Robert Browning's "A Woman's Last Word" is a dramatic monologue told from the perspective of a woman who wants to stop bickering with her lover and go to sleep. She explains that their argument is doing real damage and could potentially cost them their relationship, suggesting that sometimes it's better to choose the comfort of being together over the satisfaction of being right. At the same time, the poem points to the way women in Victorian society were expected to give up their own thoughts and opinions in order to placate their men and keep the peace. The poem was first published in Browning's 1855 collection, Men and Women.
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The Full Text of “A Woman's Last Word”
I.
1Let's contend no more, Love,
2Strive nor weep—
3All be as before, Love,
4—Only sleep!
II.
5What so wild as words are?
6—I and thou
7In debate, as birds are,
8Hawk on bough!
III.
9See the creature stalking
10While we speak—
11Hush and hide the talking,
12Cheek on cheek!
IV.
13What so false as truth is,
14False to thee?
15Where the serpent's tooth is
16Shun the tree—
V.
17Where the apple reddens
18Never pry—
19Lest we lose our Edens,
20Eve and I!
VI.
21Be a god and hold me
22With a charm—
23Be a man and fold me
24With thine arm!
VII.
25Teach me, only teach, Love!
26As I ought
27I will speak thy speech, Love,
28Think thy thought—
VIII.
29Meet, if thou require it,
30Both demands,
31Laying flesh and spirit
32In thy hands!
IX.
33That shall be to-morrow
34Not to-night:
35I must bury sorrow
36Out of sight.
X.
37—Must a little weep, Love,
38—Foolish me!
39And so fall asleep, Love,
40Loved by thee.
The Full Text of “A Woman's Last Word”
I.
1Let's contend no more, Love,
2Strive nor weep—
3All be as before, Love,
4—Only sleep!
II.
5What so wild as words are?
6—I and thou
7In debate, as birds are,
8Hawk on bough!
III.
9See the creature stalking
10While we speak—
11Hush and hide the talking,
12Cheek on cheek!
IV.
13What so false as truth is,
14False to thee?
15Where the serpent's tooth is
16Shun the tree—
V.
17Where the apple reddens
18Never pry—
19Lest we lose our Edens,
20Eve and I!
VI.
21Be a god and hold me
22With a charm—
23Be a man and fold me
24With thine arm!
VII.
25Teach me, only teach, Love!
26As I ought
27I will speak thy speech, Love,
28Think thy thought—
VIII.
29Meet, if thou require it,
30Both demands,
31Laying flesh and spirit
32In thy hands!
IX.
33That shall be to-morrow
34Not to-night:
35I must bury sorrow
36Out of sight.
X.
37—Must a little weep, Love,
38—Foolish me!
39And so fall asleep, Love,
40Loved by thee.
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“A Woman's Last Word” Summary
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“A Woman's Last Word” Themes
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Being Right vs. Being Comfortable
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Gender and Power in Relationships
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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “A Woman's Last Word”
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Lines 1-4
Let's contend no more, Love,
Strive nor weep—
All be as before, Love,
—Only sleep! -
Lines 5-8
What so wild as words are?
—I and thou
In debate, as birds are,
Hawk on bough! -
Lines 9-12
See the creature stalking
While we speak—
Hush and hide the talking,
Cheek on cheek! -
Lines 13-16
What so false as truth is,
False to thee?
Where the serpent's tooth is
Shun the tree— -
Lines 17-20
Where the apple reddens
Never pry—
Lest we lose our Edens,
Eve and I! -
Lines 21-24
Be a god and hold me
With a charm—
Be a man and fold me
With thine arm! -
Lines 25-28
Teach me, only teach, Love!
As I ought
I will speak thy speech, Love,
Think thy thought— -
Lines 29-32
Meet, if thou require it,
Both demands,
Laying flesh and spirit
In thy hands! -
Lines 33-36
That shall be to-morrow
Not to-night:
I must bury sorrow
Out of sight. -
Lines 37-40
—Must a little weep, Love,
—Foolish me!
And so fall asleep, Love,
Loved by thee.
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“A Woman's Last Word” Symbols
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The Apple/Tree
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“A Woman's Last Word” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
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Repetition
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Parallelism
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Allusion
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Metaphor
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“A Woman's Last Word” Vocabulary
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
- Contend
- Strive
- Thou
- Bough
- Thee
- Shun
- Pry
- Edens
- Eve
- Thine
- Thy
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- See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.
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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “A Woman's Last Word”
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Form
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Meter
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Rhyme Scheme
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“A Woman's Last Word” Speaker
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“A Woman's Last Word” Setting
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Literary and Historical Context of “A Woman's Last Word”
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More “A Woman's Last Word” Resources
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External Resources
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A Reading of the Poem — Listen to "A Woman's Last Word" read aloud, accompanied by piano.
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The Poet's Life and Work — Check out the Poetry Foundation's biography of Robert Browning.
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Robert Browning and Feminism — An essay exploring the ways in which some of Browning's most famous poems highlight the patriarchal double standards of Victorian society.
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A Guide to the Dramatic Monologue — Listen to Oregon State University professor Neil Davison explain the history of Robert Browning's favored form.
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The Legacy of Robert Browning — Read an essay celebrating the bicentenary of Browning's birth and learn how Browning continues to influence poetry today.
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Men and Women: Project Gutenberg E-Book — Read an in-depth introduction to Browning's Men and Women, in which "A Woman's Last Word" was published, and peruse the other poems that originally appeared alongside this one.
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LitCharts on Other Poems by Robert Browning
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