Robert Browning- Prospice

Question 1

Background to Prospice

Answer 1

• Written by Browning in 1861, shortly after the death of his wife
• Published in 1864. in his dramatis personae collection
• In Latin, Prospice means to ‘look forward to’ or ‘to go forward’

Question 2

Overview of Prospice

Answer 2

• In the poem, the speaker contemplates death and asks himself what it is like to ‘fear death’
• He starts the poem by describing the oppressive imagery ‘to feel the fog in my throat’ and ‘the mist in my face’
• In spite of all the ills that face him on the way, he insists ‘the strong man must go on’
• He wishes to fight death rather than ‘creep past’ it
• In the second half of the poem the speaker reveals his true motivations. He wants to be reunited with his wife in heaven

Question 3

Identity of the Speaker

Answer 3

The poem is often seen as one of Browning’s more naked poems as it can be construed as Browning’s own thoughts on death and wanting to be reunited with his wife. Browning viewed death as the final battle in life and was a challenge he fully accepted. The speaker is the only character within the poem, placing the emphasis on his thoughts and feelings

Question 4

Where

Answer 4

Prospice has no real sense of place. It is set in the head of the speaker, and outward expression of his internal emotions. Place can therefore be perceived as where the speaker’s current state of mind is or the journey of death and to be reunited with his wife.

Question 5

When

Answer 5

There is no literal sense of time either in the poem. However, Browning creates a metaphorical sense of time to represent the inevitability of death but also the fact that death is not the end and the speaker will be reunited with his loved one in heaven.

Question 6

Register

Answer 6

The speaker is not entirely formal or informal. He begins the poem with ‘fear death?’ not grammatically correct but there is a base of formality with the use of Standard English. It can also be viewed as formal because of the sensitive topic of the poem; death is not something usually discussed informally. However, as there is no audience there is no real need for the speaker to talk formally

Question 7

Poetic Voice

Answer 7

Often Browning’s speakers are driven by a lust for power and control such as in ‘My Last Duchess’ or ‘The Laboratory’. However, in Prospice the speaker is more human than any of his other poems because of the thought provoking subject that almost all people have a fear of.

Question 8

Structure

Answer 8

Prospice has an AB rhyme scheme. This could symbolise the acceptance the speaker has for death and his fate. However, as the poem progresses the speaker’s emotions seem to overcome the structure meaning the rhyme scheme becomes harder to find

Question 9

Punctuation

Answer 9

Browning frequently uses exclamation marks through ought the poem which may represent the severity of the topic or potentially his excitement to be reunited with his wife: ‘the best and the last!’
‘o though soul of my soul!’
‘And with God be the rest!’

Question 10

Juxtaposition

Answer 10

The poem opens with ‘fear’ and ends with ‘rest’. This is a juxtaposition of the differing views of death- the immediate feelings of sorrow but later acceptance and a longing to be reunited.

Question 11

Foreshadowing

Answer 11

Foreshadowing of death and meeting his wife again in the next life: ‘for the journey is done and the summit attained’. This shows that Browning accepts the inevitability of death but is confident he will be reunited with his wife.

Question 12

Nouns

Answer 12

Concrete nouns such as ‘fog’ ‘mist’ and ‘snows’ are employed at the start of the poem to symbolise the immediate views of death and clouded view of the bigger picture of death. However, abstract nouns such as ‘light’ or ‘peace’ are employed later in the poem to emphasise the later acceptance of death

Question 13

Context

Answer 13

It is quite strange how at the time of the industrial revolution and scientific developments Browning remains religious and has full belief in God.

Question 14

Quote analysis- ‘Fear death?- to feel the fog in my throat’

Answer 14

• Browning opens the poem as if responding to a question which may suggest the poem does not start at the beginning and therefore the idea of life after death
• Could also be a rhetorical question, suggesting that he is beyond the initial feeling of death and instead accepts it’s inevitability
• May suggest Browning is actually surprised that people fear death
• Verb ‘feel’ suggests that the speaker is very much alive and could suggest that he is actually looking forward to the experience

Question 15

Quote analysis 2- ‘Fear death?- to feel the fog in my throat’

Answer 15

• Abstract noun ‘fog’ may suggest that speaker’s view is clouded or not in the right frame of mind
• Could suggest speaker is actually dying and metaphor for struggling to breathe
• Conveys new life begins at death and time goes beyond the poem, not constrained by it.
• Speaker believes time will continue and death will not effect this