The Last Ride Together is a poem written by Victorian poet and playwright, Robert Browning. The poem was originally published in 1855 in a collection of Men and Women. The Last Ride together is a dramatic monologues of Robert Browning.
The Last Ride Together Summary By Robert Browning
Summary of The Last Ride Together By Robert Browning
The story of poem begins with rejected lover who was deeply in love one girl but she rejected her love. The narrator has learned that his lover does not love him and wants to reject his love. Finally, he has learned about his fate. I loved you with all my heart but still my love has failed.
My life had only one purpose which was I wanted your love. As I failed to get your love, my life is worthless now. I have no reason to live.
I’m still proud of myself that I loved you with all my heart and whatever moments we spend together were the best moments of my life. The hope you gave me that we will live together, you have taken it away from me. I have no hope to live now as I know that we can’t live together.
I only have your memories. If you find it right, will you go with me for the last ride ? When speaker ask his lover for the last ride then his lover starts thinking about it. Here speaker tells about her expressions, he says her dark eyes had arrogance which was telling her to say no. Her pride wants to reject the request of the last ride.
The time speaker lover is taking to say yes has stop the life of speaker. The speaker is thinking, if his lover say yes, then he will find a reason to live. And if his lover say no, then he would die. So now it depends upon speaker’s lover whether she will give him life or death.
The girl feel pity for speaker and ends up saying yes to him for the last ride. As soon as girl says yes, speaker felt like he is reborn again. Through the yes of girl, speaker’s lifeless body get a reason to live. The speaker says through the last ride with you, I will live my life. This moment would be like a heaven to me.
The speaker’s sadness turn into happiness after the yes from girl. The speaker and his lover are going for the last ride together, speaker wants to forget all past regrets, memories and now his focus is on his moment with girl.
The poet says I’m not the only person in this world who failed in love as there are many people who failed in life. If I failed in love, then its not a big deal as I’m not the only person who failed. The writer’s lover said yes through which he forget all his sadness.
The writer is feeling that his soul is flying and the outside world is also looking different to him. For him the city has changed, road, building, and environment everything has changed for him.
The writer’s girlfriend is walking beside him which a very very big thing for him. The writer compares lovers life with politician, soldier, poet and sculptor. He says what politician get in life after death, people only write few lines about them nothing else. Thereafter, poet gives an example of soldier, he says what soldier get in life after death, people only fly flag on his funeral.
The poet now give an example of poet, he says poet also bury in Westminster abbey. They got nothing more than it. After mentioning about politician, soldier and poet, writer says my last ride is better than all of this. One lover is better than soldier, politician and poet. The writer says you people haven’t achieved anything, and see me I got the last ride with the woman I love.
After comparing with politician, soldier and poet, writer compare lovers life with sculptor and says what you have achieved in life except making sculpting. You got nothing by making sculptures. You just became old by making sculptures. Through this my life as lover is better than you, sculptor.
The writer expectations has increased after ride, he says we don’t know what is written in our fate. Today this girl has said yes for the ride so maybe she say yes to me tomorrow. He says if my enjoying that much on earth then how much I would enjoy in heaven. What is happier than this moments.
I just want to go with you on this ride for forever and this ride should never end. If we keep going on this ride then we will become old but the feeling and love would remain the same. The last ride with you by my side will make me immortal.