The hooting and
laughter that followed the Lady as she left the court, have been
echoed in all lands. Browning pondered over this story, and took the
woman's part. This may be accounted for by two causes. He is the
most chivalrous poet that ever lived, and would naturally defend the
Lady. What De Lorge ought to have done when he brought the glove back
was to remind the Lady that she had another, and permit him the
honor of retrieving that. But Browning saw also in this incident a
true paradox--the Lady was right after all! Right in throwing the
glove, right in her forecast of the event.
Like a good lawyer, he first proves that the Knight's achievement
was slight. In the pit the Lion was not at that moment dangerous,
because he was desperately homesick. He was lost in thoughts of his
wild home, in imagination driving the flocks up the mountain, and
took not the slightest notice of the glove. Then a page had leaped
into the pit simply to recover his hat; and he had done that because
he could not afford to buy a new one.
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