Robert Browning's "Porphyria's Lover"

this essay is amazing...I love it

This poem never fails to give me shivers and the insight into the murderer who you rightly describe as psychotic is chilling. It is borne out by testimony from serial killers such as Dhamer and Neilson that they murdered so their object (I use that word deliberately) would remain with them. I particularly like the very slight creeping in of doubt where he says 'no pain felt she/I am quite sure she felt no pain'and also the final line.

I have given considerable thought to your comment, Garrett, and appreciate your bringing up the significance of Porphyria's name. It's possible that her name may be symbolic of that which is ghastly. Because of the physical manifestations of the disease called Porphyria, the connection to vampires of lore is sometimes made. However, there is some question as to whether the disease (which is associated with madness in addition to vampires) was even named Porphyria when Browning wrote his poem. Many would agree that there are few better symbols for the ghoulish than vampires, and Browning's poem clearly concerns that which is ghastly, such as necrophilia pursuant to murder of a lover.


What is known is that the word "Porphyria" comes from the Greek "Porphura" which means purple. It is interesting that Browning gave Porphyria such an unusual name while her lover isn't directly named at all. Is the killer not given his own name because his characterization as Porphyria's lover is sufficient for careful readers to discern an important aspect of his nature? If so, the meaning behind the name "Porphyria" is essential in gaining a deeper understanding of the poet's message. In the Victorian England in which Browning lived, Porphyria was hardly a common name. Poets seldom choose words carelessly, which implies that Browning's choice of Porphyria's name is indeed significant.


If Porphyria's name is accepted as symbolic of the ghoulish, the mystery is determining what exactly it means in relation to the poem. Porphyria's name might tell us much more about her lover than it does about her. Browning may have cleverly concealed an important message in his poem by directly giving Porphyria a ghoulish name which indirectly becomes her lover's. Besides social class, it is possible that another factor keeping the lovers apart is Porphyria's recognition in her lover of certain morbid fascinations that cause her unease. If her lover sensed that she had come to the cottage to break off their affair partly because of her unease, he might have felt a greater sense of urgency to act as he did. To the insane, such bizarre calculations probably make eminent sense.


Thus, Browning may be advising caution about letting certain people get too close, namely, those who exhibit fascination with the ghoulish. The poet may also be cautioning against becoming overly absorbed with that which is ghoulish lest an obsession with it make you more susceptible to committing ghastly acts. If somebody makes you feel uneasy, perhaps you should trust your instincts and stay away. It might also be advisable to end such a relationship in a public place and make sure a friend is available to accompany you home. I wish Browning could be roused from the grave to clear up the mystery surrounding his choice of Porphyria's name (unless that's too ghoulish a thought to entertain).

I would recommend you read the poem to appreciate its chilling sublety. Johnjjp's conclusion was actually quite forceful. When writing of a poet like Browning it is so easy to become as (I really cant think of the word as evasive doesnt quite capture it)as the author. It is necessary to pin down what can be behind the subtle mask of seeming reason, rather than be seduced by it (See My Last Duchess.) In that respect I would have to disagree.

I appreciate your kind words. Although I am American, writing in the first person isn't uniquely "an American thing." I take it you're not American but I notice that your comment is written in the first person, as is mine. It's a very natural way to write.


Some of the greatest essayists of all time have written in the first person. I learned this from my best English prof who dispelled many myths about writing. He certainly wasn't stuffy and felt that writing shouldn't be stuffy either. It seems that he permanently misplaced his copy of "The Pedant's Guide to English Do's and Don'ts" and I have benefited greatly from his absentmindedness.


My prof wanted his students to write with a personal touch, even in essays. He was not only a great teacher but also a fine writer whose advice I intend to follow, even if it irritates some people whose teachers may have been more rigid.

"You gone and done it again," once again you have done a great job interpreting yet another poem. I myself love poetry but have never really gotten into analyzing and writing about what I read the way you do; thus I love reading about how other people understand poems, (this one in particular because I have read it previously). In adition you once again tackle a poem/subject that is generally hard to talk about "love." I think everyone has had someone that they felt for deeply but couldn't have, but this poem/your interpretation makes one think in a different light. "What if we could have that person, what would we do/have done to keep her from leaving/going back to what keeps us apart; as far as murder? Hopefully in this day and age everyone would answer "NO" to the previous question, but the thought still remains, what would we do to keep something we know we CANNOT truely ever have. Again great job.


Garrett


P.S. Have you ever/or do you already know what the diesease "Porphyria" is. I am an avid CSI fan, and have a passion for the legends of the vampyre so I was wondering. If you're unfamilar with Porphyria look it up, it's fascinating, the closest we will ever know to the "true" physical aspects of vampyreism...

What a great essay. All your quotes have been Analyzed perfectly. The whole structure of the essay is unique. in the first sentence "In this essay, I would like to discuss one of Robert Browning's more unsettling poems, "Porphyria's Lover"

Your referencing to your self. My teacher tells me not to do that, i guess its different in America than Austrlia.


Overall an "B+" {sorry if im not leniant enough} from me cause The Punctuation and vocabulary are at a high standard. And i don't really like poetry cause im too young to understand, but this essay made me interested in reading the poem. while reading it i was in this atmosphere which i cant understand myself or explain. But i have to say, you could have the started the essay in a proper essay introduction.

But excellent overall,


P.S. After reading this essay, i can tell that the essasys we do in Australian schooles are alot diferent to those in America.

Thank you for your nice comments about my essay. I'm sure you mean Browning not Downing. Your suggestion to relate my essay to Browning's other work is a good one. That's why I included in my introduction mention of his most famous dramatic monologue, "My Last Duchess." It was the subject of the first of the three essays I submitted to the site.


Browning's "Porphyria's Lover" is a variation on a typical dramatic monologue in which it is generally agreed that the speaker requires an implied audience. In "Porphyria's Lover" it's debatable who the speaker is talking to. I didn't want to give away in the introduction too much about the poem, as I wanted to maintain suspense in my essay for those unfamiliar with "Porphyria's Lover."


Any teacher who would insist that the personal pronoun "I" should be forbidden in an essay is being a bit pedantic. Some of the greatest essayists who ever lived used "I" also. If I am sinning rhetorically, at least I have very illustrious company.

Chilling description of how grusome this poem really is, this essay made me feel as if I was in that room while the events were happening, awesome work once again John!!!

Where do i start, suspense, drama , Love, Thrills it had it all. (ps you are now turning me into a poem critic). I also made the connection to other peces taht can be realated to this piece for example Romeo and Juliet affliation with love and death etc seemed a strong influence. Overall well written and very reflective on how life can be love one moment and death the next


Peps

Thanks for your comment about the introduction, structure, and organization of my paper. I'm sorry if you missed the conclusion but it was contained in the final two sentences of the concluding paragraph. "Porphyria's Lover" reminds us that we may not really know even those who are closest to us. In fact, some may harbor insanity and our ignorance of it may result in tragedy. By the way, I'm glad my teacher was more generous than you or I might not have received an A.

you seem to love poetry and i can see why, this is a wonderful structured and written essay which is an enjoyable easy read.

Cool work

Another brilliant discussion, very thorough & informative with a dash of analysis & opiniated perspective. Having read Brownings "My Last Duchess", your report has striked my interest in Browning's writing style once again. Classical dramatic monologue of a psychotic murderer, how could you refuse! Also great work on the inclusion of narrative techniques, thats what interpretation of poetry is all about- great job!

After reading this and your other essay on Browning, I am very impressed at your interpretation of British/Irish literature. I just finished AP English 12 and now after studying all of it makes me wish I could have read this essay sooner (My teacher was not as good as the one you have described).

Great Work!

VEry good essay

nicely structured with a good flowing yet captivating writing style.

I noticed that , in ur other essays too, u used the phrase 'Of course'. I felt that didnt quite fit really well in ur writing styel

anwyay gw AGAIN

Very nice essay liked the closing paragraph well done john

I did like the essay, it was captivating. Perhaps Porphyria's lover was not in love but obsessed. He wanted her to be all his and no one else's, so he kills her to keep her all to himself.

As chilling as the poem was itself, your break-down of the lines made it more creepy. Though it starts with an interesting introduction, the rest was easy-flowing, well constructed and a good read all in all. Nice job.


Congrats, by the way, on reaching over 100000.

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to write comments. Your comments are uniformly good and add a lot to the essay. Thank you especially, diamondize1, for making the connection between the narrator of the poem and serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer. Although Browning doesn't indicate that Porphyria's lover is a serial killer, the mentality is the same. Browning wrote his poem some 170 years ago when serial killers didn't receive as much publicity as they do today. The murder of at least five London prostitutes by Jack the Ripper wouldn't occur until more than fifty years after Browning wrote his poem. The poet-husband of Elizabeth Barrett Browning had an uncanny ability to write poems which would retain their relevance long after his death.

I have been seeing your user name a lot lately so i thought id rate one of your essays. This one stuck out, as it is one of my favourite poems. "Porphyria's Lover" is a horriable but yet beautyful poem and you have done it justice, well done John!

I loved the last few lines, they very deep, if not a little chilling! I also liked the way you go through all the lines and points in detail, most people would just skim through some lines and go into great detail on others, normally because they don't fully understand them.

Great essay in all, keep it up.

well done, you did an exulant job. this is a well written essay, keep up the great work!

i think you can pretty much guess what im going to say. except for a shaky introduction, it was very well written and i love how real you made it seem, as if i was there. once again i enjoy reading you work and especially like the first person point of view. once again great job.

As many have said, "nothing but the best!" This was an extremely insightful and valuable resource in the explication of this poem. You did a beautiful job explaining every detail. Please, post more essays!

I have never read this poem. Once again, a wonderful explanation. What a distrurbing poem, but how realistic. How minds can break under emotional stress. Thank you again!

You clearly have a gift for writing amazing essays, the essay has a flow, you highlight key issues and explain them in great depth. But i was wondering what level this essay is, because I'm saying all of this as a 15yr old GCSE student.


Overall, phenomenal effort, and an excellent essay as a reward.


Ahmed

You have one of the best analysis I know. The transition is smooth and the essay is thorough. Very nice.

I'm not a poetry fan, and I actually enjoyed reading this piece. This has good flow to it and it makes sense. You're right, the details are chilling.

She put my arm about her waist,

And made her smooth white shoulder bare,

And all her yellow hair displaced,

And, stooping, made my cheek lie there,

Once again another one of your essays i have enjoyed reading. This ones very detailed and i like the tone it gives out. Punctuation and vocabulary are top notch! Well done!

I don't know what else to say besides awesome! You really know how to catch the readers attention and draw them into what they are reading. Great work!

~Katy

As usual great structure coupled with the easy being very easy flowing; makes this work excellent.

I appreciate your comment, although in my responses to Danii and waitingtosmile24 I had hoped to put to rest the issue you raise about using the first person. In the uppermost comment to my essay about "My Last Duchess" I have excerpted a portion of an online essay-writing tutorial by a British professor who has no problem with students starting their essays with phrases such as "In this essay I will...." While it may be undeserved, British professors are known for being sticklers regarding the Queen's English and apparently some Australian teachers want that dubious reputation also. Fortunately, not all teachers are as arbitrary as yours regarding the use of the first person in essays and I sympathize with you.


For you (and for your teachers if you care to show them), I have excerpted the paragraph below from the fourth page of a book called "Essay Writing: Step-By-Step." The book is subtitled "A Newsweek Education Program Guide for Teens" and was published a couple of years ago by Kaplan/Simon and Schuster. Kaplan has published a series of helpful books for students covering everything from studying more effectively to improving vocabulary. You may also find the following excerpt at: http://www.newsweekeducation.com/online_activities /essay1.php


"Second, an effective essay contains vivid images, descriptions, and personal reflections. It may even include direct quotes to add to the veracity and flow. Depending on your purpose for writing, use of the word "I" is acceptable. Of course if the essay is a journalistic piece, where personal opinions are unwarranted, that doesn't apply, but if not, it is perfectly acceptable to speak in the first person. Writing with a first-hand perspective will add the personal touch readers are looking for. Just be careful not to use I in too many sentences."


I wish some teachers wouldn't try to brainwash students into believing it is unacceptable to use the first person in essays, especially if the essays involve personal interpretations of poetry. It is wrong to fill students' heads with misinformation and no country has a monopoly on bad teachers. I question the value of an education which makes students intolerant of acceptable practices, even if some teachers believe that everything should be done their way only.

A very good analysis that goes into great detail and you seem to have picked out effective enough quotations from the poem, although, they could have probably been cut down; so instead of analysing a whole line from the poem, you are discussing certain words in various lines which bear significance. All in all though, a good analyitical essay. Well done!

This is a good analysis and i must admit the last few lines are quite effective.

Thank you for taking the time to read my essays and i very much appreciate it.

You did an excellent job. You did a wonderful job supporting your essay with the poem. Your essay makes me want to read the poem, it sounds very interesting.

This essay makes us know why you are the top-rated man on cheathouse. Your skills in mechanics and use of words is boggling. Your message always comes of extremely clear.

Brought out some of the finer points of the poem. Glad to see I'm not the only one who reads deeply into things.

I admit your essay isn't highly praised for no reason however something which added that slightest imperfection to your work - your use of first person. It really irritates me! Is it an American thing? I don't know but for me it's taken away some of the brilliance of your work but wonderfully analysed so well done.

Excellent analysis of the work. I particularly like how you go through line by line and analyze what it means.

i have never heard of this particular poem but i am interested in reading it now. thank you very much for the wonderful job you have been doing. your work is flawless...my hat is off to you sir....

You know what? i thought the introduction didnt take away any from the text. original idea and individual style:)

great job again mate:)

John...you wrote a very good essay. I like the thoughts you provided from the writer on the poem itself. What a great way that you portrayed it. Well done.

couldnt have interpretted it better myself

Very well written analysis and very enjoyable to read. Good work!

Detail, thoroughness and in-depth analysis makes this a fine piece of work. This piece is sound grammatically, technically and fundamentally. It flows well and has a comfortable lilt in it's narrations.


Good Job, johnjjp.

Yet again a wonderful piece from you john. well done and you really should submit another one!!

John, this was an absolute joy to read.

John,


The opening on this essay was much improved over your last two. I really enjoyed reading your work. I now have a deeper understanding of Browning's work. I will have to reread this poem, so that I can see it through new eyes.

U are very creative johnjjp. I like the way u always provide references to your readers. As in my case, i never read the poem but your work provided me with an awesome "sense" of awareness of what's actually happening.As diamondize1 stated, it is indeed quite bone chilling to an extent...Congrats on your creatitvity.

Hello...i really liked the structure and organisation of this essay.It flows very well in transition, and is indepth and i liked your closing paragraph.Keep up the great job...2 tumbs up!!!

very nice essay


enjoyed reading it

This is a different essay to what I usually see or write, there are so many examples in the essay that I wouldn't be surprised if the entire poem is in it! Every second sentence seems to be an example from the poem, and the comment that comes before is simply an interpretation of the example in the text. But I guess the actual essay's purpose is to describe and inform, so your essay has achieved this quite well, and you use complex and innovative words to great effect. I would overall judge this as a very good essay, with some few minor points that need covering. Nice work.

Keep up the good work.


Cheers!

Jang

Beautiful, just beautiful

A beautifully written and incredibly evocative essay on a fascinating poem.

It flowed very well - and I think it was structured just perfectly.

A real pleasure to read.

Thank you!

I like how you began your essay contrasting to Browning's other works. Your analysis of your view of the story is excellent as well. I look forward to your next series of essays.


And thank you again for your nice comments and encouraging words to me.

I think a lot of people can relate to this poem and a lot of other ones. Its great when someone breaks them down the way you do. I have enjoyed reading each one of your essays that you have submitted. Its great to see that you evidently love poetry and you can break things down the way you have so someone who does not read or understand poetry can actually understand it.

What makes you believe that people suck up to those that rank higher?


Tell you what, you get on the leader board, and you can answer your own question. In the mean time, comment on the essay and its quality and not wish that you had as many points as johnjjp.

Flows well in transition, very indepth and thorough. Great job.

i liked you writing & the you analyze th poem , i used you\'r in studying browning\'s poem , as a result , i did well in my exam


good work

Wow.

All i can say about that essay is that I wish I could write like that. And Thank you Johnjjp for introducing me to this poem.

Oh, did i mention "Wow!"

i think you can pretty much guess what im going to say. except for a shaky introduction, it was very well written and i love how real you made it seem, as if i was there. once again i enjoy reading you work and especially like the first person point of view. once again great job.

What foresight this poet had, crimes of passion are seen so differently now. No one shall have if I myself cannot.

Excellent analysis and interpretation of the work.


Very well written.

well done John your analysis is brilliant, lovely smooth flw with an interesting introduction. Your writting keeps the chilling feeling in the work, couldn't have done this better myself..brill!

another nice job. exellent. super job. u started a lil bad but then went super good

Nice job, John. The essay is very organized.

highly praised essay, strange introduction but the essay was clear aparts from that and was straight to the point, well done.

Excellent. Superb essay, thanks for the nice read!

Forgot to mention I love the essay!

John you really do not need any further comments on your essay! I'm sure you already know it's (using slang) "hell of a good essay bro')lol...but yeah keep up the good work

and oh yeah....watch the stuff we said already..the thesis statement..!!!

~Eggy~

Another well-written essay. Keep up the good work. Might I add, it was constructed with excellence. Wonderful essay.

This essay is just completly amazing!!! I can't even imagen how long it took you.

I'm not a huge fan of poetry but I really enjoyed this read. You did a good job of keeping the reader interested. Once again, great job!

Wow, what a read. You've gone into strong detail for every section of the poem, and really hit the nail on the head with the descriptions of what's going on.

Great job :) I'm glad that I took the time to read this badboy.

You gotta anylise something more, these are great kepp it up. Two thumbs up.

Very well-written and explanatory. Easy to read and even more understandable. You really clarify a lot. Great job.

Ok, you know what I have to say about the introduction lol.

This poem is one of my favourites of Downing. I found that you ended the essay very well and your use of quotations was very effective.

I the smallest suggestion and maybe you didn't have to do this when you had to submitt this essay (if you did). But I feel if you related this poem to other of his works, it would emphasise your knowledge on the poet as well and would help you to maybe put a little more of historical perspective to the essay.

Otherwise, it was an amazing essay.

This is another one of your very good essays. The beginning was a bit wobbly...but then u turned into a fantastic essay. Good job.

Very good work john... It flows really well and although i am not a poetry fan, i enjoyed it very much...

Just wanted to say that this was a very well written essay.

youve written a very good analysis of the poem, although its kind of like you start to describe the events of the poem after the third paragraph. maybe a mention of the themes like masculine identity or to have gone a bit further with how such an act, conventionally seen as insane, could come from a mentally sound person and how the rhyming style contributes. but i dont really know what your writing is for and someone may have already mentioned this earlier, so. Your writing reads excellent though and it has a personal touch. I really enjoyed reading it :D

Very well written. really good poem too. one of my favorites, like Poe better though

wow,aother great submission!

overall good essay, strong closing paragraph as well

clear introduction, very well structured and organised. unfortunately you have no conclusion and as i do not have any knowledge of the text i dont know if u've left anything out. But i reckon its pretty good. on a scale of 0-10 i'd risk an 8

OMGGGGGGGGGGG this is so amazing u rock my sox u have 128 comments now!!!!!!!!!!!

started off a little awkward, but you picked it up pretty good. there are better ways to start off essays though...

I really enjoyed reading this analysis. But I think you over used the quotes. it looks like more than half of this essay is quoted from the poem. It was however well written.

Why is everyone on this site suck up to the higher ranking users?