This is said suddenly, and with the most positive and abrupt inflections. Notice that amid the gloom he will even laugh over the bad Latin of old Gandolf the "elucescebat" of his inscription, and abruptly demands of his sons that his epitaph be
"Choice Latin, picked phrase, Tully's every word."
"Nay, boys, ye love me--all of jasper, then!"
to his appeal to their superstition because he has
"... Saint Praxed's ear to pray Horses for ye...."
If we realize his character, this kind of "concentrated writing" will not need "so much solution" before the reader can "get the good of it." Certainly people's patience should not fail them, nor should they "give the thing up as insoluble." On the contrary, one who follows the suggestions indicated, understands the natural languages, and has any appreciation of the dramatic spirit, will feel that Browning's form is the best means of giving with a few strokes a thorough understanding of the character of a great movement and era in human history.
This is one of Browning's "difficult" poems. Why difficult? Because most "concentrated"; because it gives the fundamental spirit of a certain era of the world; because the poet uses in every case the exact word, however unusual it may be, to express the idea. He should not be blamed if he send the reader to the dictionary to correct his ignorance. Why should not art be as accurate as science? Why should it perpetuate ignorance?
To understand a monologue according to these suggestions the student must first answer such questions as, Who speaks? What kind of a man says this? To whom does he speak? Of whom is he talking? Where is he? At what point in the conversation do we break in upon him in the unconscious utterance of his life and motives? Then, last of all,--What is the argument? The general subject and thought will gradually become plain from the first question and the argument may be pretty clear before all the points are presented.
When the points are taken up in this order, the meaning of a monologue will unfold as naturally as that of an essay or a simple story, and at the same time afford greater enjoyment and express deeper truth in fewer words.
All of these questions are not applicable to every monologue. Sometimes one has greater force than the others. Some monologues are given without any necessity of conceiving a distinct place; some require no definite time in the conversation; in a few the listener may be almost any one; but in some monologues every one of these questions will have force. The application of these points, however, is easy, and will be spontaneous to one with dramatic instinct. Only at first do they demand special attention and care.