Meeting at Night

(Robert Browning)

The grey sea and the long black land;

And the yellow half-moon large and low;
And the startled little waves that leap
In fiery ringlets from their sleep,
As I gain the cove with pushing prow,
And quench its speed i' the slushy sand.
Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach;
Three fields to cross till a farm appears;
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch
And blue spurt of a lighted match,
And a voice less loud, through its joys and fears,
Than the two hearts beating each to each!

Published in Dramatic Romances and Lyrics, 1845,

Robert Browning
http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/286.html

According to the title of the poem, we can interpret its meaning in relation with the poem.
The first impression I have had only reading the title meeting at night is related to an
encounter. We dont know if this encounter is between lovers or it is a commercial one, but
the fact that it takes place at night can lead us to the idea that something wrong is going to
happen. As we know, darkness is a symbol of corruption, danger, death but on the other

hand when everything is dark and none can see, people use to do things which are considered
shameful.
However, if we read the poem, we realize that the first impression is closer to the main idea
of the poem, although now, we are able to give a more detailed meaning. In the last verse

the two hearts beating each to each, it shows that the meeting is between lovers.

In my opinion, the author narrates a story about himself. He is describing a succession of

facts, according to his own experiences. We dont know exactly who the author is, but we
can find the use of the 1st personal pronoun I gain the cove with pushing prow, so we can
suppose that it is R. Browning the author, it is autobiographical. However, we know who the
addressee of the poem is because the author makes that the readers take part in the poem,
telling us his experiences.

The poet believes that the lovers recognize each other at first sight (Victorian Web,
authority). Love is something that is implied in our life and it comes when you dont expect
it. This idea can be found in the poem, because the author takes the reader through a
journey where at certain time he finds his lover Three fields to cross till a farm appears,

And a voice less loud, Than the two hearts beating each to each!

When Robert Browning was a child, he used to read Shelleys work and we can see
through his poem the influence of romanticism. Robert Browning is using the natural
elements to express his love journey. He is comparing his feelings with sea elements

startled little waves that leap in fiery ringlets from their sleep . The author is using an
allegory sea- love we can interpret through the first stanza and the three first verses of
the second stanza that the love has good moments when everything stay calm. However,

there are also bad moments where you think everything in your relationship is going to have
an end, because there are a lot of problems.

If we read Robert Brownings biography, we realize that his relation with Elisabeth
Barrett started in 1845, (the year when this poem was published). In his biography, we can
find an important detail about his personal life. When they started their relationship, they
found several problems: one was that her father, who had forbidden all 12 of his sons and
daughters to get married, was opposed to that relationship, as a consequence of this they
conducted a secret courtship away from the eyes of her father and the second one was that
they lived in different places; Robert lived in London and Elisabeth in Florence. However,
despite of the distance that separated them, they maintained a correspondence. In 1846
they got married in secret. (Kirjasto & Victorianweb)

When Elisabeth Browning published Sonnets from the Portuguese (1850), there was
great expectation, because these sonnets are the love letters that Robert and she wrote
during their engagement. This publication was revolutionary, all the citizens wanted to know
more about their life. They became important through these publications.
This marriage was not seen with good eyes by the society because in those times, the
marriage must be between members of the same social class. In addition to this, the fact,
that Elisabeth suffered a nervous disaster created doubts. The society thought that this
problem could hinder that they would have had descendants. As we know, people got married
in order to have children and it didnt matter if the marriage was arranged. It seems like
the society didnt understand that love is more important than having a lot of money. The
middle social classes got married between them in order to maintain their reputation
(Vicente Fores)

So, if we make a close reading, we realize that the stanzas start at some point
where everything is dark but finally we find the light, the solution to this problem. they

grey sea and the long black land, As I gain the cove with pushing prow, and quench its
speed in the slushy sand A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch And blue spurt of a
lighted match And a voice less loud, thro' its joys and fears, Than the two hearts beating
each to each! Through these verses, we find the relations between the father and the
lovers. It is a continuous fight, where finally the love wins and No matter the distance, the
problems that you can find, the social class. If you love someone, you make all that is
possible to be with her/him.

In my opinion, the author seems happy. Happiness is the feeling that invades the
authors heart, because he has succeeded in what he wanted: to be with his lover. We also
find the authors ambition, because we can see how they have overcome the bad moments
and try to be happy although it costs to leave everything he has. In this case, R. Browning
moved to Italy to live with his wife. The poem reflects how the feelings are. People
experiment this kind of sensations when they are far from their lovers.