Porphyria's Lover by Robert Browning
Violence towards a woman who was once desired and wor-shipped by men appears to be a recurring motif in Browning's po-ems. "Porphyria's lover" is one of the earliest dramatic mono-logues by Robert Browning in which he explores the mind of an insane male lover. Browning reveals the changing thoughts and feelings as well as the emotional disorder of his speaker. The reader often perceives a gap between what the speaker says and what he actually reveals. The poem depends upon the reader's abil-ity to make inferences as well as to analyze the speaker's attitude towards Porphyria since he does not give any background informa-tion. It is also possible to argue that the withdrawal of the author from the text, or his refusal to give you moral guidance after plac-ing a difficult question or situation before you, he must believe one of three things; that no guidance is needed because the case is ob-vious, or that no guidance is possible because you must see the truth yourself, or that it does not really matter if you come up with the same answer he does. In Porphyria's lover we can sense Browning's interest in psychological analysis, he liked to take ab-normal behavior or unconventional characters and analyze them.
Over View
Within this poem there are two main characters, the villainous man and the proud woman. The lover describes how he waited for Porphyria to visit him during a stormy night, which probably pro-jects his inner state of mind. He sees a "sullen wind" which I feel is directly derived from his own sense of gloom and self-pity. Por-phyria comes in with a certain power in the first few lines, she warms the place with her presence and by kneeling down, she "made the cheerless grate blaze up, and all the cottage warm". Por-phyria initiates the first move with power and seduction, it seems that she knows the place very well. She takes off her cloak, which shows that she was somehow hiding, careful not to be recognized by anyone outside. The lover then, describes her beautiful smooth skin and blond hair that he seems to know distinctively.
Few words in the poem make us suggest the Porphyria belongs to an upper class society "from pride and vainer ties dis-sever", she is too weak to fight for her love or admit it to the world.
Obviously, Robert Browning’s two texts, Duchess, and Porphyria’s Lover can be compared and contrasted. They can be similar because speakers in the texts killed their women, they both had mental issues, and they were both jealous for one reason or another. Also, the speakers in the texts were different because the speaker in Duchess wanted to replace his wife, while the speaker in Lover didn’t. The Speaker in Duchess was also very rich, and the speaker in Lover was not. Lastly, the speaker in Duchess committed premeditative murder, while the speaker in Lover just murdered his girl.
The men of Reserve Police Battalion 101 were just ordinary men, from a variety of backgrounds, education, and age. It would appear that they were not selected by any force other than random chance. Their backgrounds and upbringing, however, did little to prepare these men for the horrors they were to witness and participate in.
Since the protagonist leads the story as a narrator, the loneliness of the narrator is depicted through internal and external conflicts that arise by situations and the feelings of being alone. The first person point of view allows readers to be immersed in her situation easily. For instance, no one gives her love after she gets measles first which further get extended to Porphyria. The narrator’s father does
In the 1930s, who would have perpetrated violent acts against women in the name of sexual gratification yet still hold expectations that women take care of them? By making men in general the placeholder for “you” in the poem, it creates a much stronger and universal statement about the sexual inequality women face. She relates to women who have had “a god for [a] guest” yet it seems ironic because she is criticising the way these women have been treated (10). It could be argued, instead, that it is not that she sees men as gods, but that it is the way they see themselves. Zeus was a god who ruled Olympus and felt entitled to any woman he wanted, immortal or otherwise.
In the poem "Porphyria's Lover," the lover begins by describing the unfolding scene to an unidentified listener: "and from her form / Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl, / And laid her soiled gloves by, untied / Her hat and let the damp hair fall" (10-13). The lover, left alone in the cottage, relates the events of the dark, stormy evening in which he anxiously waits "with heart fit to break" for his beloved Porphyria to enter. "Evidently, her absence is due to her attendance at a 'gay feast,' one of the 'vainer ties' which Porphyria presumably cultivated" (Magill 338). When she finally arrives, he tells the reader: "she sat down by my side / And called me. When no voice replied" (14-15). Porphyria speaks to him, "murmuring how she loved [him]" while the lover silently watches, becoming the mastered object to be petted and "loved." However, when he looks into her eyes, he knows that she loves him: "at last I knew / Porphyria worshipped ...
...ric poets. Love for boys is a wonderful thing, especially if both parties are virtuous and loyal. Also, Theognis and Anacreon, likely along with Pausanias, attribute more loyalty to men than to women, resulting in a deeper commitment to ?relationships.? Phaedras disagrees saying that women can, in fact feel equal loyalty. There is general agreement that a love for boys based purely on beauty is a common thing, and not a good one. It leads to having stupid eromenai, which is not desirable. The lyric poets do seem to maintain that while intelligence is important, young boys are still better material for love than older men. Pausanias disagrees, arguing for lifelong homosocial relationships. So while there are a few differences between the lyric poets and these speakers of the Syposium they seem to be based more on choice of lifestyle than true differences of paradigm.
The focus of this essay is to explore sexuality presented by Philoclea in the New Arcadia. Philoclea cultivates a relationship towards another women in the book. Yet readers understand that Zelmane is in fact Pyrocles. Sidney allows the reader to be given the impression that until Pyrocles admits to be Zelmane, Philoclea would be shown to have a homosexual tendencies. Philoclea herself is certain that a same-sex friendship is giving way to sexual desire.
"Porphyria's Lover" is an exhilarating love story given from a lunatic's point of view. It is the story of a man who is so obsessed with Porphyria that he decides to keep her for himself. The only way he feels he can keep her, though, is by killing her. Robert Browning's poem depicts the separation of social classes and describes the "triumph" of one man over an unjust society. As is often the case in fiction, the speaker of "Porphyria's Lover" does not give accurate information in the story.
In the poem Porphyria’s Lover, this desire for love is shown when Porphyria’s lover says, “Be sure I loo...
In ‘Porphyria’s Lover,’ the speaker appears to be honestly and simply recounting the events of his final encounter with Porphyria. However, Robert Browning’s careful use of meter (Iambic Tetrameter), rhyme and repetition betrays his true state of mind. He uses phrases like “Mine, Mine!” to help enforce this.
"What say you? can you love the gentleman? This night you shall behold him at our feast; Read o'er the volume of young Paris' face, And find delight writ there with beauty's pen; Examine every married lineament, And see how one another lends content; And what obscur'd in this fair volume lies Find written in the margent of his eyes. This precious book of love, this unbound lover, To beautify him, only lacks a cover: The fish lives in the sea; and 'tis much pride For fair without the fair within to hide: That book in many's eyes doth share the glory, That in gold clasps locks in the golden story; So shall you share all that he doth possess, By having him, maki...
Browning's amazing command of words and their effects makes this poem infinitely more pleasurable to the reader. Through simple, brief imagery, he is able to depict the lovers' passion, the speaker's impatience in reaching his love, and the stealth and secrecy of their meeting. He accomplishes this feat within twelve lines of specific rhyme scheme and beautiful language, never forsaking aesthetic quality for his higher purposes.
Through her endeavors, this seems to be a new way of thoroughly expressing her admiration and vast affection for her husband. Emily Barrett Browning has proved herself a master poet. Not only does she use almost every literary device in the book, but she also delves deep into her feelings. These explanations of her feelings that she adds into the sonnets are rich in metaphors, alliteration, personification, and many more.
The speaker in the poem starts out describing the storm outside with adjectives that make it appear the weather is a person. “the sullen wind was soon awake.” (Porphyria’s Lover). Most of the poem takes place with Porphyria and her lover was cuddling by the fire. “she put her arm about her waist” (Porphyria’s Lover) in this line Porphyria is the active one and he just sits there and lets her rearrange him. Once he kills her there positions switch. “I propped her head up as before, only this time my shoulder bore” (Porphyria’s Lover) now he is the active one and she is laying limp. The most memorable image in the poem is Porphyria’s yellow-blonde hair that the speakers refers to often. “and all her yellow hair displaced” (Porphyria’s Lover) this was the first time the speaker gave us the color of her hair. The speaker then continue to references everything back to her yellow hair all throughout the poem. In conclusion the same yellow hair is what is used to strangle
The Victorian period was in 1830-1901, this period was named after Queen Victoria; England’s longest reigning monarch. Britain was the most powerful nation in the world. This period was known for a rather stern morality. A huge changed happened in England; factories were polluting the air, cities were bursting at the seams, feminism was shaking up society, and Darwin’s theory of evolution was assaulting long established religious beliefs. The Victorians were proud of their accomplishments and optimistic about the future, but psychologically there was tension, doubt, and anxiety as people struggled to understand and deal with the great changes they were experiencing. One of the authors known for writing during the Victorian Period was Robert Browning. Robert Browning was a poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic monologues, which made him one of the Victorian poets. Robert died in December 1889. His Poem “Porphyria’s Lover” was published in 1836. This essay will explore three elements of Victorianism in Porphyria’s Lover by Robert Brown...