Robert+Browning+and+Dramatic+Romances

**Physical Appearance:**

The 1897 volume Dramatic Romances and Lyrics: and Sordello is a republished work of dramatic romance and lyric poems written by Robert Browning throughout 1840 until 1845. This particular book is a green pocket-sized edition with a plain back, with a slight indented border on the front cover, and gold detailing of a floral pattern and the description of “Dramatic Romance” on the spine. Although this book was not particularly ornate in comparison to gift box editions that were popular during the Victorian era, its pocket-size reminds today’s readers that these books were more than just poetry, it was a source of entertainment and comfort.

The particular copy from the University of Victoria's McPherson Library (Call #: PR4202 D5) contains some marginalia on the inside cover page that says “Miss J M Aylin 11-”, assuming the 11- means 1911, showing that this pocket-sized poetry book was a personal item and it was quite common in Victorian and early twentieth-century to claim ownership by signing and dating the inside of the book. This inscription, although small, gives us insight on what gender these types of poetry books would belong to and the importance a reader held for the book, as although this copy is one hundred and nineteen years old, it is still in miraculous condition, displaying ownership care for this copy.

This copy was also published with deckle edges, also referred to as uncut edges, as the side of the pages appear rough and not polished. This was how books were created up until the 19th century when paper, and the paper making process, advanced through technological innovations. Yet this collection, and the advertisements in the back, promote the deckle edges which was peculiar for this style was seemingly phasing out of fashion, maybe indicating that there was not much money put into the publishing.



As for the inside of the book, the layout is clean looking, and well organized with an index directing the reader and contains a timeline of Robert Browning and his work. The back of the book contains advertisements, close to what one might see today on the back of a novel promoting the next installment of the series. The publishers, The Walter Scott Publishing Co, advertised their other published works of books containing fairytales, dramatic essays that are available through the publisher, a list of the Canterbury Poets, and the Scott Library that advertises their books and how they are published with a gilt top (gold leafing designs), and deckle edges.


 * Contents of the Book: **

The book opens up with an introductory note from E. Dixon, who edited the book, and moves into an index so the reader can easily find a poem within the small two hundred and eighty-eight page book. There is an inscription dedicated to John Kenyon by Robert Browning, with Browning mentioning Kenyon’s work “Rhymed Plea For Tolerance”. The book is then split into two different sections: the first containing Browning’s smaller “Dramatic Romances and Lyrics” poems with some major works that include “My Last Duchess”, “Madhouse Cell”, and “Porphyria’s Lover” which was first published in 1836 as “Porphyria”. Stanzas are clearly labelled with roman numerals, and centred in the page making the reading experience easier to follow. Combining the clean looking layout on the pages and index with the pocket-sized edition make this compilation of Browning’s works easy to follow and be readily available for the reader.

 The second section contains his one poem “Sordello”, which was first published in 1840, but because of its obscurity and complexity it was not popular with the public or critics. The poem centres around the 13th-century poet Sordello and his/speaker’s conflicting emotions between the sublime and actuality and the pull of his imagination and his need to contribute to society through politics. The poem is split into three different “books” and encompasses one hundred and seventy-three pages of the book, making it no wonder critics found the poem complex.

From the picture of the table of contents on the right you can see more of his work that is included in this collection such as "Cavalier Tunes", "Artemis Prologuizes", "Waring", as well as "The Lost Mistress", "The Laboratory", and "The Glove" that are featured on the backside of the list of contents.


 * Context of the Poet's life to this Volume: **

Born May 7th, 1812 in Camberwell, England Browning resided there until he was twenty-eight. He attended London University in 1828 when it was first established, but dropped out shortly after when he decided to pursue an education at his own pace. He could speak both in English and in Greek and received tutoring at home. When first emerging into the literary world Browning attempted playwriting but did not succeed. His first major work was Pauline which he published in 1833 anonymously, but it was ultimately a failure after a critic mentioned that he had never seen an author so consumed by the thoughts of death and the morbidity that the work contained. This made Browning vow to "only make men and women speak" instead of himself. Thus he transitioned from playwriting to poetry, and he aided in creating and flourishing the dramatic monologue such as “My Last Duchess” and “Porphyria’s Lover”, or “Dramatic Romances” as they are titled within this volume of his works. It was this critique of playwriting helped push him into the poetic genius he was and inspired him to write many of the works found within this volume.

After the death of his wife, Elizabeth Barrett (March 6th, 1806 – June 29th, 1861) him and his son moved away from Florence to Maida Vale in West London. It was in London that Robert Browning emerged onto the bustling London literary scene and his career took off and his work became more well-known. It was after his death that this compilation of poems was pulled together by the editor E. Dixon, but it contained many of his greats, as well as one of his most interesting, Sordello, for it was not only long, but confusing and many could not quite grasp the true meaning of it . He died from heart disease on December 12th, 1889 in Venice, Italy, and his body was buried in Poets’ Corner, at the Westminster Abbey.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">- P.N.W.ENGL386.Uvic.Spring

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Works Cited ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Browning, Robert, 1812-1889, E. Dixon, and Robert Browning 1812-1889. Dramatic Romances and Lyrics: And, Sordello. London: W. Scott, 1897. Print. (Call Number: PR4202 D5)

Browning, Robert. “Robert Browning (1812-1889).” The Broadview Anthology of Victorian Poetry and Poetic Theory. Ed. Thomas J. Collins & Vivienne J. Rundle. Ontario: Broadview Press. 309. Print.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Everett, Glenn. "Robert Browning - Biography." Robert Browning - Biography. The Victorian Web, 7 May 2007. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> F, G. "Deckle Detecting." //The Economist//. 15 July 2012. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Robert Browning. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Project Gutenberg, 8 June 2006. Web. 8 Feb. 2016

Ryals, Clyde de L.. “Browning, Robert (1812–1889).” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Ed. H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford: OUP, May 2006. 3 Apr. 2016.