Dramatic Monologue

When discussing the poetic form of dramatic monologue it is rare that it is not associated with and its usage attributed to the poet Robert Browning. Robert Browning has been considered the master of the dramatic monologue. Although some critics are skeptical of his invention of the form, for dramatic monologue is evidenced in poetry preceding Browning, it is believed that his extensive and varied use of the dramatic monologue has significantly contributed to the …

…speaker characteristically uses "strongly rhetorical language which distinguishes the dramatic monologue from the soliloquy" (Everett). The elements of the dramatic monologue are each a topic for further analysis. Both Caliban Upon Setebos and "A Grammarian's Funeral" are dramatic monologues. The agenda of each speaker is quite different, as is the tone. Applying the three principles that characterize a Browning dramatic monologue can help the modern reader understand the unique intent of each poem more fully.