Part 1 (2/2)

Though called a drama by its author, it embodies, like all plays of the highest type, other than dramatic elements. In exalted poetry the allegoric, lyric, epic and dramatic seem to be blended. An effort to separate them often seems academic and mechanical.

Pippa, a poor little silk-winding girl, who has never known father or mother, opens the poem. It is the early morning and she wakes with joyous antic.i.p.ation of her holiday, her only one. She goes forth, and we hear her singing and we see her influencing, from her humble position in the background, ”Asolo's four happiest ones,” who are brought by the action of the drama into the foreground.

Her character and that of the other persons of the play are well-defined; but the real theme of the poem is the unconscious influence that she exerts upon others. The primary element of dramatic art is the meeting of people and the influence they exert upon each other. There is no direct influence seemingly exerted upon Pippa herself save at one point and even that is scarcely a conscious one.

We feel that she is a type of the human soul. Specific scenes, though intensely dramatic, are entirely separated from one another.

Accordingly if it is a drama, it is a drama of an unusual type. It regards the events of only one day; still that day is not literal; it is a symbol of the life of everyone. It is New Year's Day, but every day is the beginning of a new year. It is a holiday, yet all life, when normally lived, is dominated by love and sympathetic service, and is full of happiness.

Pippa sings as everyone should sing with the spirit of thanksgiving and love. She welcomes the day with joy as everyone should welcome life and its opportunities. She lies down to sleep at night, as we all do; her sun drops into a ”black cloud” and she knows nothing of what she has really accomplished or of the revelation that is coming on the morrow.

Moreover, observe that the link of unity in the play is found in the songs of Pippa. One might easily conceive her beautiful character as embodying the very soul of lyric poetry. Hence, in reading the poem, we are impressed from the first with allegoric, lyric and epic, as well as dramatic elements.

Observe more closely her awakening. Note the beautiful description, the gradually lengthening lines, indicative of the coming morning. [See page 16.]

She expresses joy as she meditates over her New Year's hymn. Into this devotional lyric Browning has breathed the spirit of all true life and service.

”Now wait!--even I already seem to share In G.o.d's love: what does New-year's hymn declare?

What other meaning do these verses bear?

All service ranks the same with G.o.d: If now, as formerly he trod Paradise, his presence fills Our earth, each only as G.o.d wills Can work--G.o.d's puppets, best and worst, Are we; there is no last nor first.

Say not ”a small event!” Why ”small”?

Costs it more pain that this, ye call A ”great event,” should come to pa.s.s, Than that? Untwine me from the ma.s.s Of deeds which make up life, one deed Power shall fall short in, or exceed!

And more of it, and more of it! oh, yes-- I will pa.s.s each, and see their happiness, And envy none--being just as great, no doubt, Useful to men, and dear to G.o.d, as they!

A pretty thing to care about So mightily, this single holiday!

But let the sun s.h.i.+ne! Wherefore repine?

--With thee to lead me, O Day of mine, Down the gra.s.s path grey with dew, Under the pine-wood, blind with boughs, Where the swallow never flew Nor yet cicala dared carouse-- No, dared carouse!”

From ”Pippa Pa.s.ses”

Robert Browning

As Pippa leaves her room in the full spirit of this hymn, full of joy, hope and love, she pa.s.ses into the street. We hardly catch a glimpse of her until the close of the day, when she comes back and lies down to sleep: but we hear her songs and see the influence which she unconsciously exerts. This is the real theme of the poem.

Browning's poetic play reveals to us in four scenes the other side of life, the happier people to whom Pippa referred in her soliloquy. We look first into the interior of the old house of which Pippa has spoken with a kind of awe, and see the proud Ottima who owns the mills where Pippa is but a poor worker. In the dark gloom of one of the rooms Ottima has become the sharer in a murder, and, under the influence of Pippa's song, which is heard outside, she and her companion realize their guilt and are overcome with remorse.

At noon we are introduced to a young artist, Jules, who is just bringing home his bride, Phene, whom he has married thinking her a princess, but who is really a poor, ignorant child. She has been employed unconsciously, to herself, and innocently used by some degraded artists as a means of rebuking the idealist, Jules. By this cruel trick they mean to crush him and reduce him to their own sensual level. Even letters which Jules has received from the supposed princess have been written by these perversions of human beings--who call themselves artists.

In her lovely innocence Phene is thrilled by Jules' tenderness. Her intuition tells her that something is wrong as she falters in rendering the lines the cruel painters have given her to read to Jules.

<script>