Faith at Pilgrim's Point

Faith at Pilgrim’s Point

English 200C: Joanna Montis

The Runaway slave at pilgrim’s point was written during the mid 1800’s by the talented poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The poem narrates one woman’s tale in a time of prejudice against black-skinned Americans. The character shares with us her passionate thoughts and feelings throughout her experience as a slave. Elizabeth vividly describes the consequences of her character’s skin colour in that particular time of age using the powerful metaphor: “Our blackness shuts like prison bars.” People with dark skin were denied the right of freedom and forced to work without pay under conditions determined by their masters. In spite of the harsh reality during that period, Elizabeth illustrated a profound account of faith, independence, and courage, through the strength of her character.
The poem begins with the character seeking salvation from the identity that was bestowed upon her. The character’s master has apparently abused her sexually, desperate for relief she runs away to Pilgrim’s point. She hopes to return to the place where: “God was thanked for liberty.” The character seems to believe that god is the all mighty creator of earth and everything it entails, but she feels as though he has abandoned his black human creations. The character describes the will of god: “He must have cast His work away under the feet of His white creatures”. The character in this poem feels victimized by the structure of slavery in her society and has been left to believe that her soul is unworthy of feeling joy. Furthermore, in her despair, she feels that god regrets creating her race and has turned his back hoping that they: “Might be trodden again to clay.” She questions god’s motives further by comparing her to other dark elements in nature: “And yet He has made dark things to be glad and merry as light.” The character feels that she has been denied the right to express her joy for all things beautiful in the world because of the miserable hardships she is forced to endure. However, she comes to realize that she is capable of feeling happiness inside her heart when she falls in love with a desirable man. This realization of being in love restores her faith in god because she discovers the gift of happiness that is forever bound in her memory and heart: “I sang his name instead of a song; over and over I sang his name.” By acknowledging this power to feel joy the character reveals her unique form of strength and independence. In a tragic turn of events however her lover is killed during their attempt to run away together. The character reveals a twist of emotions in the verse: “We had no claim to love and bliss: What marvel, if each turned to lack?” She announces her guilt, and contemplates the idea that maybe her love would still be alive if they had decided to deny their feelings.
Our character goes on to describe the presence of her baby, unwanted for what the colour of his skin represents to her: “But I dare not sing to the white-faced child the only song I knew.” The only song she knew was the song of love and this baby was not created from love but instead from hate. The character refuses to accept the probable notion that her baby would grow up with the desire to carry out his: “master right,” so in a calmly narrated turn of events, the character describes how she took the life of her white child.
Elizabeth illustrated the character’s strong faith in god, her independence, and remarkable courage through the belief that by murdering her baby their souls would remain pure and reunite in heaven. “ In the name of the white child, waiting for me in the death-dark where we may kiss and agree, White men I leave you all curse-free In my broken heart’s disdain.” Ultimately her feeling of spiritual superiority prevails as she watches and waits for the hopeless souls on earth, who enforce the laws of slavery, to soon meet their destiny.


ReferencesBarrett Browning, Elizabeth. The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point. 1849

A shattered soul

- Kloe’ Williams

A person’s position in the society of England was very much pre-determined before birth. There was little movement on the class ladder during the 1800’s. “The Runaway slave at Pilgrim’s point” paints a picture in the reader’s head of the different positions and roles that were implemented depending on one’s race, gender, and class status. Elizabeth Barrett Browning tells the story of a slave woman running away to escape persecution for killing her white child. This derived from her getting raped by the white men, which happened after she tried to have a relationship with another slave.

The poem begins with the slave woman bending down on her knee in the dark, and looking out at the sea, where the pilgrim’s once were. The slave feels like she is in the same boat as the pilgrims who fled the volatile political environment in England for calmer Holland, and eventually settling in North America. The pilgrims, the slave woman, and her white child are all running from the austere hands of those few white males that held the power.

I think this poem raises the question of who was in charge. Who was more involved in the lives of the people? Was it God, or the upper-class white males? For example the slave cries out in agony at not being able to be with her lover, and the fact that her pain goes largely unnoticed. “Yes, two, O God, who cried to Thee, though nothing didst Thou say. Coldly thou sat’st behind the sun!” (VIII, Browning) This poem was written when people were starting to question their faith and the bible as a literal interpretation. There was no longer an ideal of the world conforming to God’s wishes. Passage XXI, and XXII bring this idea to life when the slave woman is killing her child because she feels it is what is best, “to save it from my curse.” She felt that the child would live a life of misery, as she had lived, and only after death could the child be free. (XXI) The child is moaning and trembling and then was “. . . too suddenly still and mute [and she instantly] “felt . . . a stiffening cold.” (XXII) She hates what she felt she had to do. It happened too soon and too suddenly. I do not think she could really comprehend what she had done. There is apparent pain and suffering in this poem, and God is absent or not involved in the human affairs.

The final passage of the poem really brought it together as a whole for me. “White men, I leave you all curse-free in my broken heart’s disdain!” (XXXVI) The men that killed her are not even worthy of her recognition. She feels like they are too beneath her to even be worth her curse. The white men can make her suffer, but they can not take away her pride and dignity. “You think I shrieked then? Not a sound. I hung as a gourd hangs in the sun.” (XXXIII) The reader hears acceptance and relief in the tone of the woman’s voice at this point in the poem. Now that she is dead she can be reconciled with her dead child, and as a result her life’s worries cease in importance.

I found it interesting that the poem was written from the point of view of a runaway slave telling her story, and that Elizabeth Barrett Browning the poet came from a wealthy family whose fortune came from owning a slave plantation in Jamaica. Certain images from the poem stuck out at me, such as the little huts where the slaves lived, the mango trees, the bowl the slave woman’s lover makes for her, and the “. . . sunny ground between the canes.” (XI) I almost felt like I was in Jamaica, or some similar tropical environment. Browning the poet, and the runaway slave she writes about, are not that different. Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning married secretly in London and eloped in Italy because they had to hide from her father who forbade his children to marry. Similarly the slave woman runs away to avoid persecution, after her feelings for another slave were found out. Both the poet and the narrator in the poem are women, and women held no power in society. This poem brings to light some very important issues of gender and race inequality, which was the cause of much suffering, and was rarely discussed, in England.



Works Cited

“A Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point” Resources for students http://www.practa.com/
http://www.Shlensky.com/assigned_readings/E.B.Browning-
“A Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point”. pdf
Browning, Elizabeth Barrett. “A Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point.” The Longman Anthology British Literature Volume 2B.Ed. David Damrosh USA: Pearson Education, Inc, 2006. 1196-1198

Deception

Nancy Chang
Eng 200C
Dr. Shlensky
Sept 24, 2006


“Porphyria’s Lover”, Browning

“Porphyria’s Lover,” written by Robert Browning in 1835, is a rather perplexing piece of work, which raises controversies among its readers. Due to the speaker’s inner conflict and struggle to confess the fallacy he administers, also makes it a prolonging poem to read and induces the readers to ponder whose side we should take - Porphyria or the lover?

As mentioned in the introduction of Robert Browning (p. 1410), he attempts to make his readers sympathize with the speakers, even if the speaker is disputable and untrustworthy. The speaker presents and tells the story in an artistic way, smoothing out the outrageous acts he does to one who he thinks to “worship” him. While Porphyria’s Lover kills her without warning, the readers tend to hear his side of the story, not taking into account for a moment that he is the guilty one.

Lines 1 to 4 sets up for the mood the readers are about to encounter. “The sullen wind/tore the elm-tops” creates a gloomy atmosphere and worse yet, it “[vexes] the lake”, seeming to introduce the readers to an ominous story. The unsettling beginning is then warmed up as Porphyria shuts the door and lights up the fireplace. As soon as she takes care of the surroundings, she tends to her lover. Not caring for her wet appearance, she immediately disposes her “dripping cloak and shawl” (11), and begins to seduce her lover; she sits by him, touches him, and whispers lovingly to him. The passage from lines 6 through 25, readers clearly see the intense display of the passion Porphyria has for her lover.

The second half of the poem, “a sudden thought of one so pale” (28) foreshadows the upcoming event that Porphyria’s blushed cheeks will soon fade as she breathes her last breath. As “passion sometimes [prevails]” (26), the speaker holds an obsession over Porphyria and believes it is a wish to have possession of her forever. He loves her; he wants to preserve her youthfulness and beauty. His following debate with himself gives readers a sense of unrest. Sure enough, his final decision to strangle her with her own yellow hair (39-41) seems like the perfect way to retain her “perfectly pure and good” (37) nature. As if doing her a favour, the speaker is proud, if not obsessed with the deed he has done.

Throughout the poem, readers only hear the speaker’s voice and thoughts, while Porphyria has no voice in this. All her reactions and feelings are told by the speaker himself; this prevents readers to further analyse the relationship between the lovers. Even after the murder act, the speaker reassures himself with satisfaction, and admires her “smiling rosy little head” (52). Should we empathise or sympathise the speaker? Or maybe this is what Porphyria wanted too. The speaker seeks for justification in his actions, and since “God has not said a word” (60), Porphyria’s Lover ends on a disturbing closure.

Foreshadowing in Porphyria's Lover

Courtney Blatchford September 24, 2006
Porphyria’s Lover

Regarding the first twenty-five lines of the poem, “Porphyria’s Lover”, Robert Browning subtly hints to the darker nature of the second half of the poem through such devices as pathetic fallacy and through the use of descriptive language.

The poem begins with the narrator describing the storm that is currently outside his house. Here, Browning uses pathetic fallacy to insert the narrator’s own feelings at the moment into the inanimate object that is the storm. Browning through the narrator describes how violent the storm is being and how “It tore the elm-trees down for spite,/ And did its worst to vex the lake:” (ll. 3 – 4). In this instance, Browning is showing that the narrator is feeling very angry about something, and wants very much to express that anger, but for some reason, he cannot. The next line states: “I listened with heart fit to break.” (l. 5), this suggests that the narrator’s cause of anger has something to do with a recent heart ache, or a problem that has occurred with his lady love. In just the first five lines of the poem, Browning is already suggesting the darker nature that his narrative is about to take.

When Porphyria is introduced in the next half of the poem, Browning is able to both reveal the cause for the narrator’s anger, and also still manage to hint at the events that will take place only too shortly. Porphyria enters into the narrator’s cottage after leaving a dinner party (Browning insinuates this in l. 27), and immediately, she goes and makes a fire in the grate, in order to warm up the cold cottage, before going and attending to her own needs. The narrator then describes how after taking off her own wet cloak and shawl, she then proceeds to pay much attention to him: embracing him, and telling the narrator of her love for him. In this case, Browning cleverly compares Porphyria’s treatment of the cottage to the treatment that she bestows upon her lover. As was mentioned before, the first act that Porphyria does upon entering her lover’s cottage is to go and prepare a fire: “. . . straight/ She shut the cold out and the storm,/ And kneeled and made the cheerless grate/ Blaze up, and all the cottage warm;” (ll. 6 – 9), it is after doing this that she then begins to attempt to embrace the narrator. The narrator describes how Porphyria “. . . sat down by my side/ And called me. When no voice replied,/ She put my arm about her waist,” (ll. 14 – 16). This description of her actions and the narrator’s own actions, is Browning’s way of foreshadowing the future events. Not realizing just how angry her lover is, Porphyria attempts to warm him up, much like how she managed to shut out the cold of the cottage. However, it appears that this is failing, as the narrator makes no response to her, so that she is forced to draw a response out of him by placing his arm around her waist.

It is only after receiving no response from her lover that she begins to tell the narrator of her great love for him, and it is at this moment, that Browning finally reveals the cause of the narrator’s anger towards his lover. The narrator states: “Murmuring how she loved me – she/ Too weak, for all her heart’s endeavor,/ To set its struggling passion free/ From pride, and vainer ties dissever,/ And giver herself to me for ever.” (ll. 21 – 25). At last Browning has revealed to the reader the cause for the narrator’s anger; the fact that she refuses to marry him because he is of a lower class than herself.

Thus, through the subtle use of foreshadowing Browning is able to suggest that more sinister events are to follow in this seemingly innocent love poem.

Close reading #1 by Sam Jaworski

The Victorian Concept of Women in D.G. Rossetti’s Jenny
By Sam Jaworski

In D.G. Rossetti’s poem Jenny, the Victorian conception of female weakness and impurity is exemplified in

the narrator’s speech to the sleeping Jenny. Mainstream Victorian thought was that women needed a male

presence to guide them through life and ensure that they stay free of moral corruption, be that promiscuity or

general impurity of the soul. The Victorians therefore placed men above women both morally and intellectually.

Men were believed to have strong principles, whereas women were considered weak.

The first indication of the superiority the narrator feels he has over Jenny is that Jenny’s sleeping head lay on

his knee. Because of this the narrator is physically above Jenny, implying that he is also intellectually above her.

The narrator is able to look down upon Jenny from above, whereas, were she awake, she would only be able to

look up to him (in reverence, the narrator would prefer) from that position. Jenny’s weakness is also described

in the line “Poor little Jenny, good to kiss” (299). Here the narrator demeans Jenny as if she is a child, yet he still

loves her, as he will still kiss her. This apparent dichotomy in the narrator’s opinion of Jenny was not uncommon

for the age. It was considered a fact of life that women possessed weaker foundations then men, and love

between a man and woman could exist in spite of this. Nonetheless, there would have been a different dynamic

to the relationship than exists today with such roles engrained into society. The female inability to see the world

through a rational, intelligent perspective is further advanced when the narrator contemplates “If but a woman’s

heart might see / Such erring heart unerringly / For once! But that can never be” (250-253).

Even though the narrator speaks of Jenny lovingly, he appears to be ashamed of her, as if she were impure.

Indeed, it did not take much provocation for a woman to gain a bad reputation. Being known for promiscuity

was to be feared on a much greater level in Victorian society than contemporary. An example of this sentiment is

when the narrator suggests that many London children have seen her lifted skirt. The narrator is very harsh and

appears to have a vendetta against his love, which could be either a cause or result of Jenny’s apparent impurity.

He states that his cousin Nell is the girl he is proudest of, and says that when he looks at Jenny, “The woman

almost fades from view” (277).

As is the case with Porphyria in Robert Browning’s Porphyria’s Lover, Jenny remains silent for the entire

poem, with every notion or idea being put forth by the narrator. In Victorian society, women were not as widely

published (some, like George Elliot, going so far as using a male alias to gain recognition), nor were their ideas as

respected as men’s. Just as in Browning’s poem, whether or not Jenny is actually impure and worth being

ashamed of is a mystery; the reader is only allowed to hear what the man has to say about her.

Character Comparison: The Speaker and Jenny
By: Dave Hudak

Rossetti’s poem Jenny is an internal monologue that is being presented by the speaker. The speaker and Jenny play the roles of the main characters throughout the poem. However, within the poem Jenny does not say a word. So all thoughts produced and presented are that of the speaker’s. As the reader, one is only given a limited viewpoint into the situation that occurred during the couple’s encounter. This limited viewpoint fills the reader with an abundance of questions that could be directed towards Jenny. However, using a limited viewpoint of just the speaker’s, a comparison of Jenny and the speaker can be made.
Jenny is portrayed in many facets of light throughout the poem. Beauty is an obvious facet. “Whose eyes are as blue skies, whose hair Is countless gold incomparable” (“Jenny” 10-11). The comparison of eyes to blue skies suggests that there is a beauty enabling one to become lost as blue skies are something totally vast and surreal. Unlimited gold explains the hair; historically society has always deemed gold to represent beauty as it is a lustrous valued element. Jenny’s beauty is also matched with smarts. “This room of yours, my Jenny, looks A change from mine so full of books” (“Jenny” 22-23). The presence of books in Jenny’s room suggests that she has had some formal process of education because the books presence within the room portrays to the reader that Jenny can read. Her ability to read would also imply that her family’s background is that of an upper social standing. An elevated social standing in comparison to that of the speaker’s as the speaker remarks that his room does not contain books. In turn, he is implying that he lacks the ability to read, but the negative facets are just not limited to his realm. Jenny is that of a whore; a paid prostitute. “Some things which are not yet enroll’d In market-lists are bought and sold Even till the early Sunday light, When Saturday night is market night” (“Jenny” 137-140). Jenny is apart of the mentioned market. Her body is put up for sale. The speaker is the consumer. He explicitly states his consumption within the poem, “My last night’s frolic” (“Jenny” 311). Later, he states his method of payment “These golden coins” (“Jenny” 339). It is quite apparent that one character acts as the product while the other is indeed the consumer, combined they fuel the market of prostitution.
Amidst the poem, the speaker struggles with how negative the act of prostitution is for Jenny. Internally, his mind is mixed with two processes. The first is that of shaming her. The second is that of a sensation, to tell her about these shaming thoughts. If he told her these thoughts she may be influenced away from prostitution. “Why, Jenny, waking here alone May help you to remember one, though all the memory’s long outworn Of many a double-pillowed morn” (“Jenny” 369-372). The speaker contemplates leaving. His absence could act as the trigger to push Jenny away from prostitution. The speaker feels the shame amongst him and now knows that he no longer wants to be apart of this game, now will Jenny’s feelings conclude to be the same?
Overall, both characters saw themselves as benefiting from the acts of prostitution. The speaker sought after prostitution as a way to fulfill his sexual desire. Jenny saw prostitution as a quick way to seek rewards. “Lazy laughing languid Jenny, Fond of a kiss and fond of a guinea,” (“Jenny” 3-4). Making money to kiss, laugh and lie around; to easy thought Jenny. In closing, two characters became fueled by their own wants, needs and desires.

Purity of Love and Death

Scott Hanley
In the 1836 poem, “Porphyria’s Lover,” by Robert Browning, a connection is drawn upon between the nature of love and death. In the poem the speaker decides to murder his love because that is the only way to preserve her in her moment of purity. “That moment she was mine, mine, fair, Perfectly pure and good:” 36-37. The speaker decides that because of his lovers actions; traveling through storm, building a fire to keep the cottage warm and bearing a shoulder for him to rest upon, “Porphyria worshipped [him];” 33. In order to preserve this moment in which Porphyria loved the speaker entirely, she is murdered in an attempt to conserve her as she was for all eternity. A relation is made between love and death here and is seen to be acceptable as the last line in the poem indicates, “And yet God has not said a word!” 60. The murder takes place halfway through the poem with the latter half portraying the speaker and his dead lover sitting together. A link can be concluded from this poem; to capture a person in his or her purity, one must die in that state to be forever imprisoned as so.

In contrast to this notion of death preserving ones emotions in time, the revised 1842 poem, “The Lady of Shalott,” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson portrays a women jailed in life who finds a liberty shortly before the inevitable curse of death. Love caused both women to meet their certain deaths and both experienced a kind of purity through out their lives; purity was accomplished after death in Porphyria’s lover’s case and before death in the Lady of Shalott’s case. In her tower, the Lady of Shalott felt entangled in her own weaving. She is advised to stay, “She has heard a whisper say, A curse is on her if she stay….She knows not what that the curse may be, And so she weaveth steadily, And little other care hath she,” 39-44 One could argue that the Lady of Shalott is in her purest nature through out the first half of the poem because she has been locked in a tower away from the impuritys and adulterations of society. While the Lady of Shalott felt unsatisfied in her pure form, being stuck in her fortress of solitude, “I am half sick of shadows,” 71, Porphyria’s lover would also no doubt have felt unsatisfied in her purest form because she was murdered and therefore not alive.

When the curse of death fell upon the Lady of Shalott, Lancelot was quoted, “She has a lovely face; God in his mercy lend her grace, The Lady of Shalott.” 169-171 At the end of both poems there is reference to God which the reader can interpret as a statement of the condition of death when love is involved. Both characters in the poems meet there end because of love. The women in Porphyria’s lover is murdered by her lover whom she clearly loves back, and the Lady of Shalott leaves the tower knowing fully she will die, but her love for Lancelot is too strong. The connection of love and death is made in both poems and, with the mention of God, it is seen to be acceptable. Acceptable in the sense that God does not do anything to demonstrate his detest with the murder in Porphyria’s lover, and the Lady of Shalott is finally seen by Lancelot and he asks God to take care of her soul.

Both poems deal with love and death and a form of purity that arises from different cases in each epic. Porphyria’s lover is in her purest nature when she is dead and the Lady of Shalott is in her purest nature when she is alive and stuck in her tower.

Contradictions

Lines 30-42 of “Porphyria’s Lover” are very surprising and disturbing. The event described is not predictable given the tone of the rest of the poem. The speaker’s actions seem to contradict his feelings. The omission of the other character’s feelings gives the reader the impression that the speaker has a distorted view of what the other person is thinking or feeling. The contradiction ties in the opening scene of the poem. Lines 30-42 depict a very important event in the poem, and change the reader’s perception of the speaker.
Porphyria’s lover expresses how much he loves her, and how he kills her in lines 34-41. He discusses how he saw how much she loved him and how that “made” his “heart swell and still it grew.” He was happy that she loved him and described her as “mine, mine, fair, / Perfectly good and pure.” Although this description of Porphyria does not sound realistic, it does sound positive. A person can not be pure, unless one is describing the subject to be a virgin or innocent, and that would not make a person good. The speaker continues to say that he wound her hair around her neck “Three times her little throat around, / And strangled her.” The previous lines do not give the reader the sense that the speaker wanted to kill Porphyria. He even says that once he found out that she loved him so much he “debated what to do” and then he “found/A thing to do,” the thing being to strangle her. The action seemed to be a contradiction of his feelings. He felt love for her, to the extent that his “heart swelled,” but he killed her.
The contradiction the speaker expresses when shifting from loving Porphyria to killing her helps to tie in with another contradiction at the beginning of the poem. The speaker describes a storm, and in the first two lines it sounds like a relatively normal scene; “The rain set early in to-night, / The sullen wind was soon awake.” The next two lines personify the storm to make it sound malicious; “It tore the elm-tops down for spite, / And did its worst to vex the lake.” Porphyria herself is sort of a contradiction, for she comes in from the storm, with “damp hair” and “soiled gloves” yet she “shut out the cold and the storm.” Contradictions are an important aspect of this poem.
Porphyria’s thoughts and feelings are omitted from the text. The speaker says that he saw how she was “happy and proud” through her eyes. Yet still, he had no other affirmation of that feeling. After he strangles Porphyria, he describes how “no paint felt she;/ I am quite sure she felt no pain.” The fact that he has no idea how she felt gives the impression that she either did not struggle, which is awfully unlikely, or that the speaker was not paying attention to her. Porphyria is not given any dialogue during the poem, and her feelings are not expressed by the narrator, which gives the impression that neither the reader, nor the speaker can know what she is thinking.

Judgment Through Rhetoric

Fabienne Calvert Filteau (0323778)
ENGL 200C F01
Dr. Shlensky
September 25, 2006


Through his tactful rhetoric, Robert Browning has a startling ability to evoke empathy for characters of questionable integrity and intent. “Porphyria’s Lover” is a dramatic monologue, written in verse, which reads as a convincing confessional. It is the account of one impassioned man’s reasoning for strangling his lover. Browning’s structure and delivery of the piece causes the reader to consider, and possibly accept, a man’s rationalization for murder.

The stage is set with a Victorian ‘dark and stormy night’ sort of introduction. A lovesick man sits alone in a cold, damp cottage while a wicked wind rips at the trees and stirs up the lake. Browning’s use of pathetic fallacy – a classic dramatic technique – suggests that some unsettling event will unravel on this night.
When Porphyria first appears, it is with a radiant presence which shifts the mood of the poem. Browning uses verbs with softer consonant sounds, such as “glided” and “rose” when describing Porphyria’s movements (1411). The setting changes from one where “a sullen wind…tore the elm-tops down for spite” to an inviting home where Porphyria “kneeled and made the cheerless grate/ Blaze up, and all the cottage warm…” (1411). Browning lures the reader with his tone, moving from the cold, clipped words used to describe the storm and the narrator’s solitude, to rounder, multi-syllabic language which entices one to slow down and linger inside awhile with these lovers.
Porphyria’s lover goes on to convey a scene in which he is comforted by his woman. It is an intimate scene. As the narrator is seduced by his lover’s soothing embrace, the reader is further seduced by the narrator’s apparent love for Porphyria. This is a man who holds his lover in an angelic light. His needy love borders on obsession. Browning conveys this worship through physical description and subtle detail. Porphyria has long “yellow hair” and “a smooth white shoulder”, the latter of which she exposes for her lover (1412). Put simply, she is acts as brightness in this man’s dark world. She calls her lover to her side and positions him as she sees fit. She is in control, and he is at her mercy. From this position, Porphyria, clearly aware of her power, goes on to gently break the news to her lover that although she loves him she cannot leave her other life to be with him forever. She does this in a self-deprecating way, speaking of her weakness, pride, and vanity, making it seem as if she doesn’t have the strength to leave her wealthier lifestyle for a deeper love.
The poem hinges on the following line, and the word “passion” (1412). Browning writes, “But sometimes passion would prevail…” (1412). At this point in the poem, the narrator, portrayed as a weak and needy man, feels empowered by his lover’s confession. He reaches the sudden realization that he can murder Porphyria, thus immortalizing her as his eternal love. This line is the moment in which the narrator’s downfall begins. He spends the remainder of the poem describing his act of murder, fuelled by passion.

Browning evokes empathy in the reader by creating a character who alleges to be driven by love. The murder was not cold and premeditated; it was the impulsive act of a struggling, passionate man, trying to grant his lover’s wish. Or so he claims. With the last line, “And God has not yet said a word!”, it becomes clear that the narrator has been up all night, waiting for God to pass judgment on his actions. With this, it also becomes clear that Browning is inviting – perhaps challenging – the reader to do the same.
Word Count: 598
Works Cited
Browning, Robert. "Porphyria's Lover" The Longman Anthology of British Literature Third Edition. Damrosh, D. et al, eds. Pearson Education, Inc.: USA, 2006. 1411-1413.

Injustice and Inequality

Injustice and Inequality

The theme of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem ‘The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim Point’ is centered on the horrendous injustice of slavery or rather inequality. Browning very clearly illustrates this theme by telling the story through the perspective of a black slave woman, who due to simply being black is robbed of not only her freedom and dignity, but also of her humanity. The phrase “I am black, I am black;”(Browning, 22) is frequently used during the course of this poem as a precursor to whenever something bad is about to happen to the slave woman, it’s a line which seems to express the injustice and frustration of someone whose life is ruined by that one fact, it’s also a sad reflection of her mood. Moreover this the poem goes on to debate the validity of slavery by elaborating on the shared experiences of blacks and whites in an effort to showcase their equality as human beings. The line “And still God's sunshine and His frost, They make us hot, they make us cold, As if we were not black and lost:”(50-53) refers to how blacks feel hot and cold just like any white man, and this furthers the belief of their equality. This view is further shown in the line “And the beasts and birds, in wood and wold, Do fear and take us for very men.”(54-57).

After this revelation the poem delves further into the cruelty of slavery but at the same time explores the power of love. For in the poem the black slave woman falls in love with a male slave. The love which is reciprocated from her fellow slave reinvigorates her and allows her to carry on in spite of the horrible hardships she is forced to endure as a slave. Unfortunately the slave woman’s happiness is short lived, and just after the line “We were black, we were black, we had no claim to love and bliss :”(92) her lover is killed by the white masters and her blissful reprieve is ended. Further compounding her suffering the slave woman is raped by presumably the very same men who put to death her lover, and as a result she ends up with a white child.

It’s at this point where the poem takes its most disturbing turn. The slave-woman is unable to bare the pain of seeing the horrors of the white man in the face of her beloved child and as a result she smothers it with a kerchief and kills it. This is the most tragic part of the poem as the very thing she loves the most she is forced to kill out of even stronger hate. Yet she doesn’t kill the baby completely out of spite because she also realizes that she and the child would be ostracized by society, which is suggested by the line “A child and mother, do wrong to look at one another, when one is black and one is fair.”(140) Thus killing the baby can be seen as an act of compassion as well as hate.

Finally the poem ends with the slave women contemplating the designs and potential fate of the white people who have caused her so much pain. She speaks of the wounds of blacks and whites and says “Our wounds are different, Your white men, Are, after all, not gods indeed, Nor able to make Christ’s again”(238-240). This suggests a moral injury to the white men who have performed such horrendous acts by enslaving blacks for their own gain. Lastly the reference to Christ seems to mean that they will not be forgiven, as Christ will not come and die again to redeem them. The religious imagery used frequently in the final stanzas of the poem hints at the theme of inequality expressed throughout the poem, in that death all will be even, the slave women even makes a mention that when she reunites with her son in death their “where our kisses agree”(250) which hints at the fact she believes all racial divides that precipitate the inequalities will be abolished in death.

Indignant Abstinence

Corey Frishling

Student #0624003

Dr. Lincoln Shlensky

English 200C

September 25, 2006

Indignant Abstinence: The Narrator’s Role in “Jenny”

Within any society, social prejudices are almost always present, often thrusting the dignity and stature of its members into peril. The narrator of Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s “Jenny,” is – while a respectable member of Victorian society – a man lacking true substance; while he possesses aspiration Though presented as a foil of the narrator, Jenny herself represents a member of a neglected and misunderstood group who, in reality, shares many of his beliefs. Despite the narrator’s views of Jenny, it is apparent that her character is ambiguous of his social philosophy.

As a self-appointed intellectual, the poem’s narrator takes the liberty of speculating on the emotions of a woman with whom he should be concerned on a purely physical level. A Victorian ethos is present from the poem’s commencement, the narrator noting that Jenny’s room “…looks/A change from [his] so full of books,” (22-23) lessening her value in his mind. It must, however, be questioned as to why a man of such poise is unable to resist the sexual temptations of the city if so adamantly engulfed in academic study and progress. At heart, he appears to envy Jenny and her ability to defy the morals of society – those that restrain him from true freedom – aspiring towards the Sisyphean ideal that he too could live a life of autonomy. “Where envy’s voice at virtue’s pitch/Mocks [Jenny,]” (71-72) she accepts it as a way of life and continues onwards; it is nearly impossible for the narrator to fathom how she can tolerate such disgrace, further widening the social gap between the two of them.

Due to his seemingly diverse academic background, the narrator conveys logos in a very analytical fashion. It is apparent throughout his speculations that he is a dualist, distinguishing mind and body as two separate entities. While all principles of Jenny’s mind are concealed in her slumber, she is still presented to him physically. He grows somewhat impatient waiting for the sexual satisfaction for which he is present, but does not take any physical action. Jenny to the narrator is “[l]ike a rose shut in a book[;]” (253) she will never be able to further herself intellectually as the narrator hopes her to, but the he will never be able to experience her promiscuity. He thinks that “…were the truth confess’d,/[she’s] thankful for a little rest,” (67-68) but her pursuits to this point have afforded her a comfortable life based on her circumstances, suggesting that he merely yearns for the self-satisfaction attained through helping another.

Beyond the narrator’s character and thought, what proves to be essential in the poem is the notion of pathos. He develops a genuine emotional connection with someone practicing a career upon which he has been taught to disapprove, showing that human sentiment is more powerful than social restrictions. Rossetti utilizes a number of metaphors to support the narrator’s emotional outreaches – books of knowledge, clouds of occupancy, lilies of soul, streets of loneliness, clay of creation, vessels of love, and paintings of beauty – each of these relevant to Jenny and her abstract lifestyle. While there are often negative assumptions about her being made, he exhibits – albeit possibly unknowingly – care for her that she has been stripped of by the rest of Victorian society. This compassion is far from faultless, but it serves as an essential possession that Jenny would have lacked entirely at this time.

Unfortunately, one’s ability to become well acquainted with another person is diminished greatly when few bonds are shared between them. As “Jenny” is written entirely through the eyes of the narrator, it is difficult to grasp her true character, but with detailed analysis, implications are present that suggest she differs considerably from how she is portrayed. While the future of both characters can be viewed as bleak, the time that they share together is likely to benefit them both. For, despite the views of other members of Victorian society, the compassion of one person is enough to sustain oneself through even the toughest of times. And upon the poem’s completion, it can be undeniably concluded that this is something both characters now possess.

Works Cited
Rossetti, Dante Gabriel. “Jenny.” Practa. September 23, 2006.

This is the final copy of my essay. I just did a little bit of tweaking. in my works cited i couldn't put the website in <> because it wouldn't let me post. something to do with the html

Beyond Boundaries

Obsession – the state of having one’s mind filled of something/someone continually, intrusively, and to a troubling extent (“Obsession”). In Browning’s Porphyria’s Lover, a state of obsession is reached for Porphyria by her lover. In the beginning, he is describing a storm, blending his own torrential emotions with his description. He describes the wind as being “sullen” (“2”), reflecting his own sulkiness of having to wait for Porphyria; he wants to see her sooner. This “sullen” wind is trying to “vex the lake” (“4”); he is getting slightly irritated with himself at being so impatient. This conflict of emotions is a small indicator of his obsession with Porphyria because he contradicting his emotions in his impatience of waiting for her.

Porphyria finally “glide[s] in” (“6”) and makes a fire. Her lover arrived first, yet he did not bother making a fire. It is possible that his mind was so caught up with Porphyria that he neglected to make a fire, despite the storm raging outside. He then watches her undress, not obsessive behaviour among lovers, but when she calls to him “no voice replie[s]” (“15”). In the poem, he appears transfixed by her, unable to move. She moves his arm around her, “murmur[s] how she love[s] [him]” (“21”) and still he says nothing. He wants her to “give herself to [him] forever” (“25”) but he does not say anything. He does not want to scare her away by letting her know how much he loves her and how he wants to be with her forever because he knows that she is not willing to sacrifice her lifestyle for him. The mood of the poem takes a turn to the negative when she looks at him and it appears to him that “Porphyria worship[s] [him]” (“33”). As the entire poem is from the perspective of the obsessed lover, the reader does not actually know if she is that much in love with him or not. If Porphyria really “worshipped” him, wouldn’t she sacrifice her lifestyle to be with him? His obsession is clouding his judgment.

Porphyria’s lover starts becoming creepily obsessive in line 36; “That moment she was mine, mine”. The repetition of the possessive pronoun highlights his obsession. He is at the point of no return. He cannot see life without her, he wants to preserve this perfect moment and keep her with him forever. The only solution that comes to his mind is murder. He does not murder her with a foreign object, or even with his bare hands. He winds her own hair around her throat; “All her hair/In one long yellow string I wound/Three times her little throat around” (“38-40”). To emphasize the point about his creepy obsession, he opens her eyes with her hair still wound around her neck. He describes her eyes as laughing and claims that she “blushed bright beneath [his] burning kiss” (“48”), giving her living attributes after she has died. His obsession has blinded him from the consequences of his actions. It is like he has reached a point of euphoria in his obsession and believes that what he has done is morally right because, in his mind, “God has not said a word” (“60”).

Porphyria’s lover is satisfied with being with a corpse; “And thus we sit together now,/And all night long we have not stirred” (“57-58”). He wishes to be with her always. It does not matter whether she is alive or dead, just that they are with each other. His obsession with her drove him to commit a foul sin in order for them to be together forever.

Works Cited

Browning, Robert. “Porphyria’s Lover.” The Longman Anthology of British Literature Volume 2B: The Victorian Age. Eds. Heather Henderson & William Sharpe. 3rd ed. New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2006. 1411-1413.

“Obsession”. In “Oxford Reference Online Premium”.

http://www.oxfordreference.com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/views/

SEARCH_RESULTS.html?y=9&q=obsession&x=8&ssid=1144604913&time=0. 93944130221384. 2006.

Madly in Love: A Close Reading of "Porphyria's Lover"

“Porphyria’s Lover”, by Robert Browning, is a poem about a young woman from a higher social class than that of her lover, who suffers the ultimate consequence of their forbidden pleasure. Within the poem, many devices are used in order to convey a deeper meaning about the ideas put forth by Browning. By examining patterns the meaning of this piece becomes clear to the reader and one is able to appreciate it on a higher level. With themes of love, sex, violence, innocence, social status, and insanity one can begin to understand how complex “Porphyria’s Lover” really is. By taking a closer look at lines 36 to 60 the meaning of the poem as a whole will be better understood and interpreted.
The beginning of this section unravels the insane thoughts and behaviors of Porphyria’s lover. Throughout the piece there is an ABABB rhyme scheme which mimics natural speech; however this consistent pattern is also reminiscent of insanity. The male character narrates the piece, and speaks not only on his behalf but on Porphyria’s as well. The young woman tells her lover that she “worships” him and he believes that she now belongs to him: “That moment she was mine, mine” (36). By repeating the word “mine” twice, an image of a greedy and somewhat unstable character begins to take shape. The “mmm” sound is used three times in line 36, which is quite sexual and makes Porphyria seem desirable.
There is an undertone of opposition between abiding to the morals that society values and giving in to their deeper desires. The lover feels a need to ensure her decision of rejecting the standards of society will remain and he also feels a need to maintain Porphyria’s “[p]erfectly pure and good” image (37). The repetition of the “p” sound is peaceful and innocent, like Porphyria, and at the same time, given the state of her lover, one can associate this sound with the whispers of a person who is mentally unstable. He will accomplish his task by strangling her with her own hair, thus preserving her in her “pure” form forever. By repeating the action three times a rhythm of the man’s insanity is once again displayed.
Once she is dead he reassures himself by stating, “[n]o pain felt she; / I am quite sure she felt no pain” (41-42). He then proceeds to interact with Porphyria’s dead body by opening her eyes, untightening her hair, and propping her head against his shoulder, which creates a very disturbing scene in the reader’s head and thus confirms the lover’s insane state. He truly believes he’s carried out the wishes of his deceased lover by saying, “[t]he smiling rosy little head, / [s]o glad it has its utmost will” (52-53). The murderer or perhaps hero, in his own mind, proceeds to sit with the corpse all night and believes God has not punished him. He may perceive this lack of punishment is on account of his carrying out a good deed. In his mind he believes he has preserved a pure and innocent being and has delivered her to God, and that this is in fact, what Porphyria wanted. One can’t help but wonder if he knows deep down inside that what he did was wrong, and is perhaps waiting for God to respond to this horrific event.
Browning’s poem “Porphyria’s Lover” examines a relationship which goes beyond the social boundaries of the time and ends with the death of a young lady. The poem leaves the reader asking themselves whether the man killed Porphyria out of love, or fear.

Jenny's Role

Elissa Finlayson
English 200C
Dr. Leonard Shlensky
September 25 2006

In Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s poem “Jenny” the speaker has come to the rooms of the prostitute Jenny as a potential customer. Instead he spends the night with Jenny sleeping at his knee and finds himself confronted with the possibility that she is more than the role that she plays.

The speaker struggles throughout the poem between condescending pity towards Jenny and an attraction and sympathy for her as demonstrated by his alternation of addressing her in terms of being unfortunate, such as “poor Jenny”(Rossetti 172), and in affectionate, possessive terms, such as “my Jenny”(22). He acknowledges that he ought to feel guilty for the way he feels towards her and repeatedly tries to turn his thoughts away from his ponderings but he says that he is “ashamed of [his] own shame”(381) implying that he desires to be above what is expected.

There is a confusion throughout the poem between Jenny’s role as a whore and who she is as a person. This perplexity is demonstrated in a line where the speaker describes Jenny as “shameful”(18) but also as “full of grace”(18) a phrase commonly associated with the Virgin Mary. Perhaps the speaker is forced to look at Jenny in a different light due to the unconventional behavior Jenny displays to her customer. Asleep at his knee (symbolic of innocence and passivity, both admirable, womanly virtues to the Victorian mind) she becomes not Jenny the prostitute, but Jenny the woman. The speaker recoils at the realization that she is fundamentally no different from any other woman and says that it is “enough to throw one’s thoughts in heaps/ of doubt and horror”(188-189). He finds himself comparing Jenny to his cousin, Nell, one “so pure”(217) the other “so fallen”(217), to “two sister vessels”(185) molded “of the same lump”(182) of clay.

He ponders her state in society as a fallen woman and the loneliness and shame that accompanies that state. Everyone, even children, know “her look”(158) and have seen her “lifted silken skirt/ Advertise dainties through the dirt”(146-147). He alludes to her impurity when he asks “what, Jenny, are your lilies dead?”(111) and again when he compares her to a dead rose shut within a book “in which pure women may not look”(254). Her impurity objectifies her in the Victorian mind, especially in the eyes of her customers “Who, having used you at [their] will/ Thrust you aside”(186-187). As one rejects food once satisfaction is obtained so do men discard Jenny once she has served her purpose. He knows that she is objectified by men, but does he recognize that he is complicitous in this attitude? He has come with the purpose of using her; it is merely circumstantial that consummation of his intentions has not taken place. If he does realize his guilt he seems to regret it as he laments Jenny’s fate and declares that man’s actions have doomed her to a “lifelong hell”(245) and asks how can there be expiation for “this which man has done”(243).

Moral Validity in First Person

Jillian N. Hughes
English 200C: Victorian and Edwardian Literature
Dr. Lincoln Shlensky

“Jenny” by Dante Rossetti: Moral Validity in First Person

When uninfluenced by an opinion outside their own, a person invariably tends to separate themselves from guilty action or behaviour by placing their guilt on an entity separate from themselves. In Dante Rossetti’s “Jenny,” by having the speaker in first person point of view, it allows us to see him carefully detach his own actions from the actions that he condemns others for committing, no matter how similar the two are. The speaker creates this separation within his mind by praising Jenny like a love, exhibiting a care for her wellbeing, and speaking in scorn for the behaviour of other men who use her, while behaving in a way which belies these words.

The praise the speaker gives Jenny is subtly falsified by the way he phrases these compliments. This is exhibited when he states that she is “full of grace,” (18) right after describing her as “poor, shameful Jenny” (18). Also, the speaker refers to women who are innocent and naïve, and cannot look upon Jenny’s life without losing their own innocence (256), as though Jenny’s life was something deeply immersed in shame. Yet at the same time the speaker continues on his trend of partial complements when he states that “the [pure] woman almost fades from view” (277) when held in comparison to Jenny, remarking on her dynamic presence in the speaker’s life. This constantly shifting opinion reveals the speaker’s own paradoxical avoidance of his behaviour.

The way the speaker seems to try and care for the welfare of Jenny is ironic as he carries out the actions which he is apparently protecting her from. He remarks almost constantly upon her weariness, and how she seems “too tired to get to bed” (36) and how she is “asleep at last” (171). Yet once more his actions show his words do not speak for his actions, as he demands earlier for “Jenny… [to] sit up” (89) to eat with him. His actions are constantly different from his words, as if his words are only a reassurance of his own morality.

Finally, as if to fully divide himself from “[his] own shame” (381), the speaker comments on other men that Jenny must endure besides himself. He attempts to differentiate between himself and others by imagining that Jenny might be glad that he is “not drunk or ruffianly/ And [he] let [her] rest upon [his] knee” (65-66). However, this play at being her lover rather than a buyer is placed firmly aside when he places “there among [her] golden hair… golden coins” (336-38). The poem ends with the speaker admitting briefly that he has insulted her to better himself, showing that there truly is some conflict between his speech, and his actions.

This first person point of view allows for this conflict of action and thought to be shown, while narrowing the perspective of the reader. It is a deceptive perspective that reveals both the personality and conflicts of a character, while diminishing the views of the other characters. In this particular case, the speaker was quick to set himself apart from a situation he was morally uncomfortable with by creating a scenario which set him in a much more personable light. When his actions could no longer be falsely demurred by his words, the speaker made a brief admittance to his shame. Yet, there was still little actual change in his overall view of the situation, as shown by the almost affectionate farewell. Overall, this perspective shows the contradiction of action and belief that exists within the mind of a person, and exactly how far a person is willing to immerse themselves in the deceptions they create.


Works Cited

Rossetti, Dante Gabriel. “Jenny.” Practa.com. 23 September 2006.

Truly Madly in Love

Cassandra Parker
Student #0523810
Dr. Lincoln Shlensky
September 25, 2006
English 200C

“Porphyria’s Lover”: Truly Madly in Love


The most compelling literature uses complex, intriguing characters that captivate readers, as is the case in Robert Browning’s poem, “Porphyria’s Lover”. The extreme action of murder by the narrator, who is the lover the title refers to, may cause a reader to impulsively form opinions in their analysis of the character. At first one could say that there are two sides to the lover; one that loves her, and one that despises the fact that despite her claims that she wishes to love him for ever, she cannot commit herself to him. In combining evidence of both these aspects of the lover, another possibility arises – could his love for Porphyria simply driven him mad? To the very point he could rationalize murder in his own mind? I would argue that the lover’s oddly rational thought process, distance from society, and unsettling conclusions would confirm the presence of a mentally unsound mind in the lover.

First, his decision to kill Porphyria seems thoughtful and decisive indicated in the moments before he strangles her with her own hair, as he “debated what to do” (35) and soon after “found a thing to do” (37). His eerily calm thought process before he kills her is uncomfortable for the reader; any fond or sympathetic feelings we might have felt prior fall to the back of our minds. A second clue of this mental instability lies in where he resides. The lover lives in a cottage in the woods alone – as described in lines one through nine. This lonesome, isolated environment is an ideal setting for a love stricken man to fall from a blissful state of love into one of unsettling obsession. Not regularly being socialized could easily lead to behavior such as this, which to us seems wrong, but to someone who has rationalized it in their own unsound mind, could seem logical. Finally, the lover goes on to explain how after their sexual encounter he feels that “Porphyria worshipped me” (33), which could be seen as an him concluding an equal obsession with him on her behalf.

I would argue that rather than killing her out of vengeance for her inability to commit herself to him, (he asserts “she too weak, for all her heart’s endeavor, to set its struggling passion free from pride” in lines 21 – 24) and given the evidence presented arguing his mental instability, one could safely assume that the lover felt that the best way to preserve their love forever ,as she so expressed her desire to “give herself to [him] forever” (25), was to freeze their emotions at that moment in time. The moment before killing her he expresses his feeling that she was in that moment she is “fair, perfectly pure and good” (37). After killing her he seems uncomfortably satisfied with himself saying “she guessed not how her darling one wish would be heard”. This eerie moment indicates his odd satisfaction in finding in his mind the perfect way for them to be together for all time.

One might counter this argument by asking what he believed he would do in the future with his deceased love. I would argue that someone who kills their lover to preserve their emotions or a moment in time does not possess the normal thought process to consider actual ramifications of their actions. Another argument might claim that the lover was acting out of anger and rage in the moment her killed her. However the lover’s thoughts are not irrational or out of a moment of passion; they are calculated and thoughtful.

After a close analysis of the lover in “Porphyria’s Lover”, I conclude that the lover’s actions portray a man who is not vengeful or spiteful in his homicidal actions, but rather they are actions of a man who is so overtaken by his love it drives him to insanity.

Imagery and Literary Devices as Textual Signs

Poetry is the "form of imaginative literary expression that makes its effect by the sound and imagery of its language" (Microsoft Bookshelf). Poetry, especially narrative poetry, relies on literary devices to give the reader plot and character development, setting and atmosphere. In his poem "Jenny", Dante Gabriel Rossetti uses poetic language to analyze, and express the speaker’s love for, the different aspects of Jenny’s character. Rossetti explores Jenny’s character through the speaker’s absorption for her. Throughout the poem, the speaker analyzes Jenny’s life, beauty and attitude, illustrating the different aspects of her character to the reader.
Rossetti uses alliteration throughout his poem to create the readers’ image of Jenny’s personality: "lazy laughing languid Jenny" (1) reveals Jenny’s carefree and youthful ways. This is a contrast with the image shown after Jenny falls asleep with her "head upon [his] knee" (19): "For sometimes, were the truth confessed’d / you’re thankful for a little rest / glad from the crush to rest within" (67-69). This illustrates the wear Jenny’s lifestyle has on her, making her seem older and more burdened than was previously expressed.
It is evident that Jenny’s physical beauty was accepted as fact, both by the speaker’s frank words: "fair Jenny" (8); "handsome Jenny" (89); "Fresh Flower" (12), and by her notorious reputation. The attitude Jenny’s peers have towards her is illustrated by the speaker’s expression of their envy: Jenny hears "envy’s voice at virtue’s pitch" (71).
The speaker’s captivation with Jenny is clearly shown in his comparison of her to his academia-obsessed life. We see that the speaker feels trapped and controlled by his education, and yet values it, in the second stanza:
"…mine so full of books,
Whose serried ranks hold fast, forsooth,
So many captive hours of youth,
The hours they thieve from day and night" (22-25).
When he compares Jenny to a book, the reader is shown how deep his fascination with her goes: "
"Why, Jenny, as I watch you there,
For all your wealth of loosened hair,
Your silk ungirdled and unlac’d
And warm sweets open to the waist,
All golden in the lamplight’s gleam,
You know not what a book you seem" (45-51).
The idea that he would watch her sleep shows such interest, almost an obsession, with her; however, when compared with what seems a negative obsession with his education, the reader is shown the lack of control the speaker has over his infatuation with Jenny.
Throughout his poem "Jenny", Rossetti uses imagery and literary devices to illustrate the character of "Jenny". Although, throughout the poem, small details of setting, atmosphere, and the character development of the speaker are revealed, the poem revolves around Jenny, her beauty, life, and attitude.

Micosoft Office (C) 1998

"Jenny" (1848/58/69). Rossetti, Dante Gabriel
www.practa.com September 25, 2:08am

Jenny's Plight

I realize this is a bit too long but oh well.

D.G. Rossetti's poem "Jenny" allows the reader a short glimpse into the life of a Victorian-era prostitute, as seen through the eyes of a scholarly and relatively sympathetic potential client. The narrator, who remains unnamed throughout the poem, spends a night in Jenny's quarters watching her sleep with her head resting on his knee. It is here that he quietly contemplates her life, her place in society, and his own biased ideas surrounding her supposedly shameful and degraded lifestyle.

Despite his own previous experience with it, the narrator's opinion that prostitution is a shameful practice comes out plainly as he addresses Jenny, though the reader can infer that he is more sympathetic to her plight than many might be. He regards her as beautiful, addresses her as "poor, shameful Jenny," (18) and then admits to himself that she may be grateful for his company merely due to the fact that he is not a violent drunkard. He wonders to himself if she is thankful for this moment of rest from her own "heart-sickness," (70) though the reader is never given any indication as to Jenny's actual thoughts about her position in life. Later, the narrator mentions that, more likely, Jenny is glad to rest for a while away from society's hypocritical condemnation of her free-willed and well-paid lifestyle, as opposed to the pallid "ill-clad" and "toil-worn"(74) girl who is praised for her subservience, chastity, and purity. The pale-faced girl's mockery of Jenny, the narrator suggests, has much less to do with her supposedly virtuous nature than it does with her own envy at Jenny's expensive clothing and Jenny's lack of a husband to tie her down and keep her "weak."

After thinking for a while about Jenny's life out in the streets, where the narrator imagines her lifting her skirt and "advertiz[ing] [her] dainties through the dirt. . ." (146) he wonders how Jenny might respond if he were to speak these thoughts aloud. He compares her mind to a book - a "volume seldom read" (158) which is inclined to close when left open halfway. He seems to doubt that she would truly comprehend or pay any mind to his musings, and again projects his own beliefs onto her, claiming that her mind has been "desecrated" by "contagious currents." (65, 66) Later, the narrator says that Jenny is "Like a rose shut in a book / In which pure women may not look" (253, 254) - the book in this case seems to be a metaphor for society's tendency to regard knowledge and learning as more "pure" than desires of the flesh. Jenny is the rose hidden within - she knows the real truth about society's lustful inner workings, hidden as they may be from the fairer sex.

It comes to the narrator presently the similarity between Jenny as she sleeps and his own cousin Nell. He realizes that all women were, in a sense, made from the same lump of clay, and compares his simple-minded Nell, "so mere a woman" (187) who is "fond of dress, and change, and praise" (186) to this girl in his lap. It occurs to him that the two women are not so different - this Nell of his is fond of love just as Jenny is, and yet he finds himself proud of her. The narrator eventually comes to claim that he sees Jenny as "A cipher of man's changeless sum / Of lust, past, present, and to come. . ." (278, 279) He believes that she is not truly responsible for her own plight, but a victim of man's own lust and cruel nature, though he does not seem inclined to blame himself for helping to perpetuate the problem.

As dawn breaks, the narrator wakes the girl from her sleep, feeling more sympathetic to Jenny than he did previously. Where at first he regarded her as lazy and shameless, he now attempts to leave without disturbing her rest, and leaves gold pieces for her despite the two seemingly having never consummated their "relationship." He hopes that when she wakes and sees that he has left, and gone without, so to speak, she will be reminded of days past when she had woken to two pillows instead of one. He seems to regret that, although he feels he has been changed by the experience, he must leave and resume society's mocking ways towards her and her ilk lest he be seen as impure as well.


Works Cited

Rossetti, Dante Gabriel. “Jenny.” Practa.com. September 21st, 2006. http://www.shlensky.com/assigned_readings/D.G.Rossetti-Jenny.pdf

"Society's Expectations vs. Human Want"

Gabriella Agueci

Society's Expectations vs. Human Want


Sexual repression in Victorian society played an active role in the lives of everyone. Each class and both sexes were affected by this. Women grew up knowing their place in society and what was expected from them but no one spoke of it. It was a silent education discretely passed on to them from their mentors. Society’s structure and opinion towards the female sex created a belligerent conflict within many, society’s expectations versus human want.

In the poem Porphyria’s Lover the narrator’s hardened belief in the Victorian sexual ideals is clear. Browning portrays the character’s blatant beliefs that women are expected to remain “…Fair, perfectly pure and good…”(Browning 36-37) and he supports this in the most severe respect. To keep Porphyria as he sees her and to end her licentious acts he murders her, stating; “…In one long yellow string I wound, three times her little throat around, and strangled her…” (Browning 39-41)
The point of view Browning dons the narrator makes it clear that he perceives females as the inferior sex. Porphyria never directly speaks through out the entire poem; her thoughts and beliefs are translated through the mind of the narrator. The muting of Porphyria’s character makes one believe the narrator has an omniscient view but it becomes clear he is just forcing his ideals upon her when he says; “…No pain she felt; I am quite sure she felt no pain…” (Browning 41-42)The repetitiveness of that statement suggests the narrator is in a state of denial. He has the pressures and strict regiment of his Victorian lifestyle pressing down upon him as well as the love shared with Porphyria which seems rebel against everything he believes.

Evidence that the narrator is suffering from the conflict, society’s expectations versus human want, is discretely woven through out the poem. At the beginning when the narrator describes the stormy weather it places the setting in a cottage-type place in the country. Porphyria glides in, diligently starting a fire for her lover before she even takes off her wet clothes. This implies, firstly, that she traveled to this secluded place unattended; the fact her lover wouldn’t escort implies he may be in hiding or ashamed to be seen with her. The narrators torment surfaces when he says; “…She sat down by my side and called me. When no voice replied, she put my arm about her waist…” (Browning 14-16) He purposely ignores her, forcing Porphyria to come to him as would a servant. It’s again apparent, when he says; “...Murmuring how she loved me—she too weak, for all heart’s endeavor…” (Browning 21-22)This also proves he looks down on her, which suggests a class difference. Porphyria’s Lover is torn between the education Victorian society provided him and his unbridled need to be with his lover. In result he murders her, hoping to preserve her innocence and end his internal conflict.

A Very Insecure Man

Caley Alexander
ENGL 200C F01
Dr. Shlensky
Close Reading #1
September 25, 2006

A Very Insecure Man

Simply known as “Porphyria’s lover,” the narrator in Robert Browning’s poem of this title does not explicitly share with the reader any insight into his own character. However, there are subtle undertones to this poem that allow the reader to understand the narrator’s persona.
The very opening of the poem displays how insecure Porphyria’s lover is. While the mood in the opening of the poem is dark, and the narrator makes use of pathetic fallacy to impress his own emotions and feelings of anger upon the weather, he fails to convince the reader that these are his actual feelings. He describes a raging storm just beginning to stir as a way of conveying the impression that his mind is gradually filling with some unseen fury that has been awakened within him. However, the way the narrator says that the storm “did its worst to vex the lake” (1411) makes the reader think that even he is unconvinced of his anger. It is as if the narrator is aware of the fact that he is trying his hardest to be upset and outraged at Porphyria for her lack of commitment to “give herself to [him] for ever” (1412), but he is just so utterly consumed by his love for her that he cannot bring himself to do so. The line where he describes himself as “listen[ing] with heart fit to break” (1411) only serves to validate his feelings of insecurity: he is waiting with baited breath for Porphyria to return to him, and is uncertain that she will do so.
Upon Porphyria’s entrance into the scene, the narrator again resumes his angry façade as a way to test Porphyria’s love and interest in him. Like a child, he gives her the silent treatment as a way of gaining her attention, but not before explicitly pointing out to the reader that Porphyria’s actions of starting a fire (1411) and removing her “dripping cloak… shawl… [and] soiled gloves” (1412) took precedence to her “last” action of “sit[ting] down by [his] side”. It seems that the narrator believes that she should have come rushing over to lavish him in her attention as soon as she arrived at his home. The fact that she did not do this probably makes the narrator question her interest and love for him. He is constantly in need of validation from Porphyria, and she is aware of this. This is demonstrated in the way she “put[s] his arm about her waist” (1412) and makes his cheek lie on her shoulder while she “murmur[s] how she loves [him]” (1412). The reader gets the impression that Porphyria is simply doing these things to pacify the narrator.
The narrator goes on the mention his “surprise” at the realization that “Porphyria worships [him]” (1412). This realization seems to be the catalyst to the narrator’s inspiration to strangle Porphyria with her own hair as a means to preserve this moment of certainty and confidence in her feelings for him. As mentioned above, the narrator is in constant need of validation from Porphyria, and when the moment comes that he understands how she does truly love him, he feels compelled to act in a way that will allow him to live in this moment forever.
Browning’s Porphyria’s Lover gives the reader a very subtle awareness into the narrator’s personality. He is lacking in confidence, and needs others, particularily Porphyria, to make him feel like he is deserving of love. Ultimately it is the narrator’s insecurities that drive him to insanity and bring about the murder of Porphyria as a means of preserving his own self-esteem and confidence.

Works Cited

Browning, Robert. "Porphyria's Lover" The Longman Anthology of British Literature Third Edition. Damrosh, D. et al, eds. Pearson Education, Inc.: USA, 2006. 1411-1413.

Understanding Jenny

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Understanding Jenny
By Alissa Tarita


> If one comments on the social or cultural practices (habits, customs, traditions, privileges, hierarchies, ideologies, etc.) or constructed identity markers (gender, sexuality, race,ethnicity, class, etc.) presented and elaborated in “Jenny”, a poem written by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, they will consider the apparent social status of the poem’s mistress, Jenny herself. In an era of strict social and sexual rigidity, Jenny lives her life as a prostitute. Not only are social attitudes towards sexual occupations present in the poem, an obvious gender bias against woman is depicted within Rossetti’s piece. “Jenny” delves into the mind of the male narrator and provides his consciousness in regards to his role in the woman’s life and how he ultimately breaks the mold of stereotypical beliefs during the poet’s time.

>When D.G. Rossetti wrote “Jenny” in 1848 (Riede), the common assumption among Victorians was that women were prone to the devastating consequences of love. Adulterous practices, such as Jenny’s occupation, were looked down upon. Victorian’s were incredibly harsh when it came to women and sex. Prostitution was a social taboo, yet “80,000 prostitutes worked in central London in the last quarter of the 19th century” (Kim). “Jenny” is a unique look into the life of one of London’s mistresses. She is painted as a woman who hands “ ne'er in rings it had been dress'd, `Nor ever by a glove conceal'd…..neither do they spin.”. This quote indirectly states Jenny’s social status, suggesting that she will neither wear the gloves of higher classed women nor will she receive the respect from occupations such as spinning. Lastly, the depiction of Jenny’s livelihood, “Our learned London children know, Poor Jenny, all your mirth and woe; Have seen your lifted silken skirt/ Advertize dainties through the dirt;” exposes a belief that prostitution is nothing more than a “lifted skirt”. There is minor support for the woman in this poem, especially that of observing her situation; why had she resorted to prostitution in the first place? Instead of looking into these problems or highlighting their source, Jenny is left to be criticized by her client.

>This criticism is intriguing because not only does he point out her faults by saying, “Yet, Jenny, looking long at you, The woman almost fades from view,” he ironically finds her almost more captivating “Like a rose shut in a book” which is different from “pure women”. He even takes on feelings of sympathy asking, “Shall soul not somehow pay for soul?” yet stops and places his feelings of shame upon her saying, “And do not let me think of you, Lest shame of yours suffice for two.” It seems the he cannot make a moral decision on how he feels about Jenny. This possibly mirrors common attitudes of other Victorians during this time in regards to women and social status. It is apparent that although he uses her for his own entertainment, he shows a connection with the woman, “Well, of such thoughts so much I know: In my life, as in hers, they show.” The narrator finishes off the poem expressing his own desire to somehow better the fortune of Jenny, “By a far gleam which I may near, A dark path I can strive to clear” by which he ultimately shatters
his cliché of a male Victorian by wanting to help her in some way.

>Rossetti wrote “Jenny” during a time when sexual practices were very structured and often rigid. This poem illuminates not only the gender bias of woman during the Victorian era, but does an excellent job in identifying the male’s feelings towards the woman and her situation. The audience can now begin to understand the confusion of many Victorians in regards to sex, gender, and social class, and walk away from the poem with a new understanding of Victorian society.


Kim, Hae-In. “The Pre-Raphaelite Women destroyed by Love in all its Forms and Fates.” The Victorian Web. 19 Dec. 2004. n.p. 22 Sept. 2006


Riede, David H.. “Dante Gabriel Rossetti's "Jenny".” The Victorian Web. 12 May 2004. n.p. 22 Sept. 2006. <>

"Of the Same Lump?"

By, Whitney Heifetz
September 24, 2006
Eng200C

“Of the Same Lump?”

In Dante Gabriele Rossetti’s “Jenny”, the speaker, an unidentified male, is with a prostitute named Jenny. The speaker struggles between his sympathy for Jenny and his recognition of his society’s condemnation of her as a prostitute. In his attempt to understand Jenny better he draws a parallel between Jenny and his young cousin Nell. In Stanza 14 the speaker likens them to “Two sister vessels” (184) implying a relationship between the two women. The Speaker believes Jenny and Nell to be made “Of the same lump” (182). They began as babies, similarly brought into this world yet ending up very differently. The speaker uses the analogy of a potter to describe how the change comes about. He calls this “The Potter’s power over his clay!” (181). A potter begins with a lump of clay. He then chooses how to mold his clay. Will he choose to turn the clay into something beautiful and flawless, or will he neglect the clay and make something less prized? The speaker believes the two women to be like the clay; they begin the same but by the forces that hold power over them they are molded into what they become. The relevant question is: who is the potter in the women’s case? The speaker attributes this power to man. Man in this case represents Victorian society as a whole. The speaker reflects on how men have molded the world. Included in the world are Nell and Jenny, when he says “How atone, Great God, for this which man has done?” (241-242).
The speaker describes Nell as a young woman, “fond of fun, / And fond of dress, and change and praise,” (185-186). She is naive about the world surrounding her, enjoying frivolous things like “fun” and “dress”. The speaker says of Nell, “(her) unconquered mirth turn quieter/ Not through her own, through others’ woe” (195-196). Her gaiety has not yet been “conquered” by misfortunes or other circumstances. When she loses her mirth it will be because of her knowledge of others’ sadness.
As he looks at Jenny he describes her as, “A cipher of man’s changeless sum/ Of lust, past, present, and to come” (278-279). She is devalued by her clients. They use her then pay her. She is a product of her clients from the past, present, and the one’s still to come. Both Nell and Jenny are shaped by their very different circumstances. However for all of Nell and Jenny’s differences Jenny sleeps, “Just as another woman sleeps!” (177) again reiterating that they are both made from the same lump. After the speaker makes his point that the two women are more alike than society accredits them, he is still struggling between his sympathy for Jenny and his cultural afflictions. The speaker reflects on his analogy when he says, “How dare to think/ Of the first common kindred link?” (207-208). He is ashamed of comparing his cousin still so pure to Jenny the fallen woman prostitute.
This passage illuminates the conflict the speaker has between his earthly desires and his moral standards. Although he has sympathy for Jenny he ultimately uses her services, pays and leaves no better in the end then the men who have shaped her.



Works Cited

Rossetti, Dante Gabriel. “Jenny.” The Victorian Web. 2003. September 20, 2006.
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dgr/3.html

Power Discrepancy

Paula Shyba

During the Victorian period, a fraction of the women in the population were given the title “fallen women”. These were women who had “given in to seduction, living a life in sin” (Lee), and Jenny, the subject of Rossetti’s poem, can be characterized as one of these women. The speaker in the poem finds himself with Jenny, a beautiful prostitute, falling asleep on his lap, and contemplates both her beauty and her life’s circumstances. Throughout the poem, Jenny assumes a passive role, as her voice is never heard, and so the speaker is given the opportunity to make assumptions without Jenny’s retort. This discrepancy between the power of men and the submissive roles of women is a frequently occurring theme in Victorian literature and art, and appears as well in such poems as Browning’s “Porphyria’s Lover”.

Although the speaker never once physically exerts power onto Jenny, his position over her sleeping body and his freedom to analyze her state of affairs shows his dominance of the situation. He is clearly taken by her beauty, but her aesthetic exterior is as far as he cares to see into her. He supposes that her mind “reflects not any face nor sound in its sluggish pace” (Rossetti 167-8) and so does not respect her mind as much as her appearance. Assumptions about her character are made by him that, true or not, are unfair to make. Because Jenny is a prostitute, he assumes that she cares solely about money, when he doesn’t actually know much more than her name. In the fifth stanza, he acknowledges that society is the reason for many women’s descent into such a low status, and does feel pity for her dire situation. At the same time, however, he fails to take any blame on himself.

A clear parallel can be drawn between Rossetti’s poem and Browning’s “Porphyria’s Lover”, both of which signify the imbalance in relationships between men and women in Victorian society. In both poems, the men look over the women on their lap and decide for themselves what their lover deserves. As Porphyria’s lover assumes that taking her life was the right thing to do, the speaker in “Jenny” presumes that he knows exactly what it would be like to be in her shoes and what makes her content. In the two poems, the women come from completely opposite economic positions; Porphyria is an upper class woman, and Jenny, conversely, is a prostitute with low social status. However, despite the difference between the women’s societal standings, the poets place them in very similar situations. This illustrates that the poems are not commentaries on the Victorian period’s imbalanced capital situation, but poems that reveal the uneven levels of power and authority that men and women had.

There is no doubt that in “Jenny”, the speaker shows sentiment towards his “fallen woman”, and several of the lines could easily find a place in a love poem. When describing her “mouth quiet, eyelids almost blue as if some sky of dreams shone through” (175-6), it seems as though the speaker truly does love the woman resting on his knee. It is exposed in his thoughts, however, that he feel condescendingly towards her and condemns her for the life she leads. Rossetti was known for dating models during his career, so could it be supposed that he, like the speaker, appreciated aesthetic beauty more than a woman’s intellect? It is undeniable that in the poem “Jenny”, the typical ideal role of women in the Victorian era as passive and beautiful is depicted, pointing out that men governed the social world and held the majority of the power.


Works Cited

Rossetti, Dante Gabriel. “Jenny.” Practa.com. 23 September 2006 http://www.shlensky.com/assigned_readings/D.G.Rossetti-Jenny.pdf

Lee, Elizabeth. “Fallen Women in Victorian Art.” Victorian Web.” 1997. Brown University. 24 September 2006

Porphyria’s Needs

Prophyria’s lover is not a crazy man. From a first reading of Porphyria’s Lover by Browning, one might think that the speaker of this Victoria dramatic monologue is a raving homicidal lunatic. The evidence that points to that conclusion may seem strong but the evidence pointing to his innocence and his true love is stronger.
The mood is set straight in the first six lines of the poem. It is rainy and windy, not a nice night to be walking about in the country, but Porphyria needs her lover. The speaker, awaiting his lover’s appearance “listened with a heart fit to break.[1]” He is nervous; tonight he must prove his true love. Porphyria enters without knocking. She makes a fire and goes to her lover. It is evident from these actions that Porphyria and her lover have a relationship of some substance. There is tension in the room; as Porphyria calls to her lover she gets no response. Porphyria sits by his side, wraps his arm around her and makes “her smooth white shoulder bare” to prepare her body for an act of true love[2].
Next, lying on the couch are two entwined lovers murmuring sweet nothings. Porphyria’s lover is preparing himself for the act that he must commit. When the right moment presented itself, when he knew that Porphyria “worshiped” him, he did what he had to do[3]. He wound her hair around her bare neck and strangled her to a “perfectly pure and good” death[4].
This beautiful act has saved Porphyria. It may be contested that Porphyria’s lover killed her to hoard her for himself, but death is what Porphyria wanted. Porphyria had wished for death. Porphyria “guessed not how/ her darling one wish would be heard,” and her lover believes that he fulfilled that wish[5].
Porphyria is ill. She is “too weak” to love and perhaps too weak to live[6]. She is suffering, her description sounds like she is diseased. Browning could not have named Porphyria for no significance for Porphyria is a blood disorder with symptoms of weakness and pale skin from loss of blood[7]. Porphyria is ill, she wants to die.
Was Porphyira’s lover so in love that he could euthanize her? Porphyria’s lover is tormented, evident in his description of nature and he can not speak to respond to his love. He sits there awaiting his lover knowing that she will have to die. After killing his lover he checks her eyes, there is no “stain” of blame, and he plants a passionate “burning” kiss on her cheek[8]. He is surprised that God has not responded to him, for what he did was perfectly moral and honest. He is so in love that he lays in vigil with her body, with her “smiling head,” she is happy to be free[9].
Porphyria’s lover committed an act of pure love, an act that he was asked to do. He wanted nothing but to grant his lover’s wish and set free from this painful world. It is astonishing that Browning could imagine a love so strong and pure that one lover would do anything for the other.
[1] Browning, Porphyria’s Lover l. 5
[2] Browning, Porphyria’s Lover l. 17
[3] Browning, Porphyria’s Lover l. 33
[4] Browning, Porphyria’s Lover l. 37
[5] Browning, Porphyria’s Lover ll. 56, 57.
[6] Browning, Porphyria’s lover l. 28
[7] The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
[8] Browning, Porphyria’s Lover ll. 45, 48.
[9] Browning, Porphyria’s Lover l. 52

The Immoral Woman

The Immoral Woman
By Brittany Martin

In Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Jenny, the two female characters, Jenny and cousin Nell can be seen as opposites in Victorian moral standards. While Jenny represents lust and impurity, Nell stands for innocence and truth. Throughout the poem the speaker finds himself in a moral dilemma as he is conflicted between his emotions towards the women, and the disagreeing standards of Victorian society.
Throughout the poem there are many textual clues suggesting Jenny’s immoral lifestyle. Jenny’s love for “guinea” and later reference to the “Phapian Venus” (Rossetti 362) suggests she is in the profession of prostitution. The speaker sees Jenny as a woman of great beauty, with eyes “as blue skies” and “hair is countless gold incomparable” (Rossetti 10-11) but Victorian society simply sees her as an object having “used [her] at his will”, easily “thrusts [her] aside” (Rossetti 87). Through Victorian society would condemn Jenny immoral behaviour, the speaker seems to offer Jenny rare kindness by letting her “rest upon [his] knee” (Rossetti 66). Victorian society would see Jenny as a degraded figure, but the speaker remains sympathetic towards her. The speaker fights against society’s criticism of Jenny and the idea a woman of immoral standards deserves no compassion or love. He states that: “I should be ashamed to say:--Poor beauty, so well worth a kiss!” (Rossetti 54-55). He acknowledges he should, under Victorian standards, feel remorse and shame for his relationship with a prostitute, yet feels the disapproval of society inconsequential. He wishes to protect her from the evil actions of man and save her from her life of adulteration.
Though the two female characters are described as “of the same lump” they are not seen as the same; “for dishonour and honour made, Two sister vessels” (Rossetti 203-205). Nell stands in moral opposition of Jenny as the narrator contrasts them as “So pure,---so fall’n!” and cringes at the thought of them as a “common kindred link” (Rossetti 207-208). The speaker talks of Nell with pride. He sees her as “unconquered” (Rossetti 195) and somewhat pure. Nell has yet to be completely influenced by Victorian society’s moral values. Nell is the pure, moral woman whereas Jenny is the corrupt, immoral woman. Though Nell is seen as the proper female, the speaker is still drawn to Jenny. His compassion for her and perhaps the sense of power over her makes it difficult for him to leave. There is almost a victim and savior relationship between Jenny and the speaker. Jenny is simply an “empty cloud” (155), a “desecrated mind” (164), a mere victim. He, being male, is more prepared to deal with conflicts of morality and battle against the evil temptations. This can allow him to save her.
Though it seems the speaker truly cares for Jenny, he doesn’t actually take action to save her from her immoral life, as this might jeopardize his standing within society. Victorian ideals eventually win over as he is “Ashamed of [his] own shame” (Rossetti 381). Jenny is condemned for being impure, yet his desires for her reaps him no consequence. He’s immoral actions are simply “A dark path [he] can strive to clear” (Rossetti 388), whereas it seems impossible for Jenny to change her status.
Through the two female characters, Rossetti is able to show us the status of women in Victorian culture and the discrepancy between men and women in the Victorian period. Rossetti also offers a view on moral values of people of the Victorian period.

The Beautiful Prostitute

Ok I hope this works! Enjoy...


Upon the first read of Rossetti’s poem Jenny, the prominent Victorian theme of morality and sexual transgression is addressed. Immediately within the first stanza, Rossetti reveals Jenny to be a prostitute, “fond of a kiss and fond of a guinea,” (“Jenny” 2) undoubtedly scorned by society for being impure by partaking in immoral acts for money. Interestingly however, through the repetition of the word “poor,” and instilling a weary tone in the poem, Rossetti exposes his own sympathy towards Jenny, going against society’s condemnation, believing her to be a “poor flower left torn,” (“Jenny” 14) a delicate woman trying to survive in an unforgiving, and hostile world. In the second stanza, the tone also becomes envious, as Rossetti acknowledges Jenny’s apparent sexual freedom. Rossetti expresses the desire to be free of his mind and of his work to go “dancing” (“Jenny” 32) and do as he wishes sprightly, like Jenny, who still enjoys “captive hours of youth.” (“Jenny” 25) Here a separation seems to have occurred between emotions and thought, as Rossetti compares his mind “so full of books,” (“Jenny” 22) to Jenny’s, which is “a change from [his].” (“Jenny” 21) However, this implies that Jenny may not be considered intellectual due to her lifestyle; another naive stereotype imposed by society, when really it is that nobody truly knows what Jenny is thinking. Not even Rossetti is able to understand Jenny’s inner most thoughts; therefore, he looks to the emotional connection and her aesthetics for inspiration. Rossetti is using this technique to put an emphasis on face value just like the Victorians of his time. Beauty is thoroughly emphasized because it is, for many artists like Raffael or Da Vinci, the inspiration for art (“Jenny” 237). Even for Rossetti, Jenny’s outward appearance inspires him to think openly about life, as she lay on his knee resting. His infatuation with Jenny’s beauty, allows him to view her as pure, and innocent like a virginal flower lily, and not as a prostitute. In this way, art does not discriminate or judge, it merely portrays the ideal beauty. Unfortunately, he knows other proper Victorian women do not see Jenny as equal or decent; therefore, Rossetti repeats the lines, “of the same lump (it has been said)/ For honour and dishonour made, / Two sister vessels. Here is one,” (“Jenny” 182-4) to emphasize Jenny’s feminine equality. He even goes as far to include his own cousin, Nell, whom is inherently beautiful just like Jenny, to further prove his point that they are both women, no matter what the circumstances. Furthermore, Rossetti compares his cousin’s life to Jenny’s to provoke within the reader questions, is the life of a prostitute chosen? If it isn’t, is society to blame? Thus, Rossetti refuses to appease to society’s idea that Jenny is a “fall’n” (“Jenny” 207) woman, who chose to disgrace herself in order to live. Even though Rossetti is torn to acknowledge both views due to his social rank within the community, his strong internal thoughts are conveyed to ensure his deepest sympathies for Jenny’s tragic disposition.