KNOWLEDGE SHARING SERIES
Robert Browning and the Concept of Dramatic Monologue
The School of Liberal Arts conducted its second session of this academic year of the Knowledge Sharing Series (KSS) on 14 September 2024, an initiative aimed at fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among the faculty members of the department. The series promotes intellectual exchanges within the faculty, enhancing the holistic educational environment at SLA. Mr Shubham Joshi, Assistant Professor of English at SLA, delivered a session dedicated to Robert Browning and his contribution to the genre of dramatic monologue. The lecture began with a comprehensive introduction to Browning’s literary career, highlighting his unique approach to dramatic monologues, which distinguish him from his contemporaries.
Mr Joshi provided a deep dive into Browning’s famous poem My Last Duchess, offering a line-by-line analysis to uncover the intricate layers of the speaker’s psychology, the use of irony, and the subtleties of power and control woven throughout the narrative. He discussed how Browning’s use of a dramatic monologue in the poem allows the reader to engage with the speaker’s perspective while simultaneously revealing his darker, more sinister motives. After Mr. Joshi’s analysis, the session transitioned into an interactive discussion. Faculty members shared their perspectives, exploring how the poem's themes of control, ego, and power dynamics resonated with concepts from psychology and communication studies. The session successfully fostered a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives, aligning with the broader goal of making the department more interdisciplinary. The session concluded with the consensus that such discussions greatly benefit the academic community by promoting collaborative learning.
