Cover of Selections from the Poems and Plays of Robert Browning

Selections from the Poems and Plays of Robert Browning

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  • 7 hours to read
  • 89 chapters
  • Reading level: 7th grade

"Selections from the Poems and Plays of Robert Browning" by Robert Browning is a collection of poetry and dramatic works written in the mid-19th century. This anthology showcases Browning's extensive body of work, highlighting his innovative use of dramatic monologues and his exploration of complex human emotions. It serves as a gateway to the themes of love, ambition, and existential inquiry that permeate his poetry. At the start of this edition, readers are introduced to important biographical and literary contexts surrounding Robert Browning's life and work. The opening portion provides a glimpse into his early childhood, education, and influences, setting the foundation for understanding the depth and complexity of his poetic voice. It details Browning’s precocious talent, early literary experiences, and eminent literary friendships, ultimately reflecting how his formative years shaped his unique approach to poetry and drama. This contextual grounding is vital for appreciating the selections included in the anthology.

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  • Drama
  • English poetry
  • Poetry · Collections

Read the opening

Chapter I: "Heap Cassia, Sandal-Buds, and Stripes"

Heap cassia, sandal-buds, and stripes
Of labdanum, and aloe-balls,
Smeared with dull nard an Indian wipes
From out her hair; such balsam falls
Down sea-side mountain pedestals, 5
From tree-tops where tired winds are fain,
Spent with the vast and howling main,
To treasure half their island-gain.

And strew faint sweetness from some old
Egyptian's fine worm-eaten shroud 10
Which breaks to dust when once unrolled;
Or shredded perfume, like a cloud
From closet long to quiet vowed,
With mothed and dropping arras hung,
Moldering her lute and books among, 15
As when a queen, long dead, was young.

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Contents

Show all 89 chapters
  1. Front Matter
  2. Chapter I: "Heap Cassia, Sandal-Buds, and Stripes"
  3. Chapter II: "Over the Sea Our Galleys Went"
  4. Chapter III: "Thus the Mayne Glideth"
  5. Chapter I
  6. Chapter II
  7. Chapter III
  8. Chapter I
  9. Chapter III
  10. Chapter IV
  11. Chapter V
  12. Chapter VI
  13. Chapter VII
  14. Chapter VIII
  15. Chapter IX
  16. Chapter X
  17. Chapter XI
  18. Chapter XII
  19. Chapter XIII
  20. Chapter XIV
  21. Chapter XV
  22. Chapter XVII
  23. Chapter XVIII
  24. Chapter XIX
  25. Chapter I
  26. Chapter II
  27. Chapter III
  28. Chapter IV
  29. Chapter V
  30. Chapter VI
  31. Chapter VII
  32. Chapter VIII
  33. Chapter IX
  34. Chapter X
  35. Chapter XI
  36. Chapter XII
  37. Chapter XIII
  38. Chapter XIV
  39. Chapter XV
  40. Chapter II
  41. Chapter III
  42. Chapter IV
  43. Chapter V
  44. Chapter VI
  45. Chapter VII
  46. Chapter VIII
  47. Chapter IX
  48. Chapter X
  49. Chapter XI
  50. Chapter XII
  51. Chapter XIII
  52. Chapter XIV
  53. Chapter XV
  54. Chapter XVI
  55. Chapter XVII
  56. Chapter II
  57. Chapter III
  58. Chapter IV
  59. Chapter V
  60. Chapter VIII
  61. Chapter IX
  62. Chapter XI
  63. Chapter XII
  64. Chapter XIII
  65. Chapter XIV
  66. Chapter XV
  67. Chapter XVI
  68. Chapter XVII
  69. Chapter XVIII
  70. Chapter XIX
  71. Chapter I
  72. Chapter II
  73. Chapter III
  74. Chapter IV
  75. Chapter V
  76. Chapter VI
  77. Chapter VII
  78. Chapter VIII
  79. Chapter IX
  80. Chapter X
  81. Chapter XI
  82. Chapter II
  83. Chapter III
  84. Chapter IV
  85. Chapter V
  86. Chapter VI
  87. Chapter VII
  88. Introduction
  89. Epilogue

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About this edition

This free edition of Selections from the Poems and Plays of Robert Browning by Robert Browning comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #28041, released 2009-02-09. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Poetry, Plays/Films/Dramas, British Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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