Page 343 - DENG405_BRITISH_POETRY

British Poetry

Notes it is so and now at length he knows his fate, nothing to all his love avails and his life is meant to
accept failure. This was written in his stars and all must need to be that his whole heart rises up to
bless her name in pride and thankfulness. He asked her to take back the hope she gave for he
claimed only a memory of the same and besides this if she would not blame her leave for one more
last ride with him. His mistress bent that brow of hers and those dark eyes where pride demurs;
lingers; when pity would be softening through, fixed him with a breathing-while or two with life or
death in the balance.
The blood replenished; revitalized; him again and his last thoughts was at least not in vain. He and
his mistress would sit side by side and together they would breathe and ride. So one more day
would he be deified; become a god, i.e. achieved the supreme goal; who knows but the world may
end tonight. If she would see some western cloud all billowy-bosomed; with gentle curves; over
bowed by many benedictions; blessings; of the sun’s, the moon’s and evening stars at once, she
would looked and loved best as her conscious grew, her passion drew closer to the cloud, sunset,
moonrise and star-shine too. Right down near to her, till her flesh must fade for heaven was there.
She leant and lingered for joy and fear and she lay for a moment on his breast. Ultimately they
began the ride and his soul smoothed herself out-a long-cramped scroll; parchment kept rolled up
for a long period- freshening and fluttering in the wind. Past hopes were already laid behind and
there was no need to strive with a life’s awry; gone wrong; had he said that or had he done this, so
might he gain or so might he miss. She might have love or hated him. No one could tell as to where
he had been now if the worst befell but here they are both of them riding together.
As they rode, it seemed that his spirit flew and saw other regions and new cities. As the world
rushed on either side, he thought all labour bore up beneath their failure. Look at the end of work,
contrast between the petty done and the vast undone. This present of theirs with a hopeful past, he
hoped that she would love him as they ride. Their hands and brains went paired as much as their
hearts alike conceived and dared. He saw her bosom heave and the many crowns that were hard to
reach. There were ten lines in each of the statesman’s life, the flag that was stuck on a heap of bones
or what atones a soldier’s doing? They scratch his name on the Abbey-stones; a memorial tablet at
Westminster Abbey. This honour is usually given to distinguished people like the heroic soldier
mentioned earlier in the poem; but the lover’s riding was better than their leave.
His brains beat into rhythm, he spoke what he felt and held things that were beautifully the best. He
paced them in rhyme side by side if he should be poor, sick or old before his time. Nearer one whit
his own sublime; even a little bit nearer to his sublime ideal; than they who had never turned a
rhyme as they sang and riding together for joy. She was like a great sculptor; not exactly identifiable
since many medieval sculptors carved out statues of Venus-the ideal of feminine beauty; this a sole
praise from a friend which greatly intends his opera’s strains. They turn to yonder girl that fords
the burn of her; acquiesce; agree; and he would repine; express dejection. In music they know how
fashions end, he gave his youth but they rode in fine together. Fate proposed that bliss should
sublimate his being there and one must lead some life beyond. To have bliss to die with, dim-
descried; dimly observed as from afar; whose foot once planted on the goal. The glory-garland
round his soul could he descry yet sunk back shuddering from the quest. Earth would be good but
Heaven would be best for she was beyond this ride. She hardly spoke yet if Heaven would be fair
and strong with their eyes upturned, whither life’s flower is discerned as they headed to eternity,
Heaven just proved that both of them rode together undisturbed.

29.2.3 Detailed Analysis

Robert Browning’s “Last Ride Together” is a monologue of a rejected lover that expresses his undying
love for his beloved. The title apparently gives out the notion that this is their last ride together.
Nevertheless, what the speaker signifies is that he has lived all his life in this ride, with the all-sufficing
splendor of love. The poem echoes the ‘carpe diem’ motif of seizing the present. He affirms that he is
well-acquainted with his past. Even so, hitherto all that his life stood for, comes to naught when it

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