Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister

Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister

Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister by Robert Browning is based on a jealous, angry, and wicked monk with hatred towards a fellow monk by the name of Brother Lawrence. This dramatic monologue was set in a monastery; throughout this poem the nameless monk expresses his anger and sarcasm by using different tones as he explains his dislike about Brother Lawrence.

This poem opened on a strange note, not by the use of a word but with the use of an onomatopoeic growling sound "Grrr" which is saying the speaker hates Brother Lawrence so much he can't even make a word- he just had to growl. In stanza 1, lines 3-4 the speaker said "If hate could kill, Brother Lawrence, God's blood, would not mine kill you!", the speaker is basically saying if hate could kill Brother Lawrence would be a dead man, which is ironic because the speaker is a religious man and monks made a pledge of obedience, chastity and poverty. "If hate could kill" that statement alone shows the speaker is not as religious as you may think because that is not a good practice in the Catholic Church because Jesus said Love your neighbor as yourself. In lines 5-5 the speaker (nameless monk) seems to be making fun of Brother Lawrence about something that was said to the speaker "what?" your Myrtle- bush wants trimming?. In lines 7-8 the speaker again shows his displease in Brother Lawrence telling him what to do. This opening stanza shows that the speaker have big issues with Brother Lawrence and Brother Lawrence is not aware of it.

In stanza 2 the speaker describes Brother Lawrence movement during and after dinner. "At the meal we sit together, Salve tibi! I must hear wise talk of the kind of weather, sort of the season, time of year: Not a plenteous cork crop: Scarcely Dare we hope oak-galls, I doubt; What's the Latin name for parsley?" what's the Greek name for "swine's snout?" the speaker sits next to Brother Lawrence during meals and hates to hear Brother Lawrence "wise talk especially about the crops and the weather but Brother Lawrence was just having a friendly conversation about gardening. The speaker tone in the poem shows he was mimicking Brother Lawrence and making fun of him, when he asked what is the Latin name for "parsley" by saying what the "greek name" is is for "swine's Snout" he is calling Brother Lawrence a piggy face.

In stanza 3 the speaker is talking about the dishwashing chores after dinner is finished. The speaker is making fun of Brother Lawrence because he takes too much of pride in his personal belonging. After the meal, the speaker says that they will "Burnished" the platter, and carefully put it away on the shelf", what's the big deal if Brother Lawrence want to take his precious time to polish his platters and put it away this just show he is looking for an excuse to hate the guy for doing something good. In line 17-24 the speaker uses the word "we" like he is talking about a royal person like a king to describe Brother Lawrence alone and in some sense he is mocking Brother Lawrence for taking too much care in cleaning his own platter, spoon and goblet. The speaker goes on about how Brother Lawrence takes too much pride in his cleaning duties and about the fancy goblet which is engraved with the initial "L" which maybe stands for "Lawrence". This shows how envious the speaker is toward Brother Lawrence. In the catholic religion monks took a vow of poverty, so he's happy to have caught the prefect Brother Lawrence breaking the rule of poverty. In the last line the speaker made a slight laugh "he he!" as if he is laughing because Brother Lawrence is not as perfect as he seems in the eyes of the speaker.

In stanza 4 the speaker accuses Brother Lawrence of breaking the vow of chastity. In line 25 the speaker is being sarcastic "Saint,Forsooth!" the speaker is saying "saint" yeah, right!". The speaker went on saying that when "Brown Dolores" and " Sanchicha," who maybe two nuns from the neighboring convent, washes their hair down at the river bank and trades stories, brother Lawrence likes to check them out which is braking the vow of chastity as I stated early on. "--can't I see his dead eyes glow," which, means that Brother Lawrence do not shows his lust but he knows it's there. But in some sense the speaker is checking out the bathing nuns because he was very descriptive in details about the nuns, "blue-black, lustrous hair ("tresses") but the speaker polishes his own lust and goblet towards the nuns. So basically what he trying to accuse Brother Lawrence for he is doing it also.

In stanza 5 the speaker finds fault with the way Brother Lawrence eats his meal. When Brother Lawrence finishes his "refection" he just put his knife and fork down, rather than putting it in the shape of a cross in praise of Jesus. Then the speaker has fault with the way Brother Lawrence drinks his orange juice. The speaker drinks his orange juice in three sips to recognize the Holy Spirit in order to "frustrate" the "Anian", while Brother Lawrence drinks his orange juice all in just "one