Robert Browning used his poem “Porphyria” to tell a story of a young girl’s murder. Our text tells us it was inspired by the alleged murder committed by Alfonso II duke of Ferrara. In this poem we see the psychopathic nature of the person telling the story. The story began on a stormy night and ends in murder.
I have read dark poems before. Edgar Allen Poe wrote many dark and disturbing poems. I was surprised by this poem. The climax took me entirely by surprise. The poem begins with a story of a maiden coming home to her man and wanting to please him. “She put my arm around her waist, / and made her smooth white shoulder bare.” (line 16 & 17) She bares her shoulder and lets her hair down. She is trying to entice him. She wants his attention and his love. Her desire for his affection ultimately endangers her life. “Happy and proud; at last I knew / Porphyria worshipped me; surprise / Made my heart swell, and still it grew / While I debated what to do.” (line 32 – 35) A beautiful woman loves him and desires him. What does he need to debate? He makes a decision to take action.
“That moment she was mine; mine, fair
Perfectly pure and good; I found
A thing to do, and all her hair
In one long yellow string I wound
Three times her little throat around,
And strangles her.” (line 36 – 41).
I just wanted to scream No, you monster!
This poem is very different from others we have read. There have been many poems dealing with religion and love. “Porphyria” is rough and dangerous. . I think the woman in the poem is his mistress. He just seems to be so detached from her. He does not become emotional until he realizes how much she loves him. This poem is so disturbing. It reminds me of someone like Scott Peterson who killed his pregnant wife. There was no remorse over what he did. This poem left me feeling devastated and disgusted. The speaker is so smug about killing this young woman. It leaves me felling dirty after reading it.
Joan,
ReplyDeleteGood job of communicating your emotional response to Robert Browning's chilling dramatic monologue. You make a number of good connections of this text to people, books and events. I believe that you misread the connection to Duke Alfonso II of Ferrara, though—he is the likely source for another poem, "My Last Duchess."
What is even more twisted and horrifying is that he seems to kill her in an attempt to preserve her love in that moment, and then he sits with her corpse for the rest of the evening. YUCK!
ReplyDeleteI like the connections you make to the text. This is a very good evaluation of the poem. I like that you relate the darkness of the poem to Poe. I agree that it is disturbing that a person would kill one they love or who loves them to preserve that love.
ReplyDeleteI like the connections you make to the text. This is a very good evaluation of the poem. I like that you relate the darkness of the poem to Poe. I agree that it is disturbing that a person would kill one they love or who loves them to preserve that love.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the poem again, I almost get a spiritual connection of him to the way he kills her. It's almost like killing her is the way to keep her love. I will never understand why people kill, but this gives me a little understanding in some points. I agree with you Sarah though, GROSE!
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