Browning and Ancient Arabic Poetry

Abstract

Readers and students of Browning’s horse-riding poetry have linked Through the Metidja to Browning’s own passionate horsemanship. Another possible source of poetic inspiration may have been pre-Islamic Arabic poetry. Sir William Jones, the first translator of Arabic poetry into English, is a possible source for Browning’s fascination with Arabian poetry. Given Browning’s fascination with Walter Savage Landor’s early work, it is also quite possible that he provided Browning a first look into Arabic poetry and prosody. What is certain is that Browning used extensive translations and notes about pre-Islamic poetry provided by the British Arabist Charles Lyall (1845–1920).