Saul by Robert Browning
David recounts entering the silent, anguished king’s tent and playing his harp, moving from shepherd tunes to songs of human fellowship, bodily vigor and the lasting influence of Saul’s deeds. Saul gradually stirs and rests his hand on David’s brow; David’s desire to save him leads to a conviction that God’s greater love will offer new life through Christ. Returning home at night, David experiences unseen presences and perceives the surrounding world responding to his revelation.
By Robert Browning · Genre: Dramatic Monologue, Biblical Poetry, Religious Poetry · 6,161 words
First lines
I
Said Abner, "At last thou art come! Ere I tell, ere thou speak, / Kiss my cheek, wish me well! " Then I wished it, and did kiss his cheek. / And he: "Since the King, O my friend, for thy countenance sent, / Neither drunken nor eaten have we; nor until from his tent / Thou return with the joyful assurance the King liveth yet, / Shall our lip with the honey be bright, with the water be wet. / For out of the black mid-tent's silence, a space of three days, / Not a sound hath escaped to thy servants, of prayer nor of praise, / To betoken that Saul and the Spirit have ended their strife, / And that, faint in his triumph, the monarch sinks back upon life.
What this Textopian page supports
Saul is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Browning, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Browning
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Dramatic Monologue, Biblical Poetry, Religious Poetry
- Length: 6,161 words
- Structure: 1 section, 38 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Saul by Robert Browning
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Genres
- Dramatic Monologue — David narrates his encounter with Saul in a sustained first-person speech, recounting his songs, uncertainty and revelation.
- Biblical Poetry — The verse places David with his harp before King Saul and develops their encounter through prayer, songs and a prophecy of Christ.
- Religious Poetry — David reasons from his own desire to rescue Saul toward belief in God's greater love, suffering and power to redeem.
Tags
harp music · divine love · redemption · prophecy · biblical poetry · anguish