Prospice by Robert Browning – Text of the poem, meaning of the poem , Summary, Analysis, and Theme

 Prospice by Robert Browning – Text of the poem, meaning of the poem , Summary, Analysis, and Theme

Robert Browning’s poem “Prospice” is one of the most inspiring and powerful poems in English literature. Written in 1861, shortly after the death of his beloved wife Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the poem captures Browning’s thoughts on death, courage, and reunion with his lost love in heaven. The title “Prospice” means “to look forward” in Latin, and the poem truly reflects this spirit of looking ahead fearlessly toward death and beyond.

About the Poet – Robert Browning

Robert Browning (1812–1889) was one of the greatest Victorian poets. He was known for his dramatic monologues and his optimistic view of life and humanity. His works often explore themes of love, faith, courage, and the human soul. Browning’s major works include The Ring and the Book, My Last Duchess, Andrea del Sarto, and Porphyria’s Lover.

Browning’s poetry often reveals his belief in the strength of the human spirit. He encouraged people to face life’s difficulties bravely. “Prospice” is one of his most personal poems, written after he lost his wife, expressing his faith in facing death bravely and his hope of meeting her again.

Prospice

By Robert Browning

Fear death?—to feel the fog in my throat,
The mist in my face,
When the snows begin, and the blasts denote
I am nearing the place,
The power of the night, the press of the storm,
The post of the foe;
Where he stands, the Arch Fear in a visible form,
Yet the strong man must go:
For the journey is done and the summit attained,
And the barriers fall,
Though a battle's to fight ere the guerdon be gained,
The reward of it all.
I was ever a fighter, so—one fight more,
The best and the last!
I would hate that death bandaged my eyes, and forbore,
And bade me creep past.
No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peers
The heroes of old,
Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life's arrears
Of pain, darkness and cold.
For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave,
The black minute's at end,
And the elements' rage, the fiend-voices that rave,
Shall dwindle, shall blend,
Shall change, shall become first a peace out of pain,
Then a light, then thy breast,
O thou soul of my soul! I shall clasp thee again,
And with God be the rest!

This poem is in the public domain

🕊️ प्रॉस्पाइस – रॉबर्ट ब्राउनिंग (हिंदी अनुवाद)

क्या मैं मृत्यु से डरूँ? — जब मेरे गले में धुंध भर जाए,
और चेहरे पर कुहासा छा जाए,
जब बर्फ़ गिरने लगे और ठंडी हवाएँ बताएँ
कि मैं अपने अंतिम पड़ाव के पास पहुँच रहा हूँ,
जहाँ रात की शक्ति है, तूफ़ान का दबाव है,
जहाँ शत्रु खड़ा है मोर्चे पर;
जहाँ “सबसे बड़ा भय” अपने रूप में सामने है,
फिर भी उस बहादुर व्यक्ति को आगे बढ़ना ही होगा।

क्योंकि यात्रा समाप्त हो चुकी है और शिखर प्राप्त हो गया है,
अब रुकावटें टूट रही हैं,
भले ही एक अंतिम युद्ध अभी बाकी हो,
पर उसी में मिलेगा जीवन का सारा प्रतिफल।

मैं सदा से योद्धा रहा हूँ — तो एक युद्ध और सही,
सबसे महान और अंतिम युद्ध!
मुझे अच्छा नहीं लगेगा अगर मृत्यु मेरी आँखों पर पट्टी बाँध दे,
और कहे कि मैं धीरे से निकल जाऊँ।

नहीं! मुझे सब कुछ झेलने दो, जैसे मेरे वीर साथी झेलते थे,
वे पुराने नायक!
एक ही क्षण में चुका दूँ जीवन का बाकी कर्ज़ —
दर्द, अंधकार और ठंड का।

क्योंकि बहादुर व्यक्ति के लिए सबसे बुरा पल भी सबसे अच्छा बन जाता है,
वह काला क्षण समाप्त हो जाता है,
तत्वों का प्रकोप, दानवों की चीखें —
सब धीरे-धीरे मिट जाती हैं, मिल जाती हैं।

सब कुछ बदल जाता है — पहले दर्द से शांति बनती है,
फिर उजाला आता है, और फिर तेरा आलिंगन —
हे मेरी आत्मा की आत्मा! मैं फिर तुझे गले लगाऊँगा,
और फिर ईश्वर के संग शांति में विश्राम करूँगा।

Difficult Words with Meanings (English + Hindi)

Word	Meaning (English)	Meaning (Hindi)
Fear	To be afraid	डरना
Fog	Thick mist or cloud near the ground	कोहरा
Throat	The front part of the neck	गला
Mist	A light fog; tiny water drops in the air	धुंध
Blasts	Strong winds	तेज़ हवाएँ
Denote	To show or indicate	संकेत करना
Power of the night	Strength or force of darkness	रात की शक्ति / अंधकार की ताकत
Press of the storm	Pressure or violence of the storm	तूफ़ान का दबाव
Foe	Enemy	शत्रु
Arch Fear	Greatest fear (symbol of death)	सबसे बड़ा भय (मृत्यु का प्रतीक)
Summit	Top or highest point	शिखर
Attained	Reached or achieved	प्राप्त किया
Barriers	Obstacles, blocks	रुकावटें
Battle	Fight or struggle	युद्ध
Guerdon	Reward, prize, or gain	पुरस्कार
Gained	Achieved, obtained	हासिल किया
Forbore	Stopped or avoided doing something	परहेज़ किया
Bandaged	Covered with a cloth	पट्टी बांधी हुई
Creeped	Moved slowly and quietly	धीरे-धीरे चलना
Peers	Equals, companions	साथी
Heroes	Brave people, warriors	वीर लोग
Brunt	Main force of an attack	आघात, सबसे ज़्यादा चोट
Arrears	Something owed or left unpaid	बाकी, अधूरा कर्ज़
Fiend	Devil or evil spirit	दानव, शैतान
Rage	Extreme anger or violence	क्रोध, उग्रता
Dwindle	To become smaller or weaker	घट जाना, कम होना
Blend	To mix together	मिल जाना
Clasp	To hold tightly	कसकर पकड़ना
Breast	Chest or heart area	वक्षस्थल / छाती
Soul	The spiritual part of a person	आत्मा
Thou	You (old English word)	तुम
Thy	Your (old English word)	तुम्हारा
Thee	You (object form, old English)	तुझे / तुम्हें
Pain	Suffering or hurt	पीड़ा
Darkness	Absence of light	अंधकार
Cold	Lack of warmth	ठंडक
Brave	Showing courage	साहसी
Peace	Calmness, no suffering	शांति
Rest	Relaxation or eternal sleep (death)	विश्राम, शांति

💡 Quick Explanation:

• “Arch Fear” symbolizes Death — the greatest fear of all.

• “Summit attained” means reaching the end of life or the highest goal.

• “Bear the brunt” means to face the hardest part of a situation.

• “Soul of my soul” shows deep emotional and spiritual love for his wife.

Summary of Prospice by Robert Browning

In “Prospice”, the poet looks forward to death as a brave soldier who does not fear the battlefield. He compares death to a mountain that one must climb to reach heaven. Browning believes that death is not an end but a journey that leads to reunion with his beloved wife.

The poem begins with Browning saying that he will not fear death or try to escape from it. He welcomes the challenge, just as a brave man faces the storm or battle without hesitation. He knows that death will bring pain and struggle, but he is ready to face it courageously.

Browning believes that a person should fight bravely till the end. He does not want to die a slow or cowardly death. Instead, he wants to meet death like a hero, with strength and faith. After the struggle, he believes he will find peace and joy in the afterlife.

In the final lines, Browning expresses his belief in the immortality of the soul and his hope of meeting his wife again in heaven. Death, for him, is not defeat — it is victory and reunion. Thus, “Prospice” becomes a poem about courage, love, and eternal faith.

Theme of Prospice

The main themes of “Prospice” are courage in the face of death, faith in immortality, and love beyond death.

• Courage and Heroism:
  Browning sees life as a battlefield and death as a challenge that must be faced bravely. He refuses to run away from fear. The poem celebrates human courage and willpower.

• Faith and Immortality:
  Browning firmly believes in life after death. He thinks that the soul lives forever and that death only brings the soul closer to eternal peace.

• Love Beyond Death:
  The poet’s deep love for his wife gives him strength to face death. He believes that their love will unite them again in heaven.

The poem reflects Browning’s optimistic philosophy — that pain and suffering are temporary, but love and faith are eternal.

Critical Analysis of Prospice

“Prospice” is a deeply emotional yet courageous poem. Browning uses vivid imagery and strong language to express his determination to face death. The poem’s tone is bold, confident, and inspiring.

The structure of the poem is simple but powerful. It is written in one long stanza without division, representing the continuous journey of life and death. Browning uses metaphors like storm, battle, and mountain climb to describe death as a noble struggle rather than a fearful event.

The poem also shows Browning’s belief in spiritual victory. He does not see death as darkness or despair but as a gateway to eternal love and peace. This positive outlook sets “Prospice” apart from other Victorian poems that often deal with sadness and loss.

Browning’s use of rhythm and sound gives the poem a heroic tone. His words are full of energy and confidence, making the reader feel inspired and fearless. The poem’s message — to live and die bravely — remains timeless and universal.

Poetic Devices in Prospice

Browning uses many literary and poetic devices in “Prospice” to make it expressive and memorable:

• Metaphor: Death is compared to a mountain to be climbed and a battle to be fought.

• Imagery: The poem paints vivid pictures of storm, frost, and battle, helping readers imagine the struggle of death.

• Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds adds musical quality — for example, “Fear death? – to feel the fog in my throat.”

• Symbolism: The mountain symbolizes life’s challenges; the summit represents heaven and reunion with his wife.

• Personification: Death is given human qualities, as if it were an opponent or soldier to be faced bravely.

• Tone: The tone is fearless, brave, and full of faith.

These devices help Browning express deep emotions in simple but powerful language.

Moral and Message of the Poem

The moral of “Prospice” is that death should not be feared. Every human must accept it as part of life. Instead of running away from it, one should face it bravely, knowing that it leads to peace and reunion with loved ones.

The poem teaches that life is meaningful only when lived with courage and faith. Browning’s message is clear — death is not the end but a step toward eternal love and freedom. His optimism gives readers hope and strength to overcome fear.

Simple Explanation in Easy Words

Robert Browning’s “Prospice” tells us not to be afraid of death. The poet says that death is a difficult but necessary journey that everyone must take. It may be painful, but it leads to a beautiful destination — peace and reunion with loved ones.

Browning compares death to climbing a high mountain. The journey is hard, but once you reach the top, you find happiness and rest. The poet is sure that after death, he will meet his wife again. The poem tells us to live bravely, love deeply, and have faith in life after death.

Conclusion

“Prospice” by Robert Browning is a timeless poem of courage, love, and faith. It inspires readers to face death and life’s struggles with bravery. Browning transforms the idea of death from something fearful into something noble and hopeful.

His belief in the immortality of the soul and eternal love makes the poem one of the finest examples of Victorian optimism. Through simple yet powerful words, Browning teaches us that death is not the end — it is a new beginning, a meeting with our loved ones in the eternal world.

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