Light Switch: Disturbing Imagery in "Porphyria's Lover"
Okay, I guess I'll be the first to "take the plunge" and post their assignment. Here goes:
Robert Browning’s poem “Porphyria’s Lover” can be viewed upon first reading as a generally disturbing poem. Even at the basest, literal reading of the poem, the tale described is very morbid. The narrator, named only by the title of the poem, believes the right thing to do when Porphyria visits and declares her love for him is to murder her. However by examining the language used in the poem, it is possible to notice a distinct shift in imagery halfway through the poem. This shift emphasizes the belief that Porphyria’s Lover has that killing her is correct and helps to further the disturbing nature of the work.
The poem itself opens with bleak images of a personified storm wreaking havoc on the countryside. Browning claims the storm has “[torn] the elm-tops down for spite,/And [done] its worst to vex the lake.” (1411) It is obvious right from the outset of these few lines that something terrible is happening, or on the verge of happening.
However the most important line from the beginning of the poem is the fifth line, in which the narrator describes how he listens to the storm “with heart fit to break.”(1411) His mood is similar to that of the weather: very turbulent and depressing.
Directly after this line Browning introduces Porphyria, yet she does nothing to counter the already gloomy setup of the poem. She has come through the storm in order to visit the narrator, and therefore is very weak. Also her physical appearance is not pleasant as well, with her skin pale and “all her yellow hair displaced.” (1412) The narrator does not respond to her calls, choosing instead to almost ignore her.
Although he eventually does look into her eyes, and when he does his mood brightens instantaneously. This is the moment in which the poem’s tone completely changes from dark to light. Yet, as one may assume, this shift does not signify a happier second half of the poem. The narrator, in seeing that “Porphyria worshipped [him]”, wraps her hair around her neck and strangles her. In this way, he believes he is fulfilling her wish to “give herself to [him] for ever.” (1412)
The language of this half of the poem is now the complete opposite of that of the first half. Porphyria’s dead body is described as having a “smiling rosy little head” (1412) and a cheek that “once more/Blushed bright.” (1412) Compared to Porphyria’s pale skin only moments before, it is obvious that the narrator is now in a much happier state of mind.
Another interesting comparison between the first and second segments of the poem is the placing of one’s head on another’s shoulder. When Porphyria is sitting with the narrator she puts his head upon her bare shoulder, a position which could be seen as common for lovers. They do not stay in this position long, however, since the narrator must certainly raise his head in order to kill Porphyria. Yet during the second segment, after she is dead, the narrator places her head upon his shoulder, and they stay like this for the rest of the evening. It is almost as if the narrator is more in love with Porphyria after she is dead, than when she is alive.
The shift in feeling from depression to joyousness may not be readily apparent upon first reading the poem. However if the emphasis of joy of after Porphyria’s lover has committed the murder is acknowledged, Browning instills an even darker and more disconcerting feeling to the reader, who will most likely never read the poem in quite the same way ever again.
-Allister Howe
Robert Browning’s poem “Porphyria’s Lover” can be viewed upon first reading as a generally disturbing poem. Even at the basest, literal reading of the poem, the tale described is very morbid. The narrator, named only by the title of the poem, believes the right thing to do when Porphyria visits and declares her love for him is to murder her. However by examining the language used in the poem, it is possible to notice a distinct shift in imagery halfway through the poem. This shift emphasizes the belief that Porphyria’s Lover has that killing her is correct and helps to further the disturbing nature of the work.
The poem itself opens with bleak images of a personified storm wreaking havoc on the countryside. Browning claims the storm has “[torn] the elm-tops down for spite,/And [done] its worst to vex the lake.” (1411) It is obvious right from the outset of these few lines that something terrible is happening, or on the verge of happening.
However the most important line from the beginning of the poem is the fifth line, in which the narrator describes how he listens to the storm “with heart fit to break.”(1411) His mood is similar to that of the weather: very turbulent and depressing.
Directly after this line Browning introduces Porphyria, yet she does nothing to counter the already gloomy setup of the poem. She has come through the storm in order to visit the narrator, and therefore is very weak. Also her physical appearance is not pleasant as well, with her skin pale and “all her yellow hair displaced.” (1412) The narrator does not respond to her calls, choosing instead to almost ignore her.
Although he eventually does look into her eyes, and when he does his mood brightens instantaneously. This is the moment in which the poem’s tone completely changes from dark to light. Yet, as one may assume, this shift does not signify a happier second half of the poem. The narrator, in seeing that “Porphyria worshipped [him]”, wraps her hair around her neck and strangles her. In this way, he believes he is fulfilling her wish to “give herself to [him] for ever.” (1412)
The language of this half of the poem is now the complete opposite of that of the first half. Porphyria’s dead body is described as having a “smiling rosy little head” (1412) and a cheek that “once more/Blushed bright.” (1412) Compared to Porphyria’s pale skin only moments before, it is obvious that the narrator is now in a much happier state of mind.
Another interesting comparison between the first and second segments of the poem is the placing of one’s head on another’s shoulder. When Porphyria is sitting with the narrator she puts his head upon her bare shoulder, a position which could be seen as common for lovers. They do not stay in this position long, however, since the narrator must certainly raise his head in order to kill Porphyria. Yet during the second segment, after she is dead, the narrator places her head upon his shoulder, and they stay like this for the rest of the evening. It is almost as if the narrator is more in love with Porphyria after she is dead, than when she is alive.
The shift in feeling from depression to joyousness may not be readily apparent upon first reading the poem. However if the emphasis of joy of after Porphyria’s lover has committed the murder is acknowledged, Browning instills an even darker and more disconcerting feeling to the reader, who will most likely never read the poem in quite the same way ever again.
-Allister Howe
posted by Anonymous at 7:30 PM
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