Long notes for class xi from "Meeting At Night".

1) Assess the significance of the title of Browning's "Meeting at Night".

Ans:-"Meeting at Night" is a story of a lover. He is keen on meeting his beloved on a moonlit night. Before him lies a long stretches of sleepy sea. He crosses the sea. The lover walks along the sea-scented beach. He crosses three fields. Now he stands before the door of his beloved. To give her sign of his arrival, he makes a tap on the window pane. From inside a whisper invites him to come. Two hearts meet each other.This complete process of meeting at night secretly justifies the use of the title.

2) Discuss Browning's use of symbolism in his poem "Meeting  at Night".

Ans: Browning makes an wide use of symbolism in his poem, "Meeting at Night".  We come across some major symbol such as night, colours and heat.  The poem opens with a description of the Grey sea which gives a negative impression. Then comes the description of a cove,waves and beach. These are  symbols of hurdle the lover must overcome. Then comes the description of the night. It  is a symbol of secrecy. The  half moon is symbolic of love not yet fulfilled. The  warm beach symbolises the warmth of love that the poet feels for his beloved and the length of the beach signifies the distance between the lover and his beloved. The  meeting that takes place is clearly and illicit or covert encounter.

3) Evaluate ''Meeting at Night'' as a love poem.

Ans:- " Meeting at Night" by Robert Browning  is a beautiful love poem expressing the poet's lusty optimism and positive attitude towards love. The title denotes that the poem is about the journey of love and its achievement. The poem depicts the  rigorous venture of a passionate lover undertaking a formidable journey through sea and land to meet his ladylove secretly in a faraway place. His voyage was very much hazardous. His heart swings in the excitement of the secret journey. At last the lover arrives and meet with his ladylove. The whispering voice of the body, expressing joys as well as fears, fades away at the beating of their hearts united in fulfilment of their cherished desires. Thus the poem is a unique instance of love poem.