The poems are ordered chronologically according to their first appearance in book form. Thirteen new poems are included in this edition, with Pauline now printed in its entirety. Annotations have been revised throughout to clarify Browning's references and vocabulary. "Criticism" retains the important contextual perspective of the First Edition. The twenty-three essays, nine of which are new, are divided into three sections: "Victorian Views," "Modern Essays in Criticism," and "Interpretations of Poems." A Chronology, Selected Bibliography, and Index of Titles and First Lines are also included.

Author Biography

Robert Browning (1812-1889) was one of the foremost Victorian poets and playwrights. James F. Loucks is Associate Professor of English at The Ohio State University, Newark. He received his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. He is the co-author (with Richard D. Altick) of Browning's Roman Murder Story: A Reading of "The Ring and the Book" and is the author of articles on Victorian and twentieth-century literature. Andrew M. Stauffer is Associate Professor of English at Boston University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. He is the author of Anger, Revolution, and Romanticism, and has published many articles on Romantic and Victorian poetry.