Comparing Poems 'My Last Duchess And' Porphyria's Lover
Robert Browning was a popular English poet, whom gained prominence during the Victorian era for his dramatic monologues. Readers are continuously drawn in by the manipulation, murder, mystery and inner thoughts of a psychopath, all of which are evident in his more disturbing poems, ‘My last duchess’ and ‘Porphyria’s Lover’. Browning reveals the blurred lines between control, love and mental instability by using subtle techniques such as his choice in the form of poem and satire.
Browning is able explore these controversial ideas in a conservative age, by using the form of dramatic monologue which is “regarded as the most significant poetic innovation of the Victorian age” (Allison Chapman). Dramatic monologues also known as a persona poem, …show more content…
Yet, Browning explores the idea in both poems. The arrogant nature of the duke makes it clear that the duke is both insane and dominating, shown in the line “That’s my last duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive”. Although the duke knows the difference between the duchess and the painting, he doesn’t register a difference as he has developed more of a relationship with the painting than the women the painting represents. Whereas, the Last duchess has a hidden theme of insanity, Porphyria’s lover is prominent. The very name of Porphyria is a rare disease, with symptoms including mental disturbance and death, allowing for the reader to have an indication of what is to come. The rhyme scheme of ABBAB mimics natural speech and has allowed some critics to suggest the regular rhyme scheme imitates a calm heartbeat, juxtaposing what a murder would actually feel after a murder. Once he had killed her, Porphyria’s lifeless eyes still “laughed” when he opens her eyelids. This contradicts what the audience expects, and suggests that he thinks he has done what she would want, so they can be together forever. The chilling last line “Yet God has not said a word!” clearly suggests that he believes what he did was right, for otherwise God would of punished him. The insanity of both characters through the duration of the poems is made clear through their actions and the subtlety of their implied
Browning is able explore these controversial ideas in a conservative age, by using the form of dramatic monologue which is “regarded as the most significant poetic innovation of the Victorian age” (Allison Chapman). Dramatic monologues also known as a persona poem, …show more content…
Yet, Browning explores the idea in both poems. The arrogant nature of the duke makes it clear that the duke is both insane and dominating, shown in the line “That’s my last duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive”. Although the duke knows the difference between the duchess and the painting, he doesn’t register a difference as he has developed more of a relationship with the painting than the women the painting represents. Whereas, the Last duchess has a hidden theme of insanity, Porphyria’s lover is prominent. The very name of Porphyria is a rare disease, with symptoms including mental disturbance and death, allowing for the reader to have an indication of what is to come. The rhyme scheme of ABBAB mimics natural speech and has allowed some critics to suggest the regular rhyme scheme imitates a calm heartbeat, juxtaposing what a murder would actually feel after a murder. Once he had killed her, Porphyria’s lifeless eyes still “laughed” when he opens her eyelids. This contradicts what the audience expects, and suggests that he thinks he has done what she would want, so they can be together forever. The chilling last line “Yet God has not said a word!” clearly suggests that he believes what he did was right, for otherwise God would of punished him. The insanity of both characters through the duration of the poems is made clear through their actions and the subtlety of their implied