Porphyria's Lover - Robert Browning

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Poem + Notes
The rain (Pathetic Fallacy) set early in to-night,

The sullen (Personification) wind was soon awake,     - Negative tone/start - Storm = trouble

It tore the elm-tops down for spite,

And did its worst to vex the lake:

I listened with 'heart fit to break. - 'Tension

When glided in Porphyria; straight             - Immediate change in lexus

She shut the cold out and the storm,           changing enviorment -

And kneeled and made the cheerless grate    She knows what to do, shows the closeness of couple

Blaze up, and all the cottage warm;            Shows she cares for him

Which done, she rose, and from her form

Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl,       - Burlesque idea, comfortable undressing in front of him

And laid her soild gloves by, untied

Her hat and let the damp hair fall,          - Literally letting her hair down, shows lack of formality

And, last, she sat down by my side

And called me.(She commands him) When no voice replied       - Third person - our narrator is removed from his own actions

She put my arm about her waist,

And made her smooth white shoulder bare,         - Really racey for the time

And all her yellow hair displaced,

And, stooping, made my cheek lie there,         - Clear display of intimacy 

And spread, o'er all, her yellow hair,

Murmuring how she loved me - she

Too weak, for all her heart's endeavour, 

To set its struggling passion free

From pride, and vainer ties dissever,

''And give herself to me for ever. - ''She is too worried about other peoples opinions of them that she won't submit to him.

But passion sometimes would prevail,

Nor could to-night's gay feast restrain

A sudden thought of one so pale   - Again, in third-person

For love of her and all in vain:

So, she was come through wind and rain.

Be sure I looked up at her eyes

Happy and proud (ambiguous); at last I knew

Porphyria worshipped me; surprise        - The narrator is arrogant enough to think he should be worshipped

Made my heart swell, and still it grew

While I debated what to do.

That moment she was mine, mine, fair,       - Strong repeat shows his possesive, controlling attitude

Perfectly pure and good: I found

A thing to do, and all her hair

In one long yellow string I wound

Three times her little throat around,       -'''SHOCKING! - Devoid of all emotion'''

''And strangled her. No pain felt she;''

I am quite sure she felt 'no pain. -' Again, this idea of repetition - Trying to reassure himself

As a shut bud that holds a bee,    - Negative pastoral

I warily oped her lids: again 

Laughed the blue eyes without a stain.

And I untightened next the tress

About her neck; her cheeck once more

Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss:      - Necrophilia

I propped her head up as before,

Only, this time my shoulder bore

Her head, which droops upon it still:

The smiling rosy little head,

So glad it has its utmost will,

That all it scorned at once is fled,             - This whole section is one creepy bit. The narrator is now sure that

''And I, its love, am gained instead! ''by killing her, he has assured her devoution to him.

Porphyria's love: she guessed not how

her darling one wish would be heard.

And thus we sit together now,

And all night long we have not stirred,

''And yet God has not said a word! -'' Trying to justify the murder.

Other notes
Form - Dramatic Monologue

Structure - Iambic Quadrameter - Gives a perverse regularity to the murder

Rhyme - A, B, A, B, B - again, gives a regularity

Title - Classical Greek