Saturday, 22 September 2012

Porphria's Lover

How is the story told in 'Porphyria's Lover'?

The story is told in first person and also written in Iambic Tetrameter.
Robert Browning has wrote the poem with a middle twist, this twist is where Porphyria has changed from being a loving male to a murderer to his lover. Browning has used Pathetic Fallacy and random rhyming, which helps with the flow of the poem.

The title of the Poem, 'Porphyria's Lover' doesn't suit the type of poem you begin to read. I believe that Brownig has used this type of title to declare Porphyria's innocence. Also, the last line of the poem reads; 'And yet God has not said a word!' Some may see this as Porphyria is waiting to be punished. However, i see it as he is reminding himself that if what he done was wrong, God would have punished him by now. So, overall Porphyria feels he has not done wrong, even in Gods eyes.
I also believe that the reason for his actions, where to gain power and lust. The start of the poem seems that Porphyria's Lover has power over Porphyria. This is shown; 'And made her smooth white shoulder bare'. The fact that the Lover has given her shoulder instead of the usual dominat man giving his, prooves that Porphyria is blinded by her. Also, 'white' shoulder may mean that she has a high class status as people who where generally light skinned where not workers out in the sun all day. This automatically gave me the impression that the situation could be she is uupper class and he is maybe lower. That's why God agree's with the situation as muder is the only way they can be together. After she has been murdered Porphyria says 'Only, this time my shoulder bore'. I believe he enjoys the sense of power he now has over her body, although not her.
At the end they are both peaceful 'not stirr'd' when sleeping together, both methophorical and literal.
So overall, i read the poem leaving satisfied as i do not find it creepy or disturbing the levels he went to to make them both happy. I find it very pretty that love has so much power and the lengths that people will go too to prove it to everyone.

1 comment:

  1. Your response is good. Now make sure that the narrative elements you mention in the first paragraph are developed later. Show why they are important to how the story is told. remeber to comment on techniques of storytelling.

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