Soliloquy of the Spanish Clois

             "Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister"
             It is nearly impossible to discuss the poetic form of the dramatic monologue and not associate it with Robert Browning. Robert Browning is considered by many the creator and master of the dramatic monologue. It is believed that modern poetry has had a tremendous impact because of Browning's use of the dramatic monologue. The dramatic monologue can easily be defined as a "lyric poem in which the speaker addresses a silent listener, revealing himself in the context of a dramatic situation in which the character is speaking to an identifiable but silent listener at a dramatic moment in the speaker's life" (Sorce 1). With this being stated, Robert Browning's dramatic monologues can be characterized by three particular traits. The three requirements of Browning's monologues are: the speaker painting a psychological portrait of himself, a moment of crisis, and the reader taking part as the silent listener (Sorce 2); applying these three principles of the dramatic monologue to "Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister" can help the modern reader understand the unique intent of the poem more fully.
             In "Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister" the speaker is a monk who is possessed of a savage, obsessive hatred of Brother Lawrence, another monk at the monastery. His hate towards Brother Lawrence is so strong that he even states if hate could kill a man, his hate would certainly kill Brother Lawrence. The speaker shows us, the silent listener, through his own words that contrary to what he thinks, Brother Lawrence is by far the good monk, while the speaker actually possesses the negative qualities he tries to ascribe to Brother Lawrence (Corson 1). "It is interesting to note that the speaker seems to believe that ritual and formality, the following of rules and restrictions are the measure of a godly man, rather than generosity, humility and kindne...

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Soliloquy of the Spanish Clois. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 11:27, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/18296.html