Critical Comparison of Porphyrias Lover and My Last Dutchess

Critical Comparison of Porphyrias Lover and My Last Dutchess

Both of these poems are based around the concept of power and

possesion. They tell the story of obssesional lovers. The effect of

using dramatic monologue to convey this idea is very effective.

The first poem, Porphyrias Lover, was written in the mid ninteenth

century, around 1842. It is the dramatic monologue of the Lover. It is

not made known who the recipient of this poem is. I believe it to be

an internal monologue, the Lover is going through in his head the

events of the previous day and night.

The use of only one person speaking gives off the dominance which is

important in the understanding of both poems.

The lover also shows his abnormal character, he is obviously talking

to himself as no body elses present is made known during the speech of

the Lover.

This poem is one stanza long and has a rhyming scheme ABABB. The metre

is regular within alternative lines. Also the line lengths are

constant throughout the poem.

The Lover in this poem is very possesive of Porphyria. He believes

that he is worthy of Pophyria's worship " At last I knew Porphyria

worshipped me." We see his arrogance here, both in his expectation and

in the way he feels worthy of this worship.

In the beginning of the poem the Lover is regarded as being

dissatisfied with Porphyria's love for him. He is latter seen as being

very arrogant and vain. He believes he is a god-like figure worthy not

only of Porphyrias love but also of her worshipping him. He also

thinks that he has the right to end her life. He also shows his

insanity by his obbsesion with the idea of perfection, of their love.

He shows it in other ways, like his overpowering possesiveness and he

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...t. The

first indication of this is in the way in which it is only one person

speaking, continuously through out the poem. This, like Porphyria's

Lover, is only one stanza long which emphasises the idea of the Duke

talking constantly.

The poem is in rhyming couplets and uses a pentameter rhythm all the

way through. The length of the lines, as with Porphyria's Lover, are

constant all the way through the poem.

This poem is about a very controling husband. The Duke freely admits

to having his wife murdered, and expects to be veiwed as powerful,

wealthy, succcessful, and in complete control. It seems he wants the

ambassader to fear him.

He wishes to impress the ambassader.

Intitielly we perceive the Duke as being very powerful.As he believes

he should be able to marry the amassador's master's daughter. This is

shown through the idea having control.