This
is actually a contrastive poem.There are contrasts between city vs.
pastoral, complexity vs. simplification, generalization
vs personification and eternal vs momentary.
In this poem the lost city and the pastoral landscape are demonstratively
depicted.The description of the lost city shows the fascination of the
poet for the past and the description of the landscape is deeply
connected with his love for his beloved.His fascination for the past also
certifies that his final choice that "love is the best" is a conscious
choice and not an impulsive conclusion.
The poem also can be interpreted as a contrast between complexity vs.
simplicity.From the very beginning the old city and the pastoral
landscape are described parallely.The city gradually tends towards the
complexity of human life on the other hand the pastoral landscape
signifies the simple romantic love between the speaker and his
beloved.The city tells about the complexities in human life for shame or
fame.It also indicates human greed.On the other hand the pastoral
landscape tells about the natural love of the speaker.
This poem is also a contrast about generalization and personification.In
the description of the lost city the speaker actually generalizes human
feelings.There is no personal character except the king in the
description of the old city.But the other topic that is the love of the
poet for his beloved is all about the speaker's personal love.
There is also a contrast between eternal and momentary in this
poem.Browning is often called the poet of moment and in this poem the
speaker's final choice shows the superiority of moment over
eternity.The description of the city actually generalizes human passion
and tells about the eternal cycle of time.But the love of the speaker
tells about the intensity of love in a particular time.This creates a
contrast between the eternal and momentary.
The very structure of the poem actually dissolves the distinction between eternity and a particular time.Up to the fourth stanza the last six lines becomes the part of the past and the first six lines becomes the part of the moment.Gradually the description of the past city becomes the description of eternity,the eternal passion of human being.Then the speaker commingle the eternity and the moment by changing the structure several times.Finally by telling "love is the best",he actually dissolves eternity in the moment of love between he and his beloved.The meditative tone of the poem actually makes this merging soothing.
is actually a contrastive poem.There are contrasts between city vs.
pastoral, complexity vs. simplification, generalization
vs personification and eternal vs momentary.
In this poem the lost city and the pastoral landscape are demonstratively
depicted.The description of the lost city shows the fascination of the
poet for the past and the description of the landscape is deeply
connected with his love for his beloved.His fascination for the past also
certifies that his final choice that "love is the best" is a conscious
choice and not an impulsive conclusion.
The poem also can be interpreted as a contrast between complexity vs.
simplicity.From the very beginning the old city and the pastoral
landscape are described parallely.The city gradually tends towards the
complexity of human life on the other hand the pastoral landscape
signifies the simple romantic love between the speaker and his
beloved.The city tells about the complexities in human life for shame or
fame.It also indicates human greed.On the other hand the pastoral
landscape tells about the natural love of the speaker.
This poem is also a contrast about generalization and personification.In
the description of the lost city the speaker actually generalizes human
feelings.There is no personal character except the king in the
description of the old city.But the other topic that is the love of the
poet for his beloved is all about the speaker's personal love.
There is also a contrast between eternal and momentary in this
poem.Browning is often called the poet of moment and in this poem the
speaker's final choice shows the superiority of moment over
eternity.The description of the city actually generalizes human passion
and tells about the eternal cycle of time.But the love of the speaker
tells about the intensity of love in a particular time.This creates a
contrast between the eternal and momentary.
The very structure of the poem actually dissolves the distinction between eternity and a particular time.Up to the fourth stanza the last six lines becomes the part of the past and the first six lines becomes the part of the moment.Gradually the description of the past city becomes the description of eternity,the eternal passion of human being.Then the speaker commingle the eternity and the moment by changing the structure several times.Finally by telling "love is the best",he actually dissolves eternity in the moment of love between he and his beloved.The meditative tone of the poem actually makes this merging soothing.
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