Poetry Analysis of Robert Browning's "Porphyria's Lover" .
While reading "Porphyria's Lover" the main idea that stood out most in the poem was love. Also, an important part of this theme was the effects love may have on people such as fear, joy, pride, vanity and obsession as demonstrated by the speaker. Robert Browning uses elements of poetry such as the speaker, rhyme scheme, and rhythm to accentuate the theme in the poem. When the poem is closely examined these elements appear to have been clearly thought out and creatively used by Browning. .
The theme of love appears to be simple, but is actually complex in Browning's poem. "Porphyria's Lover" is not a sensitive love poem; it is a poem that shows what love can sometimes do to people. First in the poem, the speaker describes feelings of somewhat fear of heartache or heartbreak. The speaker is at first hesitant, but then easily swayed by intimate actions of Porphyria, such as those shown in lines 17 through 21.
"And made her smooth white shoulder bare.
And all her yellow hair displaced,.
And, stooping, made my cheek lie there,.
And spread, o'er all, her yellow hair,.
Murmuring how she loved me".
Then, the speaker feels joy and pride when Porphyria tells him she loves him. Next, Browning shows a psychotic, obsessive effect of love when the speaker decides to kill .
Porphyria because he feels he must freeze time in order to keep that moment when he realizes she "worships" him. .
The speaker of the poem basically remains unidentified. The speaker mostly describes Porphyria, but never describes himself. Although, he subtly lets the reader understand what he is feeling and going through. This element is used to indirectly show the speaker's character. The reader assumes that this is the speaker's attitude toward love. He appears to be fearful to face love or he has not completely discovered his own affectionate side. The other part of this element of tone and remaining nearly anonymous is that it shows the speaker's focus on Porphyria.
