Life in a love:
This poem explores the obsessive and irrational nature of unrequited
love. The speaker in this poem describes his unrelenting passion for
his beloved. In this poem, love is not necessarily portrayed as
something romantic - rather as an inescapable and irrational burden
that drives the speaker to endlessly and fruitlessly pursue his object of
desire.
The speaker exclaims that it isn’t possible for him to give up his
pursuit of her as long as they are both in this world. As long as he is
the lover and she is unwilling, as long as she eludes him, he must
pursue her.
The speaker worries that all his life is a failure, as it seems fated for
him to be trapped in the endless and fruitless chase; never getting any
rewards, simply the pains. Although the speaker does all he can, he
knows in his heart of hearts that he shall be unsuccessful.
The speaker wonders what would happen if he were to fail to achieve
all his goals. Even though he contemplates failure, he does not let
failure convince him to give up his pursuit. He considers failure to be a
momentary setback rather than a permanent deter. No matter how
confused or puzzled he may be, he shall simply dry his eyes, laugh at
failure and begin again.
He is willing to let this endless and fruitless chase take up his entire
life.
If his beloved were to spare him one glance, in the ‘dust and dark’, in
his despair and gloom; he shall have a renewed spirit to pursue her.
No sooner does his old hope dash to the ground, does a new glimmer
of hope resurface, inspiring him and motivating him to not give up.
(The self-same mark here means the endless chase.)
, The speaker is aware that his beloved shall remain “ever//removed”
from him like a bitter truth buried inside him. Yet, he is willing to let the
hope and the chase shape his life.
Here, we see that the strength of his affection is making him imagine
new sources of hope rather than admit permanent defeat.
The line ‘To dry one’s eyes and laugh at a fall’ reflect’s Browning’s
personal philosophy of optimism. However, towards the end of the
poem this optimism fades away as we realise that the speaker is all
too aware of the distance between them. The beginning of the poem
does not have this underlying bitter truth as in those lines the speaker
possesses unrelenting optimism. This leads one to consider that the
speaker is trapped in a loop of hope and loss. This is further reflected
in the form of the poem. The first three and last three lines reflect each
other, form-wise. This brings a sense of circularity to the poem and
reflects the loop of hope and loss that he is trapped in.
Throughout the poem, the speaker balances his desire to reunite with
his lover with his fear that he may never do so. Hope prevents him
from giving up the pursuit - finding him each time he experiences
failure. Even though the speaker insists that fate pushes him to pursue
her, and it is hope that finds him; it is the speaker and the great
strength of his affection that leads him to find a new glimmer of hope
each time rather than admitting defeat.
From the desperation with which he finds hope, and him stating that
he’s willing to let the chase take over his entire life, we understand
that he has adopted a resigned attitude, considering it his destiny to
seek out his beloved.
This poem explores the obsessive and irrational nature of unrequited
love. The speaker in this poem describes his unrelenting passion for
his beloved. In this poem, love is not necessarily portrayed as
something romantic - rather as an inescapable and irrational burden
that drives the speaker to endlessly and fruitlessly pursue his object of
desire.
The speaker exclaims that it isn’t possible for him to give up his
pursuit of her as long as they are both in this world. As long as he is
the lover and she is unwilling, as long as she eludes him, he must
pursue her.
The speaker worries that all his life is a failure, as it seems fated for
him to be trapped in the endless and fruitless chase; never getting any
rewards, simply the pains. Although the speaker does all he can, he
knows in his heart of hearts that he shall be unsuccessful.
The speaker wonders what would happen if he were to fail to achieve
all his goals. Even though he contemplates failure, he does not let
failure convince him to give up his pursuit. He considers failure to be a
momentary setback rather than a permanent deter. No matter how
confused or puzzled he may be, he shall simply dry his eyes, laugh at
failure and begin again.
He is willing to let this endless and fruitless chase take up his entire
life.
If his beloved were to spare him one glance, in the ‘dust and dark’, in
his despair and gloom; he shall have a renewed spirit to pursue her.
No sooner does his old hope dash to the ground, does a new glimmer
of hope resurface, inspiring him and motivating him to not give up.
(The self-same mark here means the endless chase.)
, The speaker is aware that his beloved shall remain “ever//removed”
from him like a bitter truth buried inside him. Yet, he is willing to let the
hope and the chase shape his life.
Here, we see that the strength of his affection is making him imagine
new sources of hope rather than admit permanent defeat.
The line ‘To dry one’s eyes and laugh at a fall’ reflect’s Browning’s
personal philosophy of optimism. However, towards the end of the
poem this optimism fades away as we realise that the speaker is all
too aware of the distance between them. The beginning of the poem
does not have this underlying bitter truth as in those lines the speaker
possesses unrelenting optimism. This leads one to consider that the
speaker is trapped in a loop of hope and loss. This is further reflected
in the form of the poem. The first three and last three lines reflect each
other, form-wise. This brings a sense of circularity to the poem and
reflects the loop of hope and loss that he is trapped in.
Throughout the poem, the speaker balances his desire to reunite with
his lover with his fear that he may never do so. Hope prevents him
from giving up the pursuit - finding him each time he experiences
failure. Even though the speaker insists that fate pushes him to pursue
her, and it is hope that finds him; it is the speaker and the great
strength of his affection that leads him to find a new glimmer of hope
each time rather than admitting defeat.
From the desperation with which he finds hope, and him stating that
he’s willing to let the chase take over his entire life, we understand
that he has adopted a resigned attitude, considering it his destiny to
seek out his beloved.
