The Last Ride Together

Last Ride Together

I said---Then, dearest, since 'tis so,
Since now at length my fate I know,
Since nothing all my love avails,
Since all, my life seemed meant for, fails,
Since this was written and needs must be---
My whole heart rises up to bless
Your name in pride and thankfulness!
Take back the hope you gave,---I claim
---Only a memory of the same,
---And this beside, if you will not blame,
Your leave for one more last ride with me.

My mistress bent that brow of hers;
Those deep dark eyes where pride demurs
When pity would be softening through,
Fixed me, a breathing-while or two,
With life or death in the balance: right!
The blood replenished me again;
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 tonight?

Hush! if you saw some western cloud
All billowy-bosomed, over-bowed
By many benedictions---sun's
And moon's and evening-star's at once---
And so, you, looking and loving best,
Conscious grew, your passion drew
Cloud, sunset, moonrise, star-shine too,
Down on you, near and yet more near,
Till flesh must fade for heaven was here!---
Thus leant she and lingered---joy and fear!
Thus lay she a moment on my breast.

Then we began to ride. My soul
Smoothed itself out, a long-cramped scroll
Freshening and fluttering in the wind.
Past hopes already lay behind.
What need to strive with a life awry?
Had I said that, had I done this,
So might I gain, so might I miss.
Might she have loved me? just as well
She might have hated, who can tell!
Where had I been now if the worst befell?
And here we are riding, she and I.

Fail I alone, in words and deeds?
Why, all men strive and who succeeds?
We rode; it seemed my spirit flew,
Saw other regions, cities new,
As the world rushed 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.

What hand and brain went ever paired?
What heart alike conceived and dared?
What act proved all its thought had been?
What will but felt the fleshly screen?
We ride and I see her bosom heave.
There's many a crown for who can reach,
Ten lines, a statesman's life in each!
The flag stuck on a heap of bones,
A soldier's doing! what atones?
They scratch his name on the Abbey-stones.
My riding is better, by their leave.

What does it all mean, poet? Well,
Your brains beat into rhythm, you tell
What we felt only; you expressed
You hold things beautiful the best,
And pace them in rhyme so, side by side.
'Tis something, nay 'tis much: but then,
Have you yourself what's best for men?
Are you---poor, sick, old ere your time---
Nearer one whit your own sublime
Than we who never have turned a rhyme?
Sing, riding's a joy! For me, I ride.

And you, great sculptor---so, you gave
A score of years to Art, her slave,
And that's your Venus, whence we turn
To yonder girl that fords the burn!
You acquiesce, and shall I repine?
What, man of music, you grown grey
With notes and nothing else to say,
Is this your sole praise from a friend,
``Greatly his opera's strains intend,
``Put in music we know how fashions end!''
I gave my youth; but we ride, in fine.

Who knows what's fit for us? Had fate
Proposed bliss here should sublimate
My being---had I signed the bond---
Still one must lead some life beyond,
Have a bliss to die with, dim-descried.
This foot once planted on the goal,
This glory-garland round my soul,
Could I descry such? Try and test!
I sink back shuddering from the quest.
Earth being so good, would heaven seem best?
Now, heaven and she are beyond this ride.

And yet---she has not spoke so long!
What if heaven be that, fair and strong
At life's best, with our eyes upturned
Whither life's flower is first discerned,
We, fixed so, ever should so abide?
What if we still ride on, we two
With life 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?

Glossary:

my fate I know: I know that my love would not be requited

needs must be: as decree of fate it is bound to happen

pride : pride for having loved the lady

thankfulness: for allowing to love in the past

bent that brow: softened her proud looks

pride demure : pride does not allow her to do so

pity ....through: pity would prevail over pride and she would permit a ride

fixed me: put me in a state of suspense

right!: gave her silent consent through soft looks

replenished : surged up in my pale face, i.e. hope was kindled

not vain: was fulfilled

deified: felt elated like a god himself

who...to-night: eternity may break upon them when they ride together

all billowy-bosom'd: cloud, looking like a swelling wave of ocean

Over bowed- heavily burdened with

benedictions: blessings, glories of evening light

till......here: All earthly passions evaporated in this spiritual delight

lingered: re remained in a state of suspense

began to ride: from now onward the fulfillment of hope begins

smoothed itself out: fears and doubts are removed 

a long cramp'd scroll: like a manuscript that had been kept rolled up for a long time and now has been unrolled

freshening : unrolled and smoothed out

About Author

Robert Browning (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) was prolific writer of Victorian Age. He was born on 07 May 1812. His dramatic monologues put him high among the Victorian poets. He is known for depicting irony, dark humor and social commentary. Pauline (1833) and Paracelsus (1835) are his early poems. In 1846 he married fellow poet Elizabeth Barrett and moved to Italy. By her death in 1861 he had published the collection Men and Women (1855). By his death in 1889 he was seen as a sage and philosopher-poet who had fed into Victorian social and political discourse. 

Introduction of the Poem

 “The Last Ride Together” is a beautiful poem by English poet of Victorian age, Robert Browning. The poem was published in his collection “Men and Women” in 1855. It is a collection of fifty-one poems. It is considered one of the most important works of poetry in the Victorian era.

“The Last Ride Together” is a ten-stanza (each consisting 11 lines) poem focused on themes of love and loss. In the poem a man who loves his beloved has never been able to win her in his life. He asks her for a last ride together. And she allows doing that. He is so at ease and peace after that winning the last ride together. He thinks that he has been taken away from all the sadness and disappointments from his past life. The poem ends with a very optimistic note that he will fulfill his desires in next life. The title represents the last time the former couple takes a carriage ride together. The poem has an overall bittersweet tone, balancing sadness and optimism.

Summary of the Poem

At the beginning of the poem writer is trying to explain the position of a lover who was rejected by his beloved. It is one sided love. He has accepted that rejection and suffering was destined to him and therefore he has no one to put the blame on. He feels proud that he had the opportunity to love her and enjoy her company for a long time. He is grateful towards her for the beautiful and blissful moments they had together. For this he asks god to bless her though he has no hopes of ever getting her love back in his life. He believes in the fate and that his failure was written by god. He requests her for two wishes first he should be allowed to cherish the memories of his love and the memories of the happiness during the courting period. Secondly he wants to go on a last ride together. The lady hesitates for a moment because her pride is in conflict with her pity for her lover but finally she accepts her lover’s request. The lover is extremely happy it seems like the circulation of blood in his body has been regenerated. The lover is at peace as he is going to enjoy bliss and his lover’s company for another day. He hopes for the world to end that very night so that his moment of bliss becomes eternal. In that way he would be with her always and there would be no need of despair at being rejected by his life love. Now lover experiences heavenly bliss in his beloved’s company. He compares his experience with nature’s joy and healing power. He feels like a man who sees an evening cloud, swelling up like the sea wave. Illuminated and made beautifully by the light of the setting sun, the moon and the stars. The man looks at the cloud, he is passionately drawn towards it and it seemed like the cloud was coming closer to him. As soon as the ride started he felt that he has been transported to heaven and his body has lost its physicality. The poet compares the lover’s soul with a crumpled paper which has been kept like for a long time. When exposed to wind this paper opens up, the wrinkles get smoothened and it starts fluttering in the wind like a bird. In the same way, the lover’s soul has grown wrinkled due to the grief of his failure in love. But after encountering the last ride with his beloved, his soul experiences tremendous joy and feels rejuvenated. While riding he feels that fields and the cities through which they are passing seem to him more beautiful than before. The lover realizes that all human beings work hard to achieve their goals but a few succeed like others, he too had failed but still he has last wish fulfilled by riding with his beloved.

The rejected lover consoles himself by considering his life is superior to those of statesman, soldiers, poet, sculptors, and musicians. He expects glory in life after death. He expresses his regret that it has to end here. He observes and notes that his beloved hasn’t said anything while riding.  He wonders what would happen if they rode together forever, and the moment they shared was made eternal.  

Questions:

1. Discuss 'The Last Ride Together' as dramatic monologue.

2. Write the summary of the poem.

3. Discuss the theme of love and loss in the poem.

4. Write a short note on life and major works of Robert Browning.