| LECTURE I |
| Sources of Browning’s influence as a teacher. |
| Connection between the five poems of the Course. |
| Caliban upon Setebos—Origin of—Criticisms. |
| Characteristics of Caliban. Cf. Caliban of Shakespeare. |
| Analysis of Poem. |
| (i) | Introductory (ll. 1-23). |
| (ii) | Conception of Setebos. |
| | (a) | Place of abode (ll. 24-25). |
| | (b) | Creator of things animate and inanimate (ll. 26-55). |
| | (c) | Motives of Creation: self-gratification or wantonness (ll. 55-84, 170-199). |
| | (d) | Answer to prayers addressed by his creatures uncertain because result of caprice (ll. 85-97). |
| | (e) | Main characteristic—Power, irresponsible and capricious (ll. 98-126, 200-240). |
| (iii) | “The Quiet” and Caliban’s estimate of evil (ll. 127-141, 246-249). |
| Other lines of thought relating to: |
| A. | Doctrine of Sacrifice. |
| B. | A Future Life. |
| C. | Indirect suggestion of necessity of an Incarnation of the Deity arising from negative conditions ascribed to “the Quiet.” |
| |
| LECTURE II |
| CLEON |
| Cleon. Cf. Caliban: (i) Dramatic change; (ii) point of contact. |
| Greek conception of life—Influences affecting Cleon. |
| Analysis of Poem. |
| I. | Introductory and descriptive (ll. 1-42). |
| II. | Varied attainments of Cleon indicative of progress of race through development of complexity of nature (ll. 43-157).
Includes (ll. 115-126) Cleon’s conception of an Incarnation. |
| III. | Answer to question of Protus, Is death the end to the man of thought as well as to the man of action? (ll. 158-323.) |
| | Increase of happiness not necessarily accompaniment of fuller knowledge (ll. 181-272). |
| | Fuller insight, attribute of artist-nature, rather productive of keener sense of loss in face of death (ll. 273-323).
Cf. Old Pictures in Florence, etc. |
| IV. | Hence arises conception of necessity to man of future life (ll. 323-335.) |
| V. | Conclusion. With reference to current reports of Christianity. Cf. Cleon and Paul (ll. 336-353). |
| |
| LECTURE III |
| BISHOP BLOUGRAM’S APOLOGY |
| Dramatic character of poem. |
| Connection with preceding poems. |
| Identity of Bishop Blougram—Browning’s treatment of subject—Criticisms discussed. |
| Indications of identity—A. External. B. Personal characteristics. |
| Analysis of Poem. |
| I. | Epilogue (ll. 971-1014). How far is the Bishop serious in his assertions? |
| II. | Introductory. Bishop and Critic (ll. 1-48). |
| III. | Bishop’s Life. Cf. Ideal of Critic (ll. 49-143, 230-240, 749-805). Cf. A Grammarian’s Funeral, Dîs Aliter Visum,
Rabbi Ben Ezra, etc. |
| IV. | How far schemes of life reconcilable—Difficulties of consistency in either (ll. 144-212). |
| V. | Positions compared—Advantages of belief (ll. 213-431). |
| VI. | Is life divorced from faith possible? (ll. 432-554.) |
| VII. | Recognition of value of enthusiasm result of faith (ll. 555-646). |
| VIII. | Is “pure faith” possible? (ll. 647-748.) |
| IX. | Deeper thoughts suggested: |
| | Faith increased through conflict with Doubt. |
| | Truth essential to Life. |
| | Mystical element of Blougram’s faith. |
| |
| LECTURE IV |
| CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (i) |
| Special interest of poems, common and individual. |
| Christmas Eve. Faith corporate. |
| I. | Realism in Art, I-IV—Zion Chapel and Methodism—Soliloquist at first capable of criticism only—Inspiration of Love
wanting (ll. 117-118, 139-184). |
| II. | Truth absolute, IV-IX—God revealed in Nature as Power and Love—Knowledge finite, Love infinite. |
| | The Vision (ll. 373-520)—Essentials of worship, spirit and truth. |
| III. | Rome, St. Peter’s, X-XII. Symbolism or materialism in worship? |
| IV. | German University, XIII-XVIII—Historic criticism by Lecturer of Christian creed—Treatment of criticism by soliloquist. |
| V. | Mental attitude, result of night’s experience, XIX-XXI. |
| | | (i) Easy tolerance, succeeded by (ii) realization of necessity of individual acceptance of creed. |
| VI. | Return to Zion Chapel and ultimate choice of creed, XXII. Reasons for choice. |
| |
| LECTURE V |
| CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (ii) |
| Easter Day. Faith individual. |
| Part I, | Sections I-XII. Discussion between First Speaker, struggling with difficulties involved in practical acceptance of
Christianity, and Second Speaker, who would hold the Faith without question. |
| | First Speaker, I (ll. 1-12, 15-17, 21-28), III, V, VII (ll. 171-203), VIII, X, XII. |
| | Second Speaker, I (ll. 13, 14, 18-20), II, IV, VI, VII (ll. 204-226), IX, XI. |
| Part II. | The Vision. Sections XIII-XXXIII. |
| | Introductory, XIII, XIV. |
| | The Judgment, XV-XXII; Character of. |
| | Results. Freedom in complete possession of Earth. No satisfaction derivative therefrom in (a) Nature, XXIII, XXIV; (b)
Art, XXV, XXVI; (c) Intellectual attainment, XXVII, XXVIII; (d) Love—sought as final refuge, XXIX-XXX (l. 969). |
| | Argument in favour of credibility of Gospel story, XXX (ll. 969-990). |
| | Ultimate results of Vision—Acceptance of existing uncertainty rather than of satiety within temporal limitations,
XXXI-XXXIII. |
| |
| LECTURE VI |
| CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (iii) |
| General character of poems. How far dramatic? |
| Expression of Browning’s personal opinions under dramatic guise on |
| I. | Doctrine of the Incarnation. |
| II. | Faith and Life temporal. |
| III. | Judgment and Future Punishment. |
| Dramatic element stronger in references to |
| IV. | Roman Catholicism. |
| V. | Nonconformity of “Zion Chapel.” |
| VI. | Asceticism. |
| |
| LECTURE VII |
| LA SAISIAZ |
| Peculiar interest attaching as direct expression of Browning’s thought. |
| General character of poem. Cf. Prospice. |
| Prologue outcome of conclusions of poem. |
| Circumstances giving rise to La Saisiaz. |
| Death of Miss Egerton-Smith, 1877. |
| Analysis of Poem. |
| A. | Prelude (ll. 1-404). |
| | (i) | Narrative of events leading to subsequent reflections (ll. 1-139). |
| | (ii) | Immortality of the soul—Treatment of question (ll. 139-179). |
| | (iii) | Nature of Immortality (ll. 179-216). |
| | (iv) | Primary truths constituting basis of succeeding argument (ll. 217-234). |
| | (v) | Grounds for belief in a future life—Imperfections of present life—Its probationary character—Preponderance of evil (ll. 235-404). |
| B. | Argument, imaginary, between Fancy and Reason (ll. 405-524). |
| C. | Conclusions from foregoing (ll. 525-604)—Supplementary (ll. 605-618). |
| Relation of La Saisiaz to earlier poems considered. |
| Its relation to Browning’s attitude towards Christianity—Christianity and a Future Life. |
| Summary of Browning’s creed as deduced from foregoing considerations—Dogma and spiritual growth. |