An Ambivalence of Judgement and Sympathy: Introspecting Browning’s ‘Bishop’

Abstract

Robert Browning’s poems have always remained an enigma as they showcase not only the problematized aspects of the protagonists ’nature, but also captures the ambivalence and dichotomy that is bound to rise in the mind of the reader regarding their changing perception of the protagonist. This paper attempts to analyse the subliminal problematics of one of the most famous dramatic monologues by Browning, ‘The Bishop orders his tomb at Saint Praxed’s Church’ and bring to the forefront the problematic dynamic of the readers’ relationship with the dying Bishop in the poem.