Themes represented in Browning's Andrea del Sarto
This resource discusses the theme of Robert Browning's Andrea del Sarto. The themes are well covered and can be helpful learn the issues easily. It helps in understanding core area of the poem and at the same time, it helps you complete the assignments of universities. This is very useful for the students of Andhra, Nagarjuna and Kuppam universities.
Love, no love and infatuation
Andrea del Sarto loves Lucrezia and he is in deep love. He begins to sacrifice everything for her. It turns out to be infatuation. He tries everything to persuade her to be with him but it is futile. Lucrezia, in turn, does not love Andrea at any cost. But she loves another person. To pay his lover off the debts, she asks money from Andrea. He says he will draw few pictures if she can sit with him for few hours. But she thinks it is the waste of time. He persuades that there is great darkness outside so he asks to come to her. But the whistle sound of her lover makes him allow her go ahead as she likes. There is no love of Lucrezia towards Andrea. There is infatuation with Lucrezia but we cannot say it sexually as sexual conversation has not taken place. He says she is an inspiration to him. He could not come out of the woven beauty web of her. All are given to her but still she cannot provide loved to him, but she loves the person who stays outside (cousin) who is actually her lover but refers him as cousin.Art
This monologue is filled with art men. Michael Angelo, Rafael, Leonardo and Andrea shared their artistic excellences and discussed in this poem. Andrea speaks of his talent and at the same time he highlights the painting of others. Thus the monologue resolves around painters and paintings. However, the artistic heart is shown in this monologue. For art sake the three could not have wives and they sacrifice their personal lives whereas for Lucrezia, Andrea sacrifices his every opportunity to excel in his art. Still, he is not repenting but to compensate through her smiles. He is ready to sacrifice his opportunity of painting the walls of New Jerusalem for the sake of Lucrezia. Thus there is a tug of war between art and personal life. Art has conquered or personal life dominated is the central theme of Andrea del Sarto. The three came out of their personal lives and saved their art lives but Andrea could not.
Deception
The monologue is dominated by deceptions. French king Francis I calls Andrea to his court and he begins his work to decorate the rooms of king's palace or some other palce. He works and enjoys the time of stay in the palace where he gets near to the king. He provides money to him for his future paintings and he has to buy few paintings. For that, he is equipped with enough money. But, for Lucrezia he builds a house with this money. He does not return to France and avoids the contact of officers even in Italy. He stays as a bat which hates light thus he stays in his house only. Thus he receives the king who has kept his faith in him. Lucrezia even gets the love and sacrifices of Andrea she gets ready to leave him. he asks money from Andrea to clear the debts of her lover. At last she does not stay with him. But after listening to the whistle sound, she is allowed to leave him. Thus in turn Lucrezia deceives Andrea.Varied talents
In the monologue, it is perspicuous that artists have varied talents which are manifested in their art. Andrea is a technical painter without any fault is paintings. He can paint any picturesque scene and with ease. For petty paintings also one has to work hard to accomplish it. But, Andréa is way ahead in faultless painting. On the other hand, Raphael is soul filled painter. In the words of Andrea they reach heavens in order to get inspired. The soul is eminent and even child can understand the intended meaning of the picture. Thus he has different talent. The others are Michael Angelo and Leonardo. Andrea wants all these including him to paint the four walls of heavenly blessed New Jerusalem. Andrea feels that he is also given chance.Inspiration
It is the great weakness of Andrea is that he derives it from Lucrezia. Her smile and he beauty elevates him to heaven to get inspired. In that happiness, he paints wonderful pictures. After knowing mistake, he realizes that inspiration should be within rather than external source. If Lucrezia has inspired him and helped him, his life would have been different. But, this is not what happened. She does not know about art. She is careless and does not understand the heart of an artist. This is the tragedy in the life of Andrea. Only money helps Lucrezia smile. Falling in the whirlpool of her smile, he is deviated from his destined path and spoils his career. He deceives and in turn she deceives him. At last, he affirms that inspiration should come from inside. He laments that the persons who are efficient and capable lacks will or inspiration and those who have will, may not have the capability. Both ability and will are rare combination.Conflicts
In the first line of the poem itself, Andrea exhorts Lucrezia not to get angry with him. He wants her to beside and let her think. He wants her to be with him. As he is staying in France, he excelled in painting under the patronage of Francis I. But the conflict arose between love and art at French palace. He has shunned the artistic development due to his love towards Andrea. The conflict has not arisen outside of the Andrea. It is always within him and the love towards Lucrezia has won all the time. Thus he is at loss, still he wants her smiles as compensation, but not ready to leave her. He knows his embezzlement will take great toll on his artistic life. But, the beauty of Lucrezia has masked him such that he has deceived king. This is also a conflict whether it is good to do. He might have gone for a war in his heart on these issues. Thus the faultless painter has to go after money even though he wants to serve God through his paintings. This is also a conflict in the brain of Andrea. He is so inclined to tread the path of Rafael and Michael Angelo who have gained name and fame through religious paintings. But, for his love he has to take path of money and deception all the time, which ruined his reputation.