The last ride together poem summary
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The Last Ride Together is a poem by English poet Robert Browning, first published in his 1855 collection Men and Women.
the first stanza, the narrator blames the end of his romance on fate. He bemoans that everything he has tried has failed, and it seems the end of his love affair is set. Despite this, he expresses his love and appreciation for the woman he has spent years with, and blesses her name. He asks only for her the memory of the time they shared together, and one last ride with her before she goes.
The second stanza focuses on the woman’s reaction, as she surveys him with pride tempered with pity. The narrator compares waiting for her answer with life or death, accentuating the emotional stakes that are always at play when it comes to love and passion. In the end, they say yes, and the parting couple embarks on their final ride together.
The third stanza focuses on the blissful feeling of that last ride, with the narrator waxing poetic about how wonderful the time together feels. He focuses on the beauty of the surroundings, the passion he feels, and the ecstatic feeling that he feels when she touches him. She has provided him with more than he asked for, and he is filled with gratitude for this.
The fourth stanza focuses on Browning’s philosophy of the passing nature of life. The narrator begins to let go of what was and begins to enjoy what is. He describes his soul as smoothing out as he lets go of past hopes. He knows that there’s no point to speculating what could have been. Things could be better or worse, and instead he chooses to simply enjoy the moment that they are sharing together.
The fifth stanza continues the themes in the fourth, with the narrator contrasting himself with men who strove for other things, and those who have failed. He does this to hide his personal anguish over the end of his affair. He accepts his defeat and expresses his hope for a better future in heaven at the end of his life.
The sixth stanza presents the philosophical idea that a life of contemplation in love is far better than any pleasures that the material world can provide. This stanza contains many allusions and analogies, such as comparing the greatest joys of life to a crown that one can reach. It compares the life of a love with that of a statesman and a soldier, and comes down firmly on the idea that the lover’s life is superior.
The seventh and eighth stanzas focus on comparisons of the love to a great poet and later a great sculptor. The narrator describes the talents of these artists – the poet’s work being defined by how they create rhyme and rhythm, while the sculptor devotes years to a chunk of rock and carves something spectacular out of it. He later does the same with a composer, stringing notes together. He compares these arts to the years of his life he gave to his love, attempting to create something beautiful out of their union.
In the ninth stanza, the narrator wonders what fate has in store for them, and admits he has no idea what would have transpired had they remained together. He expresses his regret that it has to end here, but admits that there is nothing he can do and chooses to let go, stating that his life with his lover is now as far away from him as heaven.
The final stanza has him turn his focus back to his lover, as he observes her and notes that she hasn’t said anything in a while. He wonders what would happen if they simply rode forever, together, and this instant they shared was made eternity. That is where the poem ends, on that wistful note for an eternity of this moment, without the future apart that awaits them when the ride ends
the first stanza, the narrator blames the end of his romance on fate. He bemoans that everything he has tried has failed, and it seems the end of his love affair is set. Despite this, he expresses his love and appreciation for the woman he has spent years with, and blesses her name. He asks only for her the memory of the time they shared together, and one last ride with her before she goes.
The second stanza focuses on the woman’s reaction, as she surveys him with pride tempered with pity. The narrator compares waiting for her answer with life or death, accentuating the emotional stakes that are always at play when it comes to love and passion. In the end, they say yes, and the parting couple embarks on their final ride together.
The third stanza focuses on the blissful feeling of that last ride, with the narrator waxing poetic about how wonderful the time together feels. He focuses on the beauty of the surroundings, the passion he feels, and the ecstatic feeling that he feels when she touches him. She has provided him with more than he asked for, and he is filled with gratitude for this.
The fourth stanza focuses on Browning’s philosophy of the passing nature of life. The narrator begins to let go of what was and begins to enjoy what is. He describes his soul as smoothing out as he lets go of past hopes. He knows that there’s no point to speculating what could have been. Things could be better or worse, and instead he chooses to simply enjoy the moment that they are sharing together.
The fifth stanza continues the themes in the fourth, with the narrator contrasting himself with men who strove for other things, and those who have failed. He does this to hide his personal anguish over the end of his affair. He accepts his defeat and expresses his hope for a better future in heaven at the end of his life.
The sixth stanza presents the philosophical idea that a life of contemplation in love is far better than any pleasures that the material world can provide. This stanza contains many allusions and analogies, such as comparing the greatest joys of life to a crown that one can reach. It compares the life of a love with that of a statesman and a soldier, and comes down firmly on the idea that the lover’s life is superior.
The seventh and eighth stanzas focus on comparisons of the love to a great poet and later a great sculptor. The narrator describes the talents of these artists – the poet’s work being defined by how they create rhyme and rhythm, while the sculptor devotes years to a chunk of rock and carves something spectacular out of it. He later does the same with a composer, stringing notes together. He compares these arts to the years of his life he gave to his love, attempting to create something beautiful out of their union.
In the ninth stanza, the narrator wonders what fate has in store for them, and admits he has no idea what would have transpired had they remained together. He expresses his regret that it has to end here, but admits that there is nothing he can do and chooses to let go, stating that his life with his lover is now as far away from him as heaven.
The final stanza has him turn his focus back to his lover, as he observes her and notes that she hasn’t said anything in a while. He wonders what would happen if they simply rode forever, together, and this instant they shared was made eternity. That is where the poem ends, on that wistful note for an eternity of this moment, without the future apart that awaits them when the ride ends
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Robert Browning and The Last Ride Together
The Last Ride Together is one of Robert Browning's most notable dramatic monologues. It focuses on the wishes of a man for a last ride together with his lover and this journey is both passionate and evocative.
First published in 1855 in the book Men and Women, it has received much attention over the years, especially with the regards to the possible psycho-sexual content. Some critics see Freudian symbols within the poem, the title in particular interpreted as a metaphor for the sexual act.
This is debateable but does open up discussion which could lead to a greater understanding of this classical poem. Suffice to say, as the poem progresses it does become clear that this is no ordinary horse ride through gentle countryside. This is a journey that takes place in heart and mind. Browning taps into the mindset of the modern man.
In the end the speaker wishes for the journey to never end, to carry on in some eternal instant. For Victorian readers this was cutting edge romantic material - how could a rejected lover carry on so, and be such a complicated soul?
Robert Browning and his wife Elizabeth Barrett Browning were the most famous poetic couple of the age. Their publications became very popular and their life as lover-poets was well known.
They also traveled a lot and it was on one of these journeys that Robert Browning perhaps echoed the sentiments of The Last Ride Together.
In a letter of 1858 Elizabeth wrote to one Isa Blagden following their pleasant journey from Florence to Paris 'I was nearly sorry to arrive, & Robert suggested the facility of travelling on for ever so.'
The Last Ride Together encapsulates Browning's principal philosophies - life is always greater than art and love is the best thing life can bring. Experience here on earth is the ultimate and one doesn't have to wait for heaven to have a blissful life in the here and now.
Although the majority of the poem is in first person mode, starting with I said, watch out for subtle changes as the stanzas progress. The second person pronoun enters the scene,you, then again moving onto we, a natural progression as the couple unite.
Enjambment - when a line has no punctuation at the end and flows into the next - and the iambic tetrameter, help keep the poem moving forward whilst the odd line with an extra beat, a ninth syllable, remind the reader that this is no clockwork relationship, but can change.
The use of dashes here and there, together with more formal punctuation, help keep the syntax challenging. Each stanza has its own character but watch out in particular for stanzas II, VII and VIII, which require extra work with rhythm and meaning.
This is a demanding poem to read, what with that mysterious fifth and eleventh line rhyme confusing matters, the 8,9 and 10 lines all rhyming, and the subtle change in metrics with lines 10 and 11.
Whilst helping to bond and bind certain sections of the poem, these rhymes reflect a complex mindset - the man is torn between accepting his fate as a failed lover, yet wishes for that eternal moment of continuous union with his her.
To help put his plight into context he thinks about art and work and how men strive for some kind of perfection, never quite attaining the heights. And fate - no one can know what lies ahead, so best to live life and love in the here and now, hoping it can last forever.
Summary of Each Stanza in The Last Ride Together
1. Fated speaker requests lover for one last ride.
2. Anticipation, life and death outcome awaiting her decision.
3. Euphoria as romantic energy builds.
4. Little use thinking about what could have been.
5. Accepts failure, love's labours lost.
6. Experiencing love far outweighs the rewards of war and work.
7. Do poets know what is best in life? Live love.
8. Sculptors and musicians have no definitive answers.
9. Aim high in love while you can.
10. Live and love in the moment.
The Last Ride Together is one of Robert Browning's most notable dramatic monologues. It focuses on the wishes of a man for a last ride together with his lover and this journey is both passionate and evocative.
First published in 1855 in the book Men and Women, it has received much attention over the years, especially with the regards to the possible psycho-sexual content. Some critics see Freudian symbols within the poem, the title in particular interpreted as a metaphor for the sexual act.
This is debateable but does open up discussion which could lead to a greater understanding of this classical poem. Suffice to say, as the poem progresses it does become clear that this is no ordinary horse ride through gentle countryside. This is a journey that takes place in heart and mind. Browning taps into the mindset of the modern man.
In the end the speaker wishes for the journey to never end, to carry on in some eternal instant. For Victorian readers this was cutting edge romantic material - how could a rejected lover carry on so, and be such a complicated soul?
Robert Browning and his wife Elizabeth Barrett Browning were the most famous poetic couple of the age. Their publications became very popular and their life as lover-poets was well known.
They also traveled a lot and it was on one of these journeys that Robert Browning perhaps echoed the sentiments of The Last Ride Together.
In a letter of 1858 Elizabeth wrote to one Isa Blagden following their pleasant journey from Florence to Paris 'I was nearly sorry to arrive, & Robert suggested the facility of travelling on for ever so.'
The Last Ride Together encapsulates Browning's principal philosophies - life is always greater than art and love is the best thing life can bring. Experience here on earth is the ultimate and one doesn't have to wait for heaven to have a blissful life in the here and now.
Although the majority of the poem is in first person mode, starting with I said, watch out for subtle changes as the stanzas progress. The second person pronoun enters the scene,you, then again moving onto we, a natural progression as the couple unite.
Enjambment - when a line has no punctuation at the end and flows into the next - and the iambic tetrameter, help keep the poem moving forward whilst the odd line with an extra beat, a ninth syllable, remind the reader that this is no clockwork relationship, but can change.
The use of dashes here and there, together with more formal punctuation, help keep the syntax challenging. Each stanza has its own character but watch out in particular for stanzas II, VII and VIII, which require extra work with rhythm and meaning.
This is a demanding poem to read, what with that mysterious fifth and eleventh line rhyme confusing matters, the 8,9 and 10 lines all rhyming, and the subtle change in metrics with lines 10 and 11.
Whilst helping to bond and bind certain sections of the poem, these rhymes reflect a complex mindset - the man is torn between accepting his fate as a failed lover, yet wishes for that eternal moment of continuous union with his her.
To help put his plight into context he thinks about art and work and how men strive for some kind of perfection, never quite attaining the heights. And fate - no one can know what lies ahead, so best to live life and love in the here and now, hoping it can last forever.
Summary of Each Stanza in The Last Ride Together
1. Fated speaker requests lover for one last ride.
2. Anticipation, life and death outcome awaiting her decision.
3. Euphoria as romantic energy builds.
4. Little use thinking about what could have been.
5. Accepts failure, love's labours lost.
6. Experiencing love far outweighs the rewards of war and work.
7. Do poets know what is best in life? Live love.
8. Sculptors and musicians have no definitive answers.
9. Aim high in love while you can.
10. Live and love in the moment.
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