Porphyria's Lover Essay

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Power, control, Superiority, and love are what Robert Browning emphasizes on in the poem “Porphyria’s Lover”. In this dramatic monologue Browning Browning starts off this poem with the words; “rain”, “wind”, “vex”. He makes it obvious that the plot line is not going to be about rainbows and butterflies. (Lines1-4). Porphyria, the speaker’s lover, makes her way to visit this man in the stormy weather, “The rain set early in to-night” / “The sullen wind was soon awake” (Lines 1-2). It is evident that this woman most really love this man due to her effort to see him in the awful weather. When Porphyria gets inside it is evident that she feels at home. “Blaze up, and all the cottage warm;” (Line 9). She is comfortable walking into the speaker’s house and starting a fire. Porphyria takes off her coat, gloves and lets down her hair (Lines 11-13) The poem then starts to give off a sense of seduction and a feeling of sexual tension. After she simply sits next to him, it is clear that this woman is not just looking for sex, this woman is relaxed and is deeply in love. “She put my arm around her waist,” / “And made her smooth white shoulder bare,” (Lines 16-17). Porphyria’s body language expresses the feelings she has for this man. This man …show more content…

“I warily open her lids: again” (Line 45). “About her neck; her cheek once more” / “Blushed bright beneath my burning kill:” (Lines 47-48). The way the speaker describes Porphyria after she is dead shows that he has no remorse about the murder and has drifted into an even more unstable state of mind. “I propped her head up as before, “ / “Only, this time my shoulder bore” / “Her head, which droops upon it still:” (Lines 49-51). The speaker has lost all sanity; he starts to treat Porphyria as if she is a doll, this makes him feel at ease for now he knows she isn’t going anywhere. The speaker feels as if he gained a feeling of power by killing