Porphyria’s Lover by Robert Browning

Thinking about what you know about the poem so far why do you think the speaker killed Porphyria.

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and

Juliet

Learning Objectives

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of

the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the

poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

The trial of Robert Browning

Today we will work out:

•Why the speaker killed Porphyria with evidence to prove it.

•What his punishment should be.

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

Summary/Context

“Porphyria’s Lover,” which first appeared in 1836, is one of the earliest and most shocking of Browning’s dramatic monologues. The speaker lives in a cottage in the countryside. His lover, a blooming young woman named Porphyria, comes in out of a storm and proceeds to make a fire and bring cheer to the cottage. She embraces the speaker, offering him her bare shoulder.

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

He tells us that he does not speak to her. Instead, he says, she begins to tell him how she has momentarily overcome societal structures to be with him. He realizes that she “worship[s]” him at this instant. Realizing that she will eventually give in to society’s pressures, and wanting to preserve the moment, he wraps her hair around her neck and strangles her.

Summary/Context cont...

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

Summary/Context cont...

He then toys with her corpse, opening the eyes and propping the body up against his side. He sits with her body this way the entire night, the speaker remarking that God has not yet moved to punish him.

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

Weather...

“rain set early”

“sullen wind... for spite, and did its worst to vex the lake” • You must known the narrative to the poem.

• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

Browning uses pathetic fallacy to convey (show) the

mood of the speaker.

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

Evidence

I listened with heart fit to break.

What could that show about his psychology?PointEvidenceAnalysis!

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

The juxtapositioning of(way he puts side by side) the

harsh, stormy weather with Porphyria’s return to the

cottage emphasizes...

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

“glided in

Porphyria”

Porphyria

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

“made the cheerless grate Blaze up, and all the cottage

warm”

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

L.O. To understand and evaluate poetry

Dramatic MonologueA fictional speech presented as the musings of a speaker who is separate from the poet.A dramatic monologue is written to reveal both the situation at hand and the character themself.

L.O. To understand and evaluate poetry

The poem’s character or voice.What is this man like?

What actions does he make/do?

What are his thoughts/feelings?

L.O. To understand and evaluate poetry

ThemesWhat are the themes or symbols from this poem?

How do they link to Romeo and Juliet?

Yellow HairThe StormEyesThe fire

L.O. To understand and evaluate poetry

What is the mood of this poem?

What effects create this mood?

Use the Studying Poetry sheet and complete the language questions for the poem

Choice of Words and Phrases•Which words and phrases stand out as a particularly important?•Which are especially effective or surprising?•What are the subtle, suggestive meanings?•Which words have a strong impact?•What images are created by descriptive vocabulary, similes and metaphors?•Do any words involve the senses?•Does the vocabulary evoke a mood or atmosphere in the poem?•Does the vocabulary create tension or contrasts in the poem?Sentences, word order, punctuation•Are there grammatical patterns or features that stand out in the poem?•Are there repetitions, line-divisions or features of punctuation that clarify or confuse the meaning?•How complex or simple is the language?•Are there any sound patterns worthy of comment – onomatopoeia, alliteration, assonance, rhythm or rhymes?•How does the whole poem relate to its title?•How does the poem relate to the voice and setting of the poem?

Romantic ImageryWhat does the speaker think about Porphyria through his use of Romantic Imagery?

oHer beautyoHis feelings towards heroFind a quote to supportHow does this relate to Romeo and Juliet

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

“smooth white shoulder bare”

necrophilia

Find three quotes that allude to a sexual relationship?

“Porphyria worshiped me”

Religios aspect to poem. How does this relate to Romeo and Juliet’s Sonnet in Act 1 Scene 3?

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

That moment she was mine, mine, fair,

What does the use of repetition suggest?

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

at last I knewPorphyria worshipped me; surprizeMade my heart swell, and still it grewWhile I debated what to do.

“I found A thing to do, and all her hair In one long yellow string I wound Three times her little throat around,

And strangled her.”

Description of the act of violence

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

“As a shut bud that holds a bee”

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

“her cheek once more

Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss”

“Laughed the blue eyes without a stain”• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

I propped her head up as before Only, this time my shoulder bore

Her head, which droops upon it still:

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

And thus we sit together now, And all night long we have not stirred, And yet God has not said a word!

Or resentful: is he wanting judgement?

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

Form

“Porphyria’s Lover,” while natural in its language, does not use the colloquialisms of some of Browning’s later poems.

While the flow of the poem mimics natural speech, it actually takes the form of highly patterned verse, rhyming ABABB.

The strict rhyme scheme suggests that the speech may not be as natural as it first appears and there may be some madness within the lines!

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

Form/Structure cont..

This poem is a dramatic monologue—a fictional speech presented as the musings of a speaker who is separate from the poet. Like most of Browning’s other dramatic monologues, this one captures a moment after a main event or action. Porphyria already lies dead when the speaker begins. Just as the nameless speaker seeks to stop time by killing her, so too does this kind of poem seek to freeze the consciousness of an instant.

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

Why did he kill her?

In your groups choose one of these statements that your agree with and one that you don’t.

Present both as an argument for and against the ideas.

•Conclude by giving me your idea and reason!

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet

Compare the two texts!

Commit Suicide due to the loss of each other

The speaker in Porphyria’s Lover. Kills his lover because……..

Link the scene and the poem with your ideas.

• You must known the narrative to the poem.• You should analyze the psychology of the character in the poem.• You could relate the themes of the poem to the play Romeo and Juliet