Robert Browning

Robert Browning is by far one of the most fascinating individuals and writers that we have studied thus far. As I was reading the biographical information on Browning, I was surprised to find that he did not want anyone to identify him upon publishing his initial work. Was he ashamed or just trying to avoid potential criticism? I am not sure why he did that, but nevertheless I found his dramatic monologues very appealing. I actually remember performing a dramatic monologue in a theatre class in high school. While it was nerve racking to preform and I do not know the author, I do remember that the short scene was very action packed and included a surprise ending. I found this to often be the case in Browning's dramatic monologues as well.

One poem I really found entertaining was "Porphyria's Lover." Browning created a poem with a twisted love story that few would expect. He begins by setting the scene with a description of the weather that contains several negative connotations: "The rain set early in to-night,/ The sullen wind was soon awake,/ It tore the elm-tops down for spite,/ And did its worst to vex the lake..." (1-4). In this part of the poem, Browning personifies the wind to give it a monster-like mentality. In doing so, Browning sets the tone of the disaster that is yet to come. While the reader might expect something different, Browning contrasts this dim description of the weather when Porphyria is introduced: "She shut the cold out and the storm,/ And kneeled and made the cheerless grate/ Blaze up, and all the cottage warm" (7-9). Although the speaker previously depicts the terrible weather outside, the focus changes when Porphyria enters the house; soon, all is forgotten. She travels through the storm to see her lover and to bring him warmth. It is also clear that Porphyria warms the speaker's spirit.

At this point in the poem, the focus again transitions, this time to Porphyria removing her wet clothes and calling the speaker to sit with her. Porphyria "...withdrew the dripping cloak...and called me" (11,15). The reader is left to assume that Porphyria is undressing because she is soaking wet and probably cold. She has come to visit her lover (the speaker) and wants him to sit and spend time with her. However, it soon becomes clear that she has instead temporarily escaped those who do not support their relationship: "...she/ Too weak, for all her heart's endeavour,/ To set its struggling passion free/ From pride, and vainer ties dissever..." (21-24). Although the reader is unaware of what trials Porphyria faces, it seems that she is being told to forget about her lover. She feels that the love she has for him is too strong and additionally wants to "...give herself...for ever" (25). This particular visit is probably different than times past because Porphyria is making herself so vulnerable. She tells the speaker that she loves him and leads the reader to assume that she has run away from home and wants to start a life with him there.

While Porphyria has gone against the world around her to be with her lover, he is not willing to let her do this. He even says that her love and journey are "...all in vain" (29). The speaker obviously feels differently than Porphyria, but the reader is initially unaware of why he feels this way or what action he plans to take. While it appears that he does love Porphyria, he remains confused by the situation at hand: "...at last I knew/ Porphyria worshipped me; surprise/ Made my heart swell, and still it grew/ While I debated what to do" (32-34). Clearly, the speaker is somewhat mesmerized by the fact that Porphyria "worships" him, but is unaware of how to handle what to do next. At this point, a logical reader may think that he is trying to figure out a plan for how they can be together. He is the man, after all, thus making the escape his responsibility. Much to the contrary of logical thought, however, the speaker decides to murder Porphyria: "...I found/ A thing to do, and all her hair/ In one long yellow string I would/ Three times her little throat around,/ And strangled her" (37-41). It does not take the speaker long to decide to kill Porphyria with her own hair; therefore, he had not been decided on a plan of escape, but rather the best way to murder the woman who loves him. His actions seems very strange and out of the ordinary; this certainly is not what you would expect to happen in this poem. It is truly shocking. As the reader, I was left so confused that I had to stop and re-read the passage to make sure I read it correctly.

Just as plainly as the speaker reveals how he murdered Porphyria, he goes on his merry way explaining what he did with the body after she was no longer alive. Disgustingly, he "...oped her lids...and...untightened next the tress/ About her neck" (44,46-47). The speaker in the poem works with the body and completely objectifies his former lover. He seems to be treating her more like a doll than a human being. He does not seem to have any emotional connection with Porphyria despite her honest love for him. He continues to manipulate her body as he "...propped her head up as before...which droops upon it [the shoulder] still" (49,51). The speaker is careful with the body and seems to treat her as if her happiness is his utmost concern; it is almost as if she were alive. The speaker's distorted mind-set in this scene is unbelievably creepy. As the reader, you want the speaker to feel some kind of remorse for his action, but clearly he is incapable of feeling sorry for his wrong-doing. On the contrary, he is proud of his actions and feels he does the right thing: "So glad it has its utmost will,/ That all it scorned at once is fled,/ And I, its love, am gained instead!/ Porphyria's love: she guessed not how/ Her darling one wish would be heard" (53-57). The speaker believes that he has accomplished his lover's goal by killing her; this way, she can forever escape whatever held her back and have her lover forever (but only in death). The speaker thinks he has done well by Porphyria, despite the fact that he knows that she too was shocked as his method of satisfying her need to be with him. He then gloats that "...God has not said a word!" to him about his actions (60). He sits happily next to the corpse and God has yet to condemn him for committing murder.

This poem stretches far beyond the limits of any Romantic poetry and portrays Browning as a classic Victorian writer. I think Browning wrote this (and other) dramatic monologues to convey a message to his readers: wake up! In reading other author's works like "A Visit to Newgate" by Dickens, it is clear that people in the masses of England were completely numb to the reality and devastation that existed in the world around them. While Dickens method of choice was much different in "Newgate," he still chose to expose the life of many prisoners to inspire some kind of response from the people who walk by Bedlam every day without a care in the world. Both Browning and Dickens as Victorian writers want to send a message to the readers about how the world has changed for the worse. Browning certainly pushes his message to a new limit by writing the unimaginable and unexplainable in his poetry, specifically "Porphyria's Lover." This kind of poetry definitely captures the interest of the reader, and causes them to wonder why the speaker thinks and acts the way that he does. Unfortunately, I am afraid that many other readers, like myself, are left baffled and confused as to what the speaker was actually thinking--is he mentally impaired? is he under the influence of some kind of drug? The reader is forced to create their own opinions about the psychological state of the speaker which makes this kind of poetry exciting and worth reading.