Symbolism In The Laboratory

Robert Browning is quoted as saying, “Love is the energy of life.” (BrainyQuote). Love has the ability to make us do some crazy things because love is what gives us life, if there was no feeling of love at all amongst our family or friends, but for some, love is the most important thing on earth, which in return, if their fragile heart is broken, may end badly for any parties involved. This perfectly explains the speaker in Robert Browning’s dramatic monologue, “The Laboratory.” Browning based this wonderful poem on a true historical individual who goes by the name of, Marie Madeleine Marguerite D'Aubray, marquise de Brinvilliers, who had killed her two brothers and her father by using poison. (Shmoop). As the dramatic monologue unfolds, it

Essentially, this is shown through the symbolic nature of the earring, the earring of which is dreamt to be used as a place to keep the personas poison. The power of the symbol is proven when Browning writes, “To carry pure death in an earring, a casket,” (19). Earrings are thought to be feminine pieces of women's fashion, and Browning expertly connects the use of earrings, which are thought to be innocent pieces of fashion to the sadistic persona of the poem as the persona seems to be a sweet pretty woman on the outside, but is in fact a sadistic murderer. The earring symbolizes death, rather than innocence. Additionally, through the use of powerful symbolism it is made evident that human eyes are a symbol that proves the sadistic nature of the persona. Browning writes, “The soul from those masculine eyes,—say, “no!” / To that pulse’s magnificent come-and-go. / For only last night, as they whispered, I brought / My own eyes to bear on her so, that I thought / Could I keep them one half minute fixed, she would fall, / Shrivelled; she fell not; yet this does it all!” (31-34). The persona talks here about the eyes of her enemy, she describes them as “masculine” which can be inferred as an insult as the woman she is talking about is of course a woman, and should have “feminine eyes” but it is clear that she is talking

It is made apparent throughout the poem that the persona is that of a sadistic and power-loving woman by the use of visual imagery. Firstly, Browning writes, “Soon, at the King’s, a mere lozenge to give / And Pauline should have just thirty minutes to live! / But to light a pastile, and Elise, with her head / And her breast and her arms and her hands, should drop dead!” (21-24). By explaining what the poison should do to the enemy of the persona, Browning reveals a truly sadistic individual, she is explaining what it should look like when the enemy has taken the poison, by describing what parts of her body should burn. Also, she begins to talk about another victim, explaing the fact that she plans on doing this again, which reveals the sadistic nature of said persona. Furthermore, Browning unveils the power-loving individual through the continued use of visual imagery, “Quick—is it finished? The colour’s too grim! / Why not soft like the phial’s, enticing and dim? / Let it brighten her drink, let her turn it and stir, / And try it and taste, ere she fix and prefer!” (25-28). In this passage, the persona talks about what the finished concoction looks like, and wants it to be more enticing. This proves the power-loving nature as she wants to make sure this poison is in every way perfect. She loves the power that she has, as