Running head: CULTURAL POETICS TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Cultural Poetics Textual Analysis

Katherine Correa Perochena

Grand Canyon University: ENG 505-0500 Critical Practices for Teaching Literature

September 21, 2020

In order to fully understand the religious implications and lessons in Robert Browning’s

Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister, one should look to the life and times of Browning himself. If

we are to read the poem at a Formalist level, we can certainly see similar connotations such as

hypocrisy of man, obsession (our narrator is so focused on Brother Lawrence and his demise, he

cannot see anything else), and a dark image of the man who is speaking. This man is so filled

with hate, that we would not want to be near him for our own safety. Looking at the poem from

an artistic standpoint, Browning succeeds in making us a part of a psychological thriller of sorts.

We see the devolution of a man as he begins to make his inner thoughts and faults known.

However, to gain a full understanding of the poem, we should look to Browning’s background,

cultural, and literary influences to truly see his personal commentary on religion itself. At a stage

of atheism, Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister is ultimately representing Robert Browning’s

disbelief of the Christian followers.

Examining Robert Browning

In order to understand the implications of Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister, we must look

to the creator. While Robert Browning came from a family that admired literature and music, he

was not one that believed much in schooling. His schooling came from the collection of literature

that his father acquired; this personal library set him off in the course of becoming a writer. One

of his influences that can be seen in his writing is history; his father was a vast collector of

“history, biography, and anecdote” (Horneker, 2000).

However, this influence of history takes on a dramatic element. His first dramatic poem

was published in 1835, and we do not see the publication of Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister

until 1842. Within this time, we see much of his stylistic elements appear, that eventually shaped
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this poem. We have elements of drama in the form of a monologue, an interpretation of history,

and an interpretation of religion.

On that note, it should be recognized that Robert Browning’s mother was Evangelical.

However, through his own readings and experiences with literature and religion, he has gone

through many phases with his Christian beliefs. From becoming an atheist to a practicing

Christian, under the influence of his wife, his writings explore his varying beliefs. For instance,

we can see in many of his writings and very much so in Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister, he

draws attention to the hypocrisy he sees in religion. Throughout the entirety of the poem, the

speaker of the soliloquy is showing jealousy of his fellow brother. Despite being a monk himself,

for every sin he tries to have Brother Lawrence commit, he is already committing himself. While

thou shalt not kill, our speaker states, “If hate killed men, Brother Lawrence,/ God’s Blood,

would not mine kill you!” (Browning, 1842, lines 3-4). Not only is imagining breaking one of

the ten commandments, he has acted against the seven deadly sins: lust. While being a man of

God, he is not acting in a godly way. This could be a reflection of Robert Browning’s own

personal struggles with religion.

The Cultural Moment

Browning’s literary impact was during the Victorian Era; so much of what he wrote was

in response to the cultural time period as well as an influence on other literary pieces. Born and

raised in England, Robert Browning was deeply impacted by the societal changes of that time.

When thinking about the Victorian Era, England was changing and expanding in response to the

industrial revolution, Darwinism, social and class wars, and the expansion of the British Empire.

One of these factors may be attributed to Robert Browning’s work more than the others,

and I would argue that that was Darwinism. Because of the increasing belief in scientific studies
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and theories, more specifically The Origin of Species, we see many people losing faith in their

religious beliefs. While this can be seen in his personal life and beliefs, we see that this was

influenced much by the cultural phenomenon of that day. However, the extent of which he

doubts should be examined and noted. He goes through various levels of belief (non-believer to

believer and vice versa), and at a certain point he finds his place within religion. Therefore,

within this time of those battling those who have no faith to the other extreme of overtly

religious, he begins to use his work to represent the middle ground. Anis & Hasan (2020)

examine Browning’s work to highlight just that; “it is not necessary to practice faith on a

grandiose scheme” and “he is rather skeptical of people who do so” (p.131). Therefore, the

simplicity of the character of Brother Lawrence is what he would deem should be modeled. He is

pious and simple in his ways; Browning’s true critique on morality should be examined through

the narrator of the poem. Despite wearing the name of a monk, he is petty, jealous, and sinful.

Browning admires Brother Lawrence because “it is not the amount of work but the attitude

behind the deeds that carries more significance in matters of faith” (Anis & Hasan, 2020, p.131).

Despite the scientific advancements of the day, Browning ulitmately finds his way through faith.

The Text

When we examine the text in relation to Browning and his influences, two of the most

prominent role models were Percy Bysshe Shelley and Browning’s wife, Elizabeth Barrett.

While we noted earlier that Browning went through his journey in relation to religion, these two

people were also his guides along that journey.

Most notably, Shelley was a man who was a declared atheist, according to his work, and

his work is what represented and showcased his radical beliefs. As a young man, Browning took

to his narrative poetry; this ultimately led to Browning becoming an atheist at one point as well.
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Looking to Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister, we also can note the development of a narrative. If

we think of a plot line and apply it to the poem, we can see each of the noted elements. Right

away we meet our narrator and Brother Lawrence, and we know that we are in a religious

setting; this setting can even be said to represent the Garden of Eden. Within this garden, our

narrator is hoping to cause his brother to sin, a sin so bad he would be practically be swallowed

up by the devil himself. Our rising action is seen as the narrator points out Brother Lawrence’s

not so sinful actions. I would argue that the climax of the poem would be the moment the

narrator notices Brown Dolores. Here we can start to determine a shift in tone and see that the

truly sinful person is himself. Our falling action consists of the continuation of hypocrisy; “Or,

[his] scrofulous French novel,” solidifies the notion that he is a lustful man, not only for Brown

Dolores, but in his literary choices (Browning, 1842, line 57). The resolution of our poem ends

with a bridge to our introduction. The narrator is still frustrated, annoyed, and spiteful toward his

brother. He is unable to prove that his brother is sinful or worth being in “the Garden of Eden.”

With the interpretation of Shelley’s influence, we might think that Browning is

considering Christians to be hypocritical. They are wearing the cloth, yet thinking sinful

thoughts, and hoping for others to fail in the light of God, or so-called God. While it can be

argued that the poem is a commentary of those that those that are overtly demonstrating their

faith in a way that is too “pompous,” and that is not so morally “right,” then Browning is of a

practicing Christian faith. I would argue against this, though. Browning was influenced to begin

practicing his Christian beliefs again with the influence of his wife, and fellow poet, Elizabeth

Barrett. If that is the case, her influence on this poem would be impossible. Soliloquy of the

Spanish Cloister was written in 1842, and Browning and Barrett did not meet until 1845.
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References

Anis, R. B., & Hasan, M. M. (2020). Faith and Practice: Islamic Perspectives on Robert

Browning. Intellectual Discourse, 28(1), 129–148.

Browning, R. (1842). Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister. Retrieved August 31, 2020, from

https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/soliloquy-spanish-cloister

Horneker, G. F. (2020). Robert Browning. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia.

Percy Bysshe Shelley. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://poets.org/poet/percy-

bysshe-shelley