What we chiefly see of the crisis is a series of political intrigues at the Court carried out by base persons, of whom the queen is the basest, to ruin Strafford; the futility of Strafford's sentimental love of the king, whom he despises while he loves him; Strafford's blustering weakness and blindness when he forces his way into the Parliament House, and the contemptible meanness of Charles.

The low intrigues of the Court leave the strongest impression on the mind, not the mighty struggle, not the fate of the Monarchy and its dark supporter.
Browning tries--as if he had forgotten that which should have been first in his mind--to lift the main struggle into importance in the last Act, but he fails.

That which ought to be tragic is merely sentimental.
Indeed, sentimentality is the curse of the play.

Strafford's love of the king is almost maudlin.

The scenes between Strafford and Pym in which their ancient friendship is introduced are over-sentimentalised, not only for their characters, but for the great destinies at stake.