Browning's England: A Study in English Influences in Browning

"Browning's England: A Study in English Influences in Browning" by Helen A. Clarke is a literary analysis written in the early 20th century. The work examines the various English influences on the poet Robert Browning, including the impact of notable English poets like Shelley and Keats, and explores how these influences shaped Browning's literary identity. Through this exploration, it aims to provide insights into Browning’s themes, inspirations, and the broader context of English literature. The opening of the text begins with a discussion of Browning's admiration for the poets that preceded him, particularly focusing on his youthful encounter with Shelley's poetry that infused him with inspiration. Helen Clarke reflects on specific poems such as "Memorabilia," which encapsulate Browning's early reverence for Shelley, and she notes how this admiration transitioned over time. Clarke also emphasizes the significant influence of other contemporaneous poets, such as Keats and Wordsworth, showing how they played a role in shaping Browning's artistic vision. The groundwork laid in this opening chapter sets the stage for a deeper analysis of how these poets influenced Browning's views on art, politics, and personal expression in subsequent chapters. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Helen Archibald Clarke was an American literary critic, book editor, composer and lyricist, and the co-founder of the journal Poet Lore. She was influential in shaping the American literary taste of her day through her work on Poet Lore, through her work co-editing the complete works of the British poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and through her books on writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.