How does Robert Browning present the theme of love in

Porphyrias lover?
Kushagar Maini
10FZK
Porphyrias lover, first appearing in 1836 is a dramatic monologue written by poet,
Robert Browning.He explores an unconventional love poem.The poem consists of a
series of events, which occur between Porphyria, the female lover and a paranoid,
anonymous male. As the character narrates through the poem, he unintentionally
reveals aspects to achieve his love. Ultimately, his obsession takes Porphyrias life.
Brownings use of dramatic fallacies, Victorian class structure, contrasts of warmth
and cold as well as the ideology of a delusion contribute towards presenting the
obsessive theme of love.
In the opening lines of the monologue, Browning with the use of a pathetic fallacy,
mirrors the emotions felt by the anonymous lover. The sullen wind which tries to
vex the wind, accompanied by aggressive terminology such as tore and spite,
personify the mans emotions. Here, the adjective sullen may refer to the narrator
being in a state of depression. The verb vex implies that he is confused and or tired
of waiting. Confusion may also be formed due to the narrator questioning himself on
Porphyrias arrival or whether she has attempted to escape. Also, the terms tore and
spite hint towards the anger brewing within him, foretelling events in the poem.
Due to the one who he longs for, the one who he love Porphyria has not yet arrived
mixed feelings of depression, aggression and confusion arise within the male.
Therefore, Browning presents the theme of love by portraying through the pathetic
fallacy , the importance of Porphyria in the narrator's life.
Further on in the poem, Porphyrias arrival triggers a major change in both the
atmosphere of the monologue and narrators tone. For instance, the quotations,
cheerless grate/Blaze and shut.. cold out.. storm, display the sudden transformation
of mood in the monologue. The cheerless grate, indicates to his earlier depressed
heart, from a metaphorical point of view. The female lover, shuts the cold out, this
implies that the feelings of sorrow and loneliness in the man prior to the meeting are
being shut out. In literal terms though, she shuts the door and windows, preventing the
cold from prevailing in. Due to the presence of Porphyria, life came into both the
cottage as well as the man. Overall, the female is shown to bring warmth and light
into the cottage as earlierit was a dark and cold room. By making use of the classic
contrast between warmth and cold /dark and light present the narrator's contrasting
feelings.
On the other hand, Browning showcases the beliefs of the Victorian community as an
obstacle between the lovers, forbidding their togetherness. This is implied when the
narrator quotes Her hearts endeavor/... vainer ties dissever/ to me forever. The quote
vainer ties dissever refers to the Victorian social class structure. Within the
Victorian society rules , it is stated that a man or woman are restricted to marry not
beyond his or her own class. Clearly, a woman with the beauty like Porphyria's is
bound to be of a higher class whereas her lover, the one who besides in a cottage is
not. Hence, clarifying the need for their meeting to be in isolation. In Victorian times,
a woman could not imagine escaping her community to visit a man in isolation.

However, Porphyria defies this rule and secretly travels to the cottage. Although, her
love supposedly is her hearts endeavor, she due to her teachings, values, traditions
and rank in society prohibits herself from fulfilling her endeavor. Therefore,
Porphyria can never be the narrators. Browning, writes here only about the true
reality of the Victorian times, the period in which he lived in.Although, the Victorian
rules were clearly a barrier between their love, Porphyria does not abide by them. This
conveys to the reader to the extent Porphyria was willing to go to meet her lover.
Hence, the displaying the power within their love.
In order to posses Porphyria , the narrator forces upon himself a delusional mindset,
leading into her killing. The quotation which portrays his delusional mindset
are smiling, rosy head and had its utmost will. His uncertainty is displayed by the
quotes quite sure she felt no pain. The reader is mostly bewildered due to his
assumption of her desire to be killed. Obviously, the narrator in his own mind posses
his thoughts as if they were Porphyrias. In essence, the narrator is tricked by his own
mind but he is the one who allows it to. Browning describes Porphyrias on line 52,
after her death as being a smiling rosy head. This is directly related to delusoin in,
as he is confident towards the killing and assumes that now supposedly, Porphyria is
pleased with him, expresssing it as a smile. In reality however, her description best
fits to the facial expression those who suffered from strangulation, which the male
executes with the use of her own hair. Brownings belief, of Porphyria having her
utmost will, displays his firm belief in her wanting to be killed. Also, the lover, after
her death is reduced to an it, implying that she is only an object, a possesion of which
he is now the owner of. Browning therfore, presents a love so passionate that it steers
the male into a delusional mindset to such an extent that he is prepared to strangle his
lover.
To conclude, Robert Brownings dramatic monolgue is a highly disturbing narrative
of Porphyria and the anonymous male.Mostly due to the fact that one lover takes the
life if the other. Browning does not make his intention of writing the poem evident.
Browning, may be using this poem to influence the people, to bring about change in
their society and for lovers not to lose hope. Browning makes effective use of
contrasts, pathetic fallacies, delusion as well as the Victorian class structure to present
a tragic but pressumably similar common love stories in his times. As a keen reader I
enjoy reading unconventional texts.Porphyrias lover, appealed to me as it has a
unconventional theme of love accompanied by a thrilling, narrative. I have learnt, that
women in the past have not always had the frredom to do their own will as well as the
harsh reality of inter-class love in the Victorian times.