Robert Browning's poem, "The Last Ride Together

Robert Browning's poem, "The Last Ride Together, " is one of the greatest love poems ever written. Browning's
choice of words in this poem depict a sincere, honest, and deep love; a love that must be truly experienced to be
known. This poem really puts feelings and emotions into words in ways that are rarely seen. The words flow together
and tell one of the best love stories ever told.
In the second stanza, the following words of Browning's, "My last thought was at least not vain: I and my mistress,
side by side Shall be together, breathe and ride, So, one day more am I deified. Who knows but the world may end
to-night?" clearly shows the depth of his love. He truly treasures every day he has with the woman he loves and
wants it to go on forever. He wants them to be together for as many days of their lives as they possibly can. He
realizes that every day might be the last and knows how important it is to make the most of all of the time they have
together. He was thankful for every day that his special woman was by his side.
The fourth stanza of Browning's poem shows his own analysis of his life and the different stages he has been
through. The past was history, the past when he had merely hoped the love of his dreams would love him back. He
seemed to know how important it was to focus on the present because the length of the future was not known.
"Fail I alone, in words and deeds? Why, all men strive and who succeeds? We rode; it seem'd my spirit flew, Saw
other regions, cities new, As the world rush'd by on either side. I thought,-All labour, yet no less Bear up beneath their
unsuccess. Look at the end of work, contrast The petty done, the undone vast, This present of theirs with the hopeful
past! I hoped she would love me; here we ride."
In this stanza, Browning also explores the idea of success and what it means. He compares both life and love as a
journey, a journey with ups and downs like a very long ride. He is thankful that he has a woman by his side, who
means a great deal to him, to share this ride with.
The following words in the seventh stanza, "Your brains beat into rhythm, you tell What we felt only; you express'd
You hold things beautiful the best, And pace them in rhyme so, side by side," describe what it is like to have a partner
in life, a true soul mate. These words paint the best picture possible for those who have not yet experienced it
themselves.
The final stanza includes the following words, "What if we still ride on, we two With life degree
for ever old yet new, Changed not in kind but in degree, The instant made eternity,And heaven just prove that I and she Ride, ride together, for ever ride?" With these words, Browning indicates that
getting older does not change a strong love, rather over time, it becomes stronger and intensifies. This ride goes on
forever even when mortal life is over, although it's very hard to imagine while living.
The Last Ride Together indicates that life is a long journey that is best played out with a special love. Seeing every
day as your last can really put a new perspective on everyday experiences and life in general. It's important to not
take any time for granted and to cherish those you love every day.

Robert Browning is difficult to a certain extent, demanding a degree of intellectual exertion on the part of the reader.
His poetry is also characterized by a certain deliberate roughness reminiscent of the metaphysical poets. His poems
are greatly concerned with human character and reflect an attraction towards the bizarre, the unusual and the
eccentric. His poems are also dramatic and are concerned with Renaissance themes. The most important qualities
pervading Brownings works are his robust optimism and spiritual courage. The narrator told his lover the fact of the
matter that 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 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 suns, the moons 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 laid 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 lifes 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 statesmans life, the flag that was stuck on a
heap of bones or what atones a soldiers 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 lovers 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 operas 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
lifes flower is discerned as they headed to eternity, Heaven just proved that both of them rode together undisturbed.

Introduction:
This is a dramatic monologue by Robert Browning. This poem is about a man (who is the speaker) who asks his
mistress ( who seems to be the listener but the listener could be ambiguous) for one last ride and she agrees to one
last ride together. Language in the poem seems to suggests that he is dying and this is his last wish or that he feels
he can't live with out his mistress. the lines are in an aa,bb,c,dd,eee,c rhyme scheme. Part of the men and women
collection and Browing refers to art and love in the poem which is one of his intentions to explore.

The Rapture of a Rejected Lover:

The Last Ride Together." The rapture of a rejected lover in the one more last ride which he asks for and obtains,
discovers for him the all-sufficing glory of love in itself. Soldiership, statesmanship, art are disproportionate in their
results; love can be its own reward, yes, heaven itself.

A VIVID TREATMENT of the PAST:

"Last Ride Together" contains a vivid treatment of the past in stanzas 5 and 6
"Why, all men strive and who succeeds?" ;
"There's many a crown for who can reach.
Ten lines, a statesman's life in each!"
and adds, in stanzas 7 and 8, the activities of poets and artists these pursuits, arguably noble though they are, can
amount to wasting one's life from the standpoint of personal, romantic gratification
"Are you poor, sick, old ere your time
Nearer one whit your own sublime
Than we who have never turned a rhyme?"
However, the speaker cannot even take comfort in the reality of present love and so must confine himself even more
firmly in the joys of the present - a ride with his beloved - enough to forget that nothing durable lies beyond them.
Thus this speaker equates the "hope" (l.8) he used to have of love with all the follies of soldiers and artists; all
amount to nothing but idealism and hubris. The poem, however, does end on a note of possible optimism, with the
speaker contemplating the idea of a heaven consisting of the ephemeral joys of this ride stretched out over all
eternity.
Irrelevance of the PAST:
The Last Ride Together makes profound statements concerning the irrelevance of the past in relation to present
emotions and sentiments. More specifically, Browning discusses hopes that have not been fulfilled, and places them
in direct contrast to present circumstances. By revealing the idea that sentiments and events of the past often have

little effect on future outcomes, Browning suggests that life should not involve dwelling on the past or hoping for the
future, but living in the moment.
The Contrast between the Past and the Present:
The narrator of The Last Ride Together presents the contrast between past and present when he says
contrast / The petty done, the undone vast,
This present of theirs with the hopeful past!
I hoped she would love me; here we ride
In this case, the hopes of the narrator that his love would be reciprocated have obviously not been realized, as the
couple now rides together for the last time. In the fourth stanza, he writes
Past hopes already lay behind.
What need to strive with a life awry?
Might she have loved me? Just as well
She might have hated, who can tell!
Here the narrator conveys the idea that his hopes and his actions of the past have been useless in leading up to the
state of the present, and also says that his soul has been liberated by letting go of the hopes of the past, thus further
suggesting the negativity of hopes. These two passages are indicative of the overall tone of this poem. The narrator
wants to forget the past and any ill-advised hopes or ideas he had, and focus on the pure emotions of the moment
provided by the ride.
Conclusion:
Thus through this poem, Browning expresses the view that, the past is insignificant, and that one need only live in the
moment in order to pursue happiness in life. The juxtapositions of city and ruins, hope for love and a last ride
together, both illustrate this idea dramatically. One can learn not to look back on what one hoped for, but only to look
forward at what one has.