在十九世紀維多利亞時期的英國，科學和知識都有長足的進步。在兩者的影響下，人們重新建構了世界觀。而維多利亞時期的人對於科技進步所帶來的便利和新視野的開展卻有著一則以喜、一則以憂的複雜感受。喜的是，他們驚歎人類在科技與知識的進步，增添了自己的信心，也對未來保持著樂觀的態度；憂的是，新的知識卻對過去長時間以來他們所信仰的價值觀造成前所未有的衝擊。此時期的詩人羅伯特•布朗寧注意到維多利亞時代的人所面臨的危機；因此，在他的詩中，以敏銳的洞察力刻畫出詩中角色如何擺盪於理想和現實之間的矛盾，反映出當時人們焦慮不安、無所適從的情緒。本論文將藉由詩中的敘述者顯現出的理想與現實間的困境，提出布朗寧如何看待這兩者之間的差異並嘗試提出可行的建議。
本論文第一章介紹維多利亞時期的時代背景和改革創新所帶來的利與弊，以及布朗寧如何將他對此時期的觀察表現在他的詩中。本論文將從藝術、愛情和宗教三個角度來閱讀布朗寧在詩中所顯現的理想和現實。第二章從藝術家在理想與現實之間的掙扎顯示，除了藝術之外的其他現實考量，包括宗教、愛情和商業市場都阻撓了畫家們對於藝術理想的實現。第三章針對愛情詩裡的理想與現實，詮釋敘述者流露出對愛情的期待，卻也同時對未來的不確定性感到徬徨。當他們無法面對自己理想和現實的差異時，愛情帶來的痛苦最後將導致無可挽回的悲劇。第四章講述宗教中的理想和現實。布朗寧反對將遵守教義與否視為個人對宗教虔誠的理想指標。他認為教義可能淪為虛偽的人隱藏自己惡毒與虛榮的手段。因此，他在〈教士布魯格林的辯護〉中，提出必須考慮現實條件的限制和理想的可行性，在兩者之間妥協才是一個平衡理想和現實的方法。
第五章結論指出，藉由閱讀布朗寧關於理想和現實的詩，可以得知他對於兩者之間的看法：我們宜在兩方之間檢視自己是否偏頗一方，期許能夠在兩者之間找尋可能的平衡。而布朗寧對於動盪不安的維多利亞時代所提出的建議，也適用於現代人在理想和現實之間的平衡與妥協。

This thesis is a study of Robert Browning’s ideals and realities in his poetry from three angles: art, love and religion. The Victorian age is known as an age of conflicts because the development of industry brings people both confidence and uncertainty. Born in the age, Browning displays how people oscillate between ideals and realities.
To begin with, in chapter one, I will introduce the background of the Victorian age and its positive and negative aspects brought about by the success of industry. As a vital poet in this age, Browning meticulously observes the Victorians’ dilemmas between ideals and realities, which will be discussed respectively in the following chapters. Chapter two will focus on painters’ struggles in art. Many painters hope they can realize their ideals in art; however, they are often obstructed by factors irrelevant to art in reality. In chapter three, I will scrutinize changes of people’s attitudes toward love with reference to ideals, realities, and dilemmas in between. It is noticed that when people agonize in love, it will possibly lead to tragedies in the end.
In chapter four, I will firstly reveal the evil nature hidden in obedience to dogmas. Browning intends to show his disagreement to a contemporary religious movement that takes dogmas as a way to revive people’s belief in religion. In addition, his advice about compromising between ideals and realities in religion will be disclosed by reading “Bishop Blougram’s Apology.” Through the narrator Bishop Blougram in this poem, Browning suggests people should strive to make a compromise in between, rather than emphasize just a single side. The concluding chapter will give a review of what has been discussed in the previous chapters. Through studying Browning’s poetry closely, we can infer that he suggests people should be aware of their conditions and keep on balancing or compromising between ideals and realities.

Table of Contents


Chapter I Introduction……………………………………1
Chapter II Struggles in Art………………………………12
Chapter III Bliss and Agonies in Love……………… …37
Chapter IV Compromises in Religion………………… …56
Chapter V Conclusion………………………………………75
Works Cited ……………………………………………………81

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