Porphyria’s Lover Revision Flashcards
‘To set it’s struggling passion free’
C= reference to Victorian moral codes and rigid class divides. They don’t want to lose their purity as it’s considered valuable. Euphemism- Struggling to let her passion free (sex desires) as she’s not meant to want that. Expected to be virginal until marriage- goes against women moral codes at the time. This echoes the rigid social hierarchy in Victorian England. Women rarely married beneath their status because husband financially supports them. Shows she has the power at this point to withhold her love.
‘Pale’
L= adj- shows how love is not requited
He is love sick- desire for her has almost made him ill.
‘That moment she was mine’
D= if he ends her life now, she will be his forever and remain pure. L= Repetition of mine shows the possessiveness of the speaker and how he takes physical actions to ensure she is forever his.
‘Perfectly pure’
L= alliteration
Emphasises her virginal purity at that moment so he strangled her in order for her to remain pure as C=this is what was expected of women in the Victorian Era.
‘Hair’
L= noun D= represents her sexual desire. He needs to kill her to keep her pure because her decision to express her sexual desire for him is her downfall as he wants to maintain her purity.
‘Little’
L= ask to describe Porphyria’s throat. R= antipathy towards speaker and pity for her as she appears to be vulnerable.
‘God has not said a word!’
L= exclamation mark
I= surprised God hasn’t punished him for strangling her
OR
justifies his actions in maintaining her purity as he hasn’t been punished by God.
OR
C=Reflects the poet, Browning’s, agnosticism. Calls into questions whether God exists or if God is uncaring rather than benevolent.
Structure:
Dramatic monologue- only see his point of view: R=Modern reader = unnerving and deeply uncomfortable.
C/R= thrilling for Victorian audience as gothic horror.
