Porphyria's Lover Flashcards
Written by
Robert Browning
Published in
1836
Porphyria meaning
Disease which can result in madness - she is literally ‘porphyria’ to the narrator
Form
Dramatic monologue - Porphyria has no voice meaning the narrator projects his own feelings onto her - he is untrustworthy
Rhyme scheme
ABABB - the lack of balance suggests there is no love, just lust (‘passion’)
Rhythm
Iambic tetrameter - regular rhythm reflects how calm he is in this unsettling situation
Mirrored structure
‘she put my arm about her waist’ turns to ‘this time my shoulder bore her head’ - after the murder he becomes the dominant, active one
Shift in dominance
‘I looked up at her eyes’ - first time speaker takes action
Porphyria’s warm personality
‘she shut the cold out and the storm’ - sibilance reflects silence created as he no longer focuses on the noises outdoors
Possessive language significance
Reflects his desperation to have her
Social class issues
‘vainer ties dissever’ - her possible higher social status may make her family disapprove the relationship
Desire for power
‘mine, mine’ - disturbing repetition highlights how he wants to possess her
Flower imagery
‘droops’ - reflects how the moment with her ‘rosy head’ will not last forever
Objectification
‘it’ is repeated four times in one quintain - reflects how she is just property to him
Example of him being at breaking point
‘heart fit to break’ - line 5 so his mental instability sets the mood of the poem
Example of his derangement
‘blushed bright’ - he thinks she is blushing due to a passionate kiss when it’s a result of being strangled
Chronological recollection of events
Repetition of ‘and’ creates anaphora which makes him look calm and collected while recounting the events
Enjambment
‘untied/her hat’ - line break reflects unstable mental state
Significance of the way murder is mentioned
No change in rhythm - shocking as it’s unexpected
Caesura
‘and strangled her.’ - emphasises the ultimate nature of the action - she is now dead and that is irreversible
Pathetic fallacy
‘sullen’, ‘awake’, ‘spite’ - creates ominous atmosphere
Female sexuality in Victorian times
‘let the damp hair fall’ - she is going against repression
the word ‘fall’ relates to ‘fallen woman’, a term for women who behaved like this at the time - draws attention to how her actions would be considered sinful
Foreshadowing
‘yellow hair’ is repeated - reflects his obsession but foreshadows him using it to strangle her
Jealousy
‘Nor could tonight’s gay feast restrain’ - he is not part of her social activities like this where she may be seductive to other men - increases his instability
Unrequited love
Her ‘murmuring’ suggests she doesn’t mean what she says about how she loves him
Disturbing events after murder
‘warily oped her lids’ - even he hesitates opening the supposed windows to one’s soul, highlighting that he is still aware of how immoral his actions were
Ambiguity in the final line
‘God has not said a word!’ - may be surprised he hasn’t been punished or perhaps he doesn’t think he has sinned at all
