; personal response.. porphyria's lover

Complex love can be interpreted as the intricacy of feelings and actions associated with love itself. “Porphyria’s Lover” written by Robert Browning, displays several themes, such as dishonesty, infatuation, and madness, that relate directly to the concept of complex love. Porphyria immediately submits herself to the speaker by offering her everlasting support and worship, due to the fact that he initially acts completely unresponsive to her affection. The speaker, in fear of losing his lover, intentionally strangles her, in order to either preserve their love, or to take advantage of her physical existence. The actions described by the writer insinuate different intentions by the speaker, and provoke controversial thoughts in regards to the Victorian Era. Accordingly, the writer consistantly discusses gruesome themes in order to contribute to the confusion, and complexity within the poem itself. As a result, the literary work, Porphyria’s Lover, outlines qualities of immorality, passion and insanity…all contributing to the complexity of love within the Victorian Era.

Several instances in this literary work entail that the speaker was madly in love with Porphyria. Within the start of the poem, the writer describes Porphyria’s immense affection towards the speaker, while indicating that Porphyria worships him, “Happy and proud; at last I knew, Porphyria worshiped me: surprise”. The tone and mood of the poem strongly suggests that the speaker felt that their love, along with her worship, wouldn’t last forever due to social distractions…therefore resulting in her painless death. Accordingly, the irrational actions of the speaker are suggested to be acts of love, due to the fact that the reasoning behind Porphyria’s death was not to diminish her existence, but to prolong their passionate love, and to protect it from social distractions.

Although numerous themes throughout “Porphyria’s Lover” indicate the unconditional love between the speaker and Porphyria, various instances contribute to the complexity of love, by confusing the reader into believing that the death of Porphyria occurred in order to demolish her inner being. Women in the Victorian Era were described to be helpless, and completely dependent upon men. Within “Porphyria’s Lover” Browning grotesquely describes the worth of a women, through the brutal murder of Porphyria…resulting in the speaker attaining the physical love of Porphyria, without having to deal with her genuine existence. By saying, “And yet God has not said a word!” the speaker implies that he committed the crime of murder, without God doing anything about it. Furthermore, the implied gruesome acts of the speaker, contributes to the confusion, and complexity of love within the Victorian Era.

Weather has a significant importance within literary works, due to the fact that it establishes the mood, and surroundings of the poem itself. Within “Porphyria’s Lover,” Robert Browning describes the meaning of the work to be dismal, and unwelcoming through his use of imagery while initially describing the weather and the cottage itself. Browning writes “The rain set early in tonight, the sullen wind was soon awake, it tore the elm-tops down for spite, and did its worst to vex the lake” setting the melancholy mood of the literary setting. Although he describes the setting to be depressing and chilling, the poem itself is based around the multifaceted theme of love and affection. Accordingly, by describing gruesome themes aside from weather, such and murder and painless hate… the writer uses irony in regards to the legitimacy of the speaker’s love, and intentions. Furthermore, by discussing numerous gruesome themes, Porphyria’s Lover describes and contributes to the complexity of love, which was evident throughout the Victorian Era.

In conclusion, “Porphyria’s Lover”, a controversial piece of literature written by Robert Browning, contributes to the theme of complex love within the Victorian Era. Browning explores various aspects such as passion, madness and corruption in order to create an environment of controversy and confusion…directly reflecting society at the time. By demonstrating these intricacies, Robert Browning contributes to the complexity of love within the Victorian Era, through the literary work, Porphyria’s Lover.

j.p :)