Every person has experienced some kind of love through the duration of their lives. Two
people loving one another should be a blissful jury through life. Yet, sometimes love has
tragic results instead of being joyful. People can become obsessed with the ones that they
desire. "Porphyria`s Lover" by Robert Browning is an example of the struggling love that
two people have for one another. It becomes obsessive love and then ends in fatal loss.
The poet sets up an intense atmosphere using personification and foreshadowing.
The stormy weather is described as " The sullen wind", " It tore the elm-tops down for
spite", and "...did its worst to vex the lake". The horrible weather also portrays the
irrational mind set of Porphyrias lover. Porphyria seems to have a great importance to the
speaker yet his obsession becomes more evident throughout the poem. "A sudden
thought of one so pale" and "That moment she was mine, mine..."
the speaker states. He
loved Porphyria and believed she was " too weak for all her hearts endeavor". The
possessiveness of the speaker foretells the conclusion. Throughout the poem his feelings
were apparent yet Porphyrias feelings were never mentioned.
All along, the speaker seems to struggle with his affection for Porphyria. When
Porphyria arrived, her presence caused the cottage to warm inside. She stripped away her
dirty and damp clothes. This could represent her stripping away what has been holding
their love apart. For an untold reason they are not supposed to be together. Porphyria
arrived in cloak and shawl and strips away everything that has held her back previously.
She called to her lover and he did not reply. In response, she exposed her pale white
shoulder and made his cheek lie there. He describes the love he has for Porphyria...
Porphyria's Lover
Porphyria's lover might be described as insanely obsessed as his actions are those of a madman. Based on how she was dressed, we may conclude Porphyria was of the upper class. Though probably married, she flees from a gay feast to be with her lover, who is apparently not of the upper class. Thus their love is in vain, yet Porphyria's lover wishes to possess her. Totally deluded, he imagines she wishes death as a way to be with him always and never have to leave him again. Browning's poem illustrates that we may not really know even those we are closest to, and pay for our ignorance with deadly consequences.
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