Sordello: Introduction & substance

‘Sordello’ as a poem belongs to the first period of Browning’s creative writings (1832-1846). It has the Italian background. It is based on the life of Sordello, the son of an archer. The poem was published in 1840. It was a long poem of 5800 lines and is divided into six books. Here I am discussing 219 lines (475-693) from the second book of ‘Sordello in Mantua’. For the details Browning explores the Italian history and used the medieval background.

Browning frames Sordello for spiritual delights only. He an artist in the making. He is imaginative and enjoys everything around him. He sees Palma who becomes the sources of his inspiration. As he grows up he is craving for applause from the pubic. He makes a crowd of crowd and tapestries figures around himself. It is at this point that he is invited to participate in a song contest at the court of Mantua.

When Sordello reaches Mantua his friends greet him with applause but enemies accept him passively. Naddo, fashioned after John Forster is a blind supporter of sordello. He speaks highly of sordello’s poetry but his high sounding words often turn to be meaningless. Naddo’s perception about poetry seems to be superficial only without any depth. However Naddo finds some features lacking in his poetry. He is not philosophical. He uses common things. The listeners explain his poetry in their own ways. Sodello laughs within. A true poet must not only write about himself but must observe other also. He
Not portions of ourselves, mere loves an hates
Made flesh wait not.

Sordello participates in the song contest and defeats the court poet Eglamor who dies soon after his defeat. Sordello discover that he has won with the help of Eglamor’s rhyme and by doing exactly what he dislikes in people like Naddo. His success turns in reality to be his failure. He thinks he is alienated from his act. But he earned everything there- power, fame, money and the love of women. They praise him highly.

Virtue took form, nor vice refused a shape
Here heaven opened, there was hell agape
As saint this simpered past in sanctity.

Sordello leaves the court and all fame and power he has achieved. He wants to go out and know the joys and sorrows of common life outside. But for that Sordello must perfect his language of writing. Sordello finds the provincial a class language most suitable for his poetry. But the language ultimately fails him. Browning points out that thoughts and arguments can ill afford to present perception to the reading public. Sordello’s experiments prove fruitless and painful. For his experiment to perfect language kills his art. The people of Mantua praise his song for the valour of the hero he depicts but not for his poetic art. Sordello so long takes mischievous dwarfs for giants. They can not understand his poetry. A conflict starts in Sordello between Sordello the poet and Sordello the man. At last the poet-part thwarts the man-part.

And we find the poet part grew: “The Art/Developing his soul a thousand ways. Then his command over language also grew. Browning compared Sordello with Apollo, the god of poetry who threw aways his bou and quiver and retained the lyre alone. Sordello engages himself in mastering various forms of troubadours poetry. But he loses the favor of the audience. Sordello becomes complete with both the poet-part and man-part in the long run. So the last line declares:

“But the complete Sordello, Man and Bard
John’s cloud-girt angel, this foot on the land
A bitter sweating of a book – was gone”

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