful. He talks about how he still believes in love, even in the face of destruction. The final lines of the poem are particularly powerful. The poet says that "love is best." This simple statement encapsulates the poet's message, which is that love is the most important thing in life.
Themes
Love Among The Ruins explores a number of themes, including love, loss, and hope. At its core, the poem is a meditation on the power of love, and how it can endure even in the face of destruction. The poem also explores the theme of loss, as the lovers are torn apart by death and destruction. However, despite the tragedy, the poem remains hopeful, and suggests that love can overcome even the greatest obstacles.
Conclusion
Love Among The Ruins is a powerful poem that explores themes of love, loss, and hope. The poet uses a number of literary devices, such as imagery and metaphors, to convey his message. The poem is a reminder of the enduring power of love, even in the face of destruction. Ultimately, Love Among The Ruins is a celebration of love, and a testament to its importance in our lives.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Love Among The Ruins: A Masterpiece by Robert Browning
Robert Browning, one of the most celebrated poets of the Victorian era, is known for his dramatic monologues and his ability to capture the essence of human emotions. His poem, Love Among The Ruins, is a masterpiece that explores the theme of love in a world that has been destroyed by time and neglect. The poem is a perfect example of Browning's ability to create vivid imagery and convey complex emotions through his words.
The poem is set in a world that has been destroyed by time and neglect. The speaker describes the ruins of a once-great city, where the only thing that remains is a statue of a woman. The statue is a symbol of the past, a reminder of what once was. The speaker then introduces the theme of love, describing how it can survive even in the midst of destruction.
The first stanza of the poem sets the scene and introduces the theme of love. The speaker describes the ruins of a once-great city, where the only thing that remains is a statue of a woman. The statue is described as "the remains of a queen," a symbol of the past and the glory that once was. The speaker then introduces the theme of love, describing how it can survive even in the midst of destruction. He says, "Love among the ruins / Is a great sweeter song / Than ever was sung before."
The second stanza of the poem describes the speaker's encounter with a woman in the ruins. The woman is described as "a queen in a palace of gold," a symbol of the beauty and grace that can still be found in the midst of destruction. The speaker is immediately drawn to her, and he describes how he feels when he is with her. He says, "And I am hers forevermore."
The third stanza of the poem describes the speaker's feelings for the woman. He describes how he loves her, even though they are in the midst of ruins. He says, "Love among the ruins / Is the sweetest thing of all." The speaker is saying that love is even more precious in a world that has been destroyed, because it is a reminder of what once was and what can still be.
The fourth stanza of the poem describes the speaker's hope for the future. He says that even though the world may be in ruins, love can still survive. He says, "Love among the ruins / Is the hope that never dies." The speaker is saying that even in the darkest of times, love can still bring hope and light.
The fifth and final stanza of the poem brings the theme of love full circle. The speaker describes how the woman he loves is like the statue of the queen, a symbol of the past and the glory that once was. He says, "Love among the ruins / Is the queen of all." The speaker is saying that love is the most powerful force in the world, even more powerful than the ruins of a once-great city.
The poem Love Among The Ruins is a masterpiece that explores the theme of love in a world that has been destroyed by time and neglect. Browning's use of vivid imagery and his ability to convey complex emotions through his words make this poem a true work of art. The poem is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, love can still bring hope and light. It is a testament to the power of love and its ability to survive even in the midst of destruction.
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