January 27, 2022
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The rain set early in to-night, |
Introduction
Robert Browning’s “Porphyria’s Lover” is a dramatic monologue composed in 1836 and first published in 1836 under the title “Porphyria” in The Monthly Repository. The poem later appeared in its final form in Browning’s 1842 collection Dramatic Lyrics. The monologue is narrated by an unnamed speaker who recounts a night spent with his lover, Porphyria, whom he murders in a moment of delusional passion. The poem is often discussed in relation to the rise of the dramatic monologue form in Victorian poetry, a form that Browning is credited with refining. The speaker’s calm, rational tone as he describes the act of murder highlights the psychological complexity Browning explores through this form.
Browning’s influences are wide-ranging, including Gothic literature and Romantic poetry, which often explore themes of passion, madness, and death. The poem can be seen as a reaction to and departure from the Romantic idealization of love and nature. Unlike the Romantic emphasis on transcendence and spiritual unity, “Porphyria’s Lover” presents love as a force that can lead to possessiveness and destruction. The setting of the poem, a stormy night, mirrors the emotional turbulence of the narrator, yet the speaker describes the scene with a detached calm, as seen in the line, “The sullen wind was soon awake, / It tore the elm-tops down for spite.”
The major themes of the poem include the power dynamics in relationships, the destructive nature of possessive love, and the intersection of madness and violence. The narrator’s act of strangling Porphyria with her own hair symbolizes his desire to preserve a perfect moment and to assert control over her. This act also reflects Victorian anxieties about gender and power, as Porphyria’s initial dominance in the relationship is violently overturned. The line “That moment she was mine, mine, fair, / Perfectly pure and good” captures the narrator’s distorted belief that murder can freeze time and preserve his lover in a state of idealized purity.
Browning’s use of language and imagery in “Porphyria’s Lover” contributes to the poem’s unsettling effect. The description of Porphyria’s corpse as smiling, with her “blue eyes without a stain,” conveys the narrator’s delusion and the eerie calm with which he views his actions. The poem’s use of enjambment and irregular rhyme scheme enhances the tension and instability of the narrative voice, while also reflecting the speaker’s fragmented and obsessive mindset.
As a Victorian poem, “Porphyria’s Lover” engages with contemporary debates about morality, sexuality, and the nature of the self. The poem’s exploration of the dark side of human emotions and its focus on psychological depth are characteristic of Browning’s work and of the broader Victorian literary preoccupation with the complexities of human experience. The poem remains relevant today for its exploration of themes such as the dangers of possessive love and the thin line between passion and violence.
Questions for Consideration
- How does the speaker describe the setting at the beginning of the poem?
- What mood does this setting create, and how does it foreshadow the events that follow?
- What is the significance of the speaker’s description of Porphyria’s actions when she enters the cottage? How do these actions reflect her relationship with the speaker?
- How does the speaker justify his decision to kill Porphyria? What does this reveal about his mental state and perception of love?
- Examine the role of social class and societal expectations in the poem. How might these factors influence the relationship between Porphyria and the speaker?
- How does Browning use imagery and symbolism in the poem? For instance, what might Porphyria's hair symbolize, and how is it used in the poem?
- What is the significance of the final line, “And yet God has not said a word”? How does this line contribute to the poem’s exploration of morality and divine justice?
- Analyze the poem’s structure and rhyme scheme. How does Browning’s use of form contribute to the overall impact of the poem?
- Discuss the poem as an example of the dramatic monologue form. How does Browning use this form to develop the speaker’s character and convey the poem’s themes?
- How does Browning use enjambment in the poem? What effect does it have on the poem’s pacing and the development of tension?
- Explore the theme of possession and control in the poem. How does the speaker’s desire to possess Porphyria manifest, and what does this suggest about his understanding of love?
- Discuss the use of irony in “Porphyria’s Lover.” How does Browning create a contrast between the speaker’s perception of his actions and the reader’s likely interpretation?
- How does the poem engage with the Victorian ideals of gender roles and relationships? In what ways does it challenge or reinforce these ideals?
- Consider the role of the natural world in the poem. How does Browning use the imagery of the storm to mirror or contrast the emotions and actions of the characters?
- How might Browning’s portrayal of the speaker reflect Victorian anxieties about passion and repression. How does the poem fit within the broader context of Victorian literature?
- Examine how Browning’s own life and experiences might have influenced the themes and ideas explored in the poem. Can parallels be drawn between the poem and Browning’s views on art, love, or society?
- Compare “Porphyria’s Lover” to other dramatic monologues by Browning, such as “My Last Duchess.” What themes and techniques do these poems share, and how do they differ in their portrayal of their speakers?
- How does “Porphyria’s Lover” compare to other literary works that explore themes of love, madness, and possession? Consider works from both the Victorian period and other eras.
Notes & Commentary
- ↑ Gloomy or morose. The wind is personified as having a sullen mood, contributing to the poem's dark atmosphere.
- ↑ Indicates the speaker’s emotional distress, setting the tone for the rest of the poem.
- ↑ A name that might allude to the purple or dark red hue (like the color porphyry, a type of stone), which could symbolize nobility or, more ominously, blood.
- ↑ The fireplace, described as cheerless, meaning it lacked warmth or light before Porphyria’s arrival.
- ↑ Porphyria initiates physical contact, showing her dominance or control in the relationship.
- ↑ Porphyria physically directs the narrator, further demonstrating her control over the situation.
- ↑ The hair becomes a significant image in the poem, symbolizing both her beauty and, later, the instrument of her death.
- ↑ These lines suggest a conflict within Porphyria, possibly between her desires and societal expectations.
- ↑ The speaker idealizes Porphyria in her final moments, suggesting a desire to preserve her in this state.
- ↑ A chilling understatement, referring to the speaker's decision to kill Porphyria.
- ↑ The specific number emphasizes the deliberateness of the act.
- ↑ A simile that compares Porphyria’s lifeless state to a flower bud, containing the potential for life (the bee), but now closed off.
- ↑ The speaker imagines that Porphyria’s cheek still shows signs of life, interpreting her pallor as a blush caused by his kiss.
- ↑ Echoing Porphyria’s earlier manipulation of the speaker, here he arranges her body, treating her like a doll or object, further dehumanizing her.
- ↑ The speaker believes that by killing her, he has fulfilled Porphyria’s deepest desire, reflecting his distorted view of love.
- ↑ I.e., the societal constraints and “vainer ties” that held her back.
- ↑ The speaker interprets the lack of divine intervention as a sign of approval, reinforcing his delusion and the eerie calm of the poem’s conclusion.
