“FRA LIPPI LIPPO”, BY ROBERT BROWNING IS A POEM ABOUT A PAINTER WHO’S A MONK. AS A CHILD LIPPO WAS AN ORPHAN. SO HE WAS FORCED TO LEARN THE HARSH REALITIES OF LIFE AT AN EARLY AGE. HE WAS LEFT TO THE STREETS FOR SURVIVAL AND LIVED OFF OF LEFTOVERS FROM THE GARBAGE.“I WAS A BABY WHEN MY MOTHER DIED AND FATHER DIED AND LEFT ME IN THE STREET.I STARVED THERE, GOD KNOWS HOW, A YEAR OR TWOON FIG-SKINS, MELON-PARINGS, RINDS AND SHUCKS,REFUSE AND RUBBISH”. (80-85)IN THE LINES ABOVE, LIPPO NOW AN ADULT IS EXPLAINING HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD TO A NIGHT WATCHMAN. NOT LONG AFTER HIS STAY ON THE STREETS LIPPO’S AUNT TOOK HIM TO A CONVENT WHERE HE BECAME A MONK. WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO THE OTHER MONKS, THAT LIPPO WASN’T GOING TO MAKE A GOOD MONK. THEY DECIDED TO GET RID OF HIM. WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT HE’S A GOOD ARTIST, THEY DECIDE TO KEEP HIM INSTEAD. THEY WANTED HIM TO PAINT THEIR CHURCH, SO THAT THEY COULD OUT DO THE ALL THE OTHER CHURCHES. THE CONLICTS COMES WHEN THE PRIOR WANTS LIPPO TO PAINT ONLY THE SOULS OF HIS SUBJECTS AND NOT THEIR PHYSICAL APPEARANCES. LIPPO FIND THIS UNBLEIVABLE. HE STATES THAT IF WE PAINT ONLY THE SOUL AND NOTHING ELSE, WE’RE MISSIING THE VERY ESSENCE OF GOD’S CREATIONS.“YOU GET SIMPLE BEAUTY AND NOUGHT ELSE,YOU GET ABOUT THE BEST THING GOD INVENTS:THAT’S SOMEWHAT: AND YOU’LL FIND THE SOUL YOU HAVE MISSED,WITHIN YOURSELF, WHEN YOU RETURN HIM THANKS.” (217-220)IN THE LINES ABOVE LIPPO IS SAYING THAT YOU CAN’T JUST PAINT THE SOUL AND NOTHING ELSE. GOD HAS CREATED THESE ENTIRE THINGS FOR OUR EYES TO SEE. HE EXPLAINS THIS IN THE FOLLOWING LINES:“---THE SHAPE AND THE WONDER AND THE POWER,THE SHAPES OF THINGS, THEIR COLOURS, LIGHTS AND SHADES,CHANGES, SURPRISES, ---AND GOD MADE IT ALL!”(284-286)IN SHORT LIPPO IS SAYING THAT GOD CREATED THESE THINGS PURE AND SIMPLE. SO WHY SHOULD HE PAINT THE SOUL WITHOUT FOUCUSING ON THE ...
