Poetry of Robert Browning Essay Example

Robert Browning used his poetry as a way of self-determination as many of the ideas expressed in his poems go against the current of the Victorian era. His poetry should be included in the texts list for the HSC because they not only offer examples of classic poetry but also provide insights into the 19th century English society in terms of behaviour, gender roles and religion. Three poems that are fine examples of this are "Porphyria's Lover", "My Last Duchess" and "The Laboratory." "Porphyria's lover" presents a man who is so restricted by his society's traditions and mores that he is driven to murder and sees it as a just action. "My Last Duchess" introduces a Duke who becomes consumed by his need to feel superior and in complete control, which also leads him to murder. "The Laboratory" concerns a woman driven by jealousy, defying all morals to achieve her own wants.

Porphyria's Lover, My Last Duchess and The Laboratory are all excellent examples of Browning's use of the dramatic monologue. This is a style of poem in which the narrator unwittingly reveals a dark secret or action of theirs whilst attempting to rationalise their actions to the audience and or their listener in the poem. The dramatic monologue allows the reader to enter the character's psyche and develop a deep understanding of their mindset. The poems are more about the state of mind of the speaker rather than the act they have, or plan to, commit.

Nineteenth century England was a time of gender inequality. Women were seen as inferior to males and, as evidenced in "Porphyria's Lover" and "My Last Duchess", objects of desire. Browning seems to comment negatively on this view of women, as the crimes against them and those who committed them in these 2 poems are portrayed as wrong and the reader empathises with the women. In "The Laboratory" the main character defies the social mores placed upon her and becomes a strong and ruthless character.

In "Porphyria's Lover", the narrator's