The Jealousy of a Woman
“The Laboratory” by Robert Browning is a poem about a woman being engrossed by jealousy. Browning uses many literary techniques to show the escalating changes of the main character. Through the tone, persona, and figure of speech, Browning utilizes these three elements in order to create the envious nature of the woman in the poem.
The poem begins with a tone that is filled with resentment, which also describes the speaker’s emotions that soon escalates erratically. The first sign of resent is when browning states: “Which is the poison to poison her, prithee?”(4). This shows the reader a negative tone, and foreshadows the idea that the speaker may be up to something evil. Aiding to the tone, Browning then reveals that the character is a jealous woman, as stated: “He is with her; and they know that I know” (5). This strengthens the idea that the speaker is plotting revenge. The tone soon shows erratic behavior as the speaker becomes instantly eager for the concoction, as stated: “I am not in haste!” The speaker wants to watch the concoction be made and does not want to leave. The tone rapidly shifts to disappointment as the reader see’s the creation, as stated: “Quick—is it finished? The color’s too grim! Why not soft like the phial's, enticing and dim?” The poison wasn’t what the woman imagined to be, and she becomes upset by it. Thus, the speaker switches from the emotion of resent, to other erratic emotions such as disappointment and eagerness.
Browning creates a main character, who is a woman, as the persona of the poem. The speaker gives the reader insight that she is jealous and upset, but is plotting something, as stated: “While they laugh, laugh at me, at me fled to the drear Empty church, to pray God in, for them!—I am here” .Contrasting from the church, the woman says “I am here” referring to the laboratory. Soon enough, the speaker reveals who she is jealous of, as stated: “And Pauline should have just thirty minutes to live! But to light a pastille,
The poem begins with a tone that is filled with resentment, which also describes the speaker’s emotions that soon escalates erratically. The first sign of resent is when browning states: “Which is the poison to poison her, prithee?”(4). This shows the reader a negative tone, and foreshadows the idea that the speaker may be up to something evil. Aiding to the tone, Browning then reveals that the character is a jealous woman, as stated: “He is with her; and they know that I know” (5). This strengthens the idea that the speaker is plotting revenge. The tone soon shows erratic behavior as the speaker becomes instantly eager for the concoction, as stated: “I am not in haste!” The speaker wants to watch the concoction be made and does not want to leave. The tone rapidly shifts to disappointment as the reader see’s the creation, as stated: “Quick—is it finished? The color’s too grim! Why not soft like the phial's, enticing and dim?” The poison wasn’t what the woman imagined to be, and she becomes upset by it. Thus, the speaker switches from the emotion of resent, to other erratic emotions such as disappointment and eagerness.
Browning creates a main character, who is a woman, as the persona of the poem. The speaker gives the reader insight that she is jealous and upset, but is plotting something, as stated: “While they laugh, laugh at me, at me fled to the drear Empty church, to pray God in, for them!—I am here” .Contrasting from the church, the woman says “I am here” referring to the laboratory. Soon enough, the speaker reveals who she is jealous of, as stated: “And Pauline should have just thirty minutes to live! But to light a pastille,