Poem 3 - Robert Browning - Porphyria's Lover Flashcards
When was the poet alive?
1812-1889
When was the poem published?
1836
What is Porphyria? How is this significant?
A rare genetic disease, symptoms include madness and harsh skin sensitivity to light, leading to paleness. It is significant since the narrator is mentally disturbed and the character Porphyria is extremely pale.
What is the poem about?
The narrator is in love with Porphyria, who visits him in his cottage, she flirts with him and, in a fit of madness, he strangles her with her own hair to preserve the moment forever.
Describe the form of the poem.
A dramatic monologue, with an asymmetrical ABABB rhyme scheme, with enjambment to mirror the speaker’s mental instability. The regular rhythm, however, reflects his calmness. Since Porphyria has no voice in the poem, the speaker simply projects his own thoughts onto her, both alive and dead similar to an insane person talking to themself.
Describe the structure of the poem.
Events in the poem mirror each other, in the first half Porphyria is active, with her lover passive, yet in the latter half this reverses
Describe the use of language about possession.
The narrator wants Porphyra to belong to him “for ever”, but he believes her “pride” and “vainer ties” (social status) are stopping this, This is why, after he kills her she is referred to as “it”, she is his object.
Describe the use of language about love and violence.
The use of love and violence in the poem demonstrates the narrator’s instability and how, whilst being loving he is destructive too, which emphasises his derangement.
How is pathetic fallacy used in the poem?
At the beginning, it creates a threatening and ominous atmosphere, which foreshadows Porphyria’s murder.
How is Porphyria’s motion described, why is this?
The poet uses the verb “glided” to describe Porphyria’s motion, which makes her appear magical in comparison to her surroundings.
What do Porphyria’s actions suggest about her?
That she is a good influence in the narrator’s life, demonstrated by how she “shut the cold out” which creates a powerful contrast between her and the storm.
How is enjambment used in the poem?
The unusual line breaks and end stopping reflect the speaker’s mental instability.
What does “fall” suggest about Porphyria when she lets her hair down?
Women were expected to repress their sexuality at the time this was written, women who didn’t were referred to as fallen women, the use of fall suggests that she is behaving socially unacceptably and even sinfully.
What is the purpose of the repetition of “and”?
To demonstrate how calm the narrator is whilst he chronologically recounts porphyria’s actions, creating a contrast between him and his later actions. This reflects his unstable mental state.
What is the purpose of the repetition of “yellow hair” in the first half of the poem?
It shows his obsession with her hair as well as foreshadowing her murder with her hair.
