Robert Browning (1812-89) rivals Tennyson as the major Victorian poet with such important works as Dramatic Lyrics, Dramatic Romances and Lyrics, Men and Women, Dramatic Personae and the monumental The Ring and the Book. He is known for his development of the dramatic monologue in which he recreated the world of Renaissance Italy, and provided subtle and complex explorations of character. Here, Daniel Karlin and John Woolford provide a thematic survey of Browning's often difficult work, using key poems as a common point of reference. The themes covered include: styles, genres, the mind, the world, interaction and criticism. This excellent survey will be of value to students of Victorian literature and modernism.

    Ackowledgements  Preface  1. Composition and influence: Browning's theory of composition  2. Genre and style  3. Family, friendship  4. Love and marriage  5. Politics: Browning's political correctness  6. Philosophy: whose idea is this  7. Reading Browning: editions; letters; diaries and memoirs; reference books; criticism  Appendix A: Browning's essay on Shelley  Appendix B: Ruskin's letter to Browning about Men and Women, and Browning's reply  Bibliography  Chronology  Index

    Biography

    John Woolford is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield, UK.

    Daniel Karlin is Winterstoke Professor of English Literature at the University of Bristol, UK.