Posted in Fiction, History, Long, Poetry, tagged Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on September 11, 2009| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues, as Guido receives the news of his sentencing. He’s mighty peeved to find out that killing your wife, your kid, and her family is an act with consequences, and that those consequences apply to him.
11:09.
Sorry this has been so sporadic. It takes a lot out of me, for some reason.
Posted in Long, Poetry, tagged epic poem, epic poetry, Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on July 11, 2009| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues. In this segment, the Pope announces his continued belief in God from personal experience, and compares the virtue of a pagan poet without benefit of revelation to the lack of virtue of many of modern days. (Next week we’ll finish this book and move on to the next.)
20:14.
Posted in Long, Poetry, tagged epic poem, epic poetry, Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on July 11, 2009| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues. In this segment, the Pope thinks about the poor showing that Christianity is making in this case in the lives of people who know better, and should do better.
24:04.
Posted in Long, Poetry, Uncategorized, tagged epic poem, epic poetry, Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on July 11, 2009| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues, after being abandoned on this podcast since January. (Yes, it’s a little too big for me. I admit it.) For those who weren’t listening back then or who have forgotten in six months, this epic poem about a strange case of a wife’s flight and a family’s murder in Rome, in the days of the Papal States, is ripped from the pages of Italian history. Browning turned a book about the various court cases into a poem about the same events seen from various points of view of testimony and judgment. It’s fascinating stuff, and there’s certainly plenty of it.
In this segment, the Pope finishes thinking about his judgment of the actions of Pompilia and Caponsacchi.
15:14.
Posted in Fiction, History, Long, Poetry, tagged epic poetry, historical fiction, Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on January 23, 2009| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues, as the Pope ponders Guido’s appeal for a stay of execution. (As temporal ruler of the Papal States back then, he had authority over the courts of Rome and other places in his territories.)
24:53.
Btw, here’s the beautiful basilica church, San Lorenzo in Lucina, to which the murderers brought the bodies of Pompilia et al. Lucina was the Roman matron who owned the house which was made into the original church (titulus Lucinae); she hid Pope Marcellus I from Emperor Maxentius’ persecution.
Posted in Long, Poetry, tagged epic poetry, Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on January 16, 2009| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues, as we reach the end of yet another volume of the poem. Next week, we get to the Pope’s book.
37:58.
Posted in Long, Poetry, tagged epic poetry, Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on December 17, 2008| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues, as the prosecuting attorney continues to argue for Pompilia’s innocence and against Guido’s murderous behavior. Just as with Guido’s defense attorney, some of his arguments are pretty dubious.
32:34.
By the way, there’s a reading at Librivox now of Chesterton’s book on Robert Browning, which includes a very insightful essay about The Ring and the Book. (And even some words on why these prosecution and defense books are necessary to the poem.) You might want to check it out.
Posted in Long, Poetry, tagged epic poetry, Poetry, Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on December 11, 2008| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues, as the public prosecutor begins telling his side of the story.
27:42.
Posted in Long, Poetry, tagged epic poetry, Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on December 3, 2008| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues, as the public defense attorney finishes telling his side of the story.
26:27.
Posted in Long, Poetry, tagged epic poetry, Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on November 20, 2008| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues, as the lawyer for the defense continues to plan his arguments.
16:56.
Posted in Long, Poetry, tagged Poetry, Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on October 29, 2008| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues, as Pompilia’s story comes to a close.
8:15.
Posted in Long, Mysteries, Poetry, tagged Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on October 22, 2008| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues, as Pompilia tells the story of her desperate flight to Rome — a little differently than everybody else.
37:30.
We should be finished with Pompilia’s book next week. Then there’s two lawyers’ books, the Pope’s book, Guido’s second book, and a wrap-up book. And people wonder why book-length poems went out of fashion. Sheeeeeeesh. Even though it’s all Browning and all good, it’s like asking for one small dessert and being served cake for 24….
On the bright side, Argonautica is fast-paced and beautiful! So I guess I’m the shallow type who prefers action to deep psychological realism.
Posted in History, Long, Poetry, tagged Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book on October 15, 2008| Leave a Comment »
The Ring and the Book continues (finally). More of Pompilia’s story, as she tells her version of how she met Caponsacchi.
16:25.
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Maria Lectrix 