The Worst of It by Robert Browning
A betrayed speaker addresses a woman who has broken her vows, blaming himself for their unhappy bond and fearing divine judgment against her. Recalling their happy year together, he also admits his bitterness and shattered faith. He wishes her happiness and goodness, but says that if they meet in Paradise he will pass without turning toward her.
By Robert Browning · Genre: Dramatic Monologue, Love Poetry · 1,474 words
First lines
Would it were I had been false, not you! / I that am nothing, not you that are all: / I, never the worse for a touch or two / On my speckled hide; not you, the pride / Of the day, my swan, that a first fleck's fall / On her wonder of white must unswan, undo!
I had dipped in life's struggle and, out again, / Bore specks of it here, there, easy to see, / When I found my swan and the cure was plain; / The dull turned bright as I caught your white / On my bosom: you saved me -- saved in vain / If you ruined yourself, and all through me!
Genres
- Dramatic Monologue — One speaker addresses a woman who has broken her vows, shifting between self-blame, concern for her salvation and bitter rejection.
- Love Poetry — Rhymed six-line stanzas recount the happiness of a shared year and the speaker's anguish after the beloved's deception.
Tags
betrayal · broken vows · heartbreak · self-blame · divine judgment · religious doubt
What this Textopian page supports
The Worst of It 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, Love Poetry
- Length: 1,474 words
- Structure: 1 section, 19 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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