Browning and Dogma. Ethel M. Naish
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Ethel M. Naish
Browning and Dogma
Seven Lectures on Browning's Attitude Towards Dogmatic Religion
Published by Good Press, 2021
EAN 4064066127787
Table of Contents
LECTURE I INTRODUCTORY, AND CALIBAN UPON SETEBOS
LECTURE III BISHOP BLOUGRAM’S APOLOGY
LECTURE IV CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (i)
LECTURE V CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (ii)
LECTURE VI CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (iii)
SYNOPSIS
| LECTURE I | ||
| Sources of Browning’s influence as a teacher. | ||
| Connection between the five poems of the Course. | ||
| Caliban upon Setebos—Origin of—Criticisms. | ||
| Characteristics of Caliban. Cf. Caliban of Shakespeare. | ||
| Analysis of Poem. | ||
| (i) | Introductory (ll. 1-23). | |
| (ii) | Conception of Setebos. | |
| (a) | Place of abode (ll. 24-25). | |
| (b) | Creator of things animate and inanimate (ll. 26-55). | |
| (c) | Motives of Creation: self-gratification or wantonness (ll. 55-84, 170-199). | |
| (d) | Answer to prayers addressed by his creatures uncertain because result of caprice (ll. 85-97). | |
| (e) | Main characteristic—Power, irresponsible and capricious (ll. 98-126, 200-240). | |
| (iii) | “The Quiet” and Caliban’s estimate of evil (ll. 127-141, 246-249). | |
| Other lines of thought relating to: | ||
| A. | Doctrine of Sacrifice. | |
| B. | A Future Life. | |
| C. | Indirect suggestion of necessity of an Incarnation of the Deity arising from negative conditions ascribed to “the Quiet.” | |
| LECTURE II | ||
| CLEON | ||
| Cleon. Cf. Caliban: (i) Dramatic change; (ii) point of contact. | ||
| Greek conception of life—Influences affecting Cleon. | ||
| Analysis of Poem. | ||
| I. | Introductory and descriptive (ll. 1-42). | |
| II. | Varied attainments of Cleon indicative of progress of race through development of complexity of nature (ll. 43-157). Includes (ll. 115-126) Cleon’s conception of an Incarnation. | |
| III. | Answer to question of Protus, Is death the end to the man of thought as well as to the man of action? (ll. 158-323.) | |
| Increase of happiness not necessarily accompaniment of fuller knowledge (ll. 181-272). | ||
| Fuller insight, attribute of artist-nature, rather productive of keener sense of loss in face of death (ll. 273-323). Cf. Old Pictures in Florence, etc. | ||
| IV. | Hence arises conception of necessity to man of future life (ll. 323-335.) | |
| V. | Conclusion. With reference to current reports of Christianity. Cf. Cleon and Paul (ll. 336-353). | |
| LECTURE III | ||
| BISHOP BLOUGRAM’S APOLOGY | ||
| Dramatic character of poem. | ||
| Connection with preceding poems. | ||
| Identity of Bishop Blougram—Browning’s treatment of subject—Criticisms discussed. | ||
| Indications of identity—A. External. B. Personal characteristics. | ||
| Analysis of Poem. | ||
| I. | Epilogue (ll. 971-1014). How far is the Bishop serious in his assertions? | |
| II. |
Introductory. Bishop and Critic (ll. | |