Analysis of "Porphyria's Lover" by Robert Browning

Overview

• Original Publication: First published as "Porphyria" in January 1836 within the Political Journal "Monthly Repository."
• Re-publication: In 1842, it was included in the book "Dramatic Lyrics" as "Porphyria’s Lover."

Poem Structure

• Form: Dramatic monologue.
• Meter: Primarily iambic tetrameter with variations to indicate emotional changes.
• Rhyme Scheme: Asymmetrical ABABB, hinting at the speaker’s disordered mind.

Narrative & Themes

• Narrative: The speaker, a man sitting alone on a stormy night, recounts a visit from his lover Porphyria.
• Psychological Exploration: Browning’s earliest exploration of psychological abnormality in poetry.
• Reliability of Narrator: The narrator is unreliable, possibly hinting that the events are imagined.
• Key Moment: The narrative has two parts, shifting when the roles of Porphyria and the speaker reverse.

Literary Devices

• Personification & Pathetic Fallacy: Storm reflects the speaker's turbulent emotions.
• Anastrophe and Caesura: Used to emphasize Porphyria's entrance and pivotal moments within the poem.
• Enjambment & Caesura: Reflect the disorder in the speaker's mind.
• Polyconjunction: Creates inevitability of the sequence of events.

Critical Themes

• Objectification and Possession: The speaker treats Porphyria as an object, highlighted by his repeated possessive wording.
• Insanity and Moral Ambiguity: The murderous act is sudden, handled in a calm narrative tone, further showing the speaker's detachment from reality.

Interpretation

• Porphyria’s Supernatural Aura: Description suggests an ethereal presence.
• Social Class and Symbolism: Discussion on Porphyria’s name meaning, possibly hinting at noble connections.
• Final Lines: The speaker believes his actions are justified by God's silence.

Conclusion

"Porphyria’s Lover" is a complex dramatic monologue exploring themes of possession, insanity, and moral ambiguity through the lens of an unreliable narrator. Browning’s use of various literary devices contributes to an unsettling and thought-provoking reading experience.

Remember to engage with the text critically and consider multiple interpretations, as Browning leaves much open to the reader's understanding.