RING AND THE BOOK, The. This is indisputably one of the most remarkable poems of the 19th century. In 21,000 lines of blank verse such poems as the (Iliad> and (Paradise Lost' with their breadth of theme fall far short of this total — Browning unfolds a' story cen tring in a murder actually committed at Rome in 1698. A Tuscan nobleman, nearly 50 years old, slew his young and low-born wife, whom he had wedded for her fortune. The material Browning derived from a miscellaneous collec tion of documents, legal and other, relating to the trial, partly in print, partly manuscript, bound together in a volume — the so-called (Yellow Book)— which fell into his hands, prob.i ably in 1860. The details, thoroughly assimi lated by the pbet's imagination, are used in the poem with marvelous fidelity and fullness.' The poem already begun in 1862, was published in and was the first work of its author to receive adequate recognition in the reviews. ' The plan is unprecedented and seemingly cumbrous. Owing to Browning's employment of his favorite monologue form, the story is told 11 times. In the monologues we become acquainted' with events and actors as trans.s mined through the personality of each speaker and colored • by his prejudices. The interest is maintained, in these repetitions, by extraordi. nary subtlety, psychological insight and imagi. native grasp. The central figure, a triumph of creative imagination, is the girl-wife, Pompilia. The central interest is her relations with the noble young churchman, Caponsacchi, who rescues her from the tyranny of her husband. Here we have a spiritual romance—.1ove in that purely altruistic form in which it so often appears in Browning's pages as the motive force of the highest life.
In Book I the poet, speaking in person, tells of the finding of the (Yellow Book); out, lines the story—thus eliminating the element of plot interest; and explains the circumstances in which each of the following monologues is spoken. In Books II-IV, we see the case as it rs to the general public. Two ordinary appears in gossiping fashion narrate the the first with a bias toward the husband, the second toward the wife. In Book IV, an habitué of the higher circles complacently un folds, for a politer audience, a more subtle and cynical view. The reader, familiarized with the facts through these partially informed and conflicting statements, is next introduced into the very heart of the action. In Book V Count Guido, the husband, unable to deny the deed, and in peril of his life, sets forth before the judges a cunning and plausible justiAca tion; in Book VI, Canon Caponsacchi gives an impassioned narrative of his relations with Pompilia; in Book VII Pompilia, on her death bed, with infinite pathos, tells her story. The
next three monologues — uttered by offacials are on a lower plane. Books VIII. IX contain the pleas of the lawyers, indifferent to the truth, and intent only on displaying their skill in legal quibbling: these books are humorous and satirical, and Browning's, penchant for special pleading finds full scope. Book X eon, usts of the meditations of the Pope as in the privacy of his chamber he writes his ocinfirma. won of the sentence and orders the execution. The figure of the Pope is anoble and impres sive one, and in his discursive he utters much of Browning's favorite philosophy. In Book XI Guido •the same man, another voice, speaks and despairs this last night of his life.' Finally the poet himself, µi Book XII, by means of extracts from imaginary let ters, ties up the loose threads of his tale and concludes with reflections on art.
The style offers hew of the difficulties which are supposed to confront the reader of Brown the books may be enjoyed separately. As is natural in the case of a work so recent and novel, critical estimates vary. It was a favorite poem with George Meredith, while Carlyle threw off the remark that •it was among the absurdest books ever written by a gifted man.' Arthur Symons writes that •it takes rank easily among the greatest poems.* William Sharp considers it, regarded as an artistic whole, •the most magnificent failure in literature.' The faults alleged are in the direction of excess • No one has said that it is too Short,' remarks Dowden, •many that it is too long.' Professor Hereford speaks of its ginunease, even riotous vitality,' of its being •even mercilessly voluble, but with the volubil kg of a consummate master of expression, in whose hands the 'difficult medium of blank verse becomes an instrument of Shakespearean flexibility and compass, easily answering...to all the shifts and winditigs of a prodigal invert, titan." It is doubtful' if any competent critic would now deny, that the book is the product of imaginative and intellectual power almost unparalleled — the latter at times unfortunately predominating. Most competent readers will probably assent to Syphon's dictum •It has a wealth of spiritual insight, human science, dramatic and intellectual and moral force, a strength and, grips a subtlety, a range and variety of genius and knowledge without parallel save in the pages a Shakespeare.' Refereaces..— Mrs. Orr's Handbook; John Morley in Fortnightly Review, 1869• James Thomson in Gentleman's Maganine, 1881; the (Yellow Book) is published in facsimile, with English, translation and notes by C. W. Hodell, Carnegie Institution, Washington; the transla tion is republished in Everyman's Library.