What is Sordello about?

Published in 1840, Sordello is a long, complex poem by Robert Browning that serves as a psychological study of genius and the development of a soul.12

The poem is based on the life of a renowned 13th-century Italian troubadour of the same name. It explores the internal conflicts of its subject, who struggles to reconcile the demands of his poetic imagination with the practical realities of political power and ambition. Like many of Browning's works, it examines a figure of great ability attempting to balance his own personality with the expectations of the world.132

Upon its release, the poem was widely considered obscure and was a critical failure, as it made exacting demands on the reader's historical and literary knowledge.12