'Porphyria's Lover' reading journal

To begin with, Browning creates, a dark, vicious atmosphere through the use of the weather - "sullen wind" and "tore the elm-tops down for spite" especially suggest this, and in doing so, personification is used. It is as if the weather itself is in a bad mood. The arrival of Porphyria juxtaposes this, however, to "Blaze up, and made the cottage warm". It is as if she has the power to change the mood of the weather, and in doing so, Browning has placed complete attention on her. Porphyria herself is described as wearing "dripping cloak and shawl" and "soiled gloves" which suggests that she is dirty, and has most certainly been walking through the rain, in order to get to this cottage, and can be treated as a sign of devotion. It is Browning's attention to detail that amazes me most, particularly noting the "smooth white shoulder bare" and "yellow hair displaced", which in turn suggests that her hair is unorganised and has no specific pattern to it. He also talks of her "murmuring how she loved me" and does not mention her saying any specific words, as if he has become bored and faded out of the conversation, leaving her to mumble on. He comments that she is "too weak for her heart's endeavour, to set it's struggling passion free from pride" - it is as if she wants to tell him something deep and meaningful, but an internal force is trying to prevent her from doing so. She is struggling with the idea of commitment, and this could be why she murmurs - perhaps she is feeling nervous under his presence, and even more nervous to admit her emotions to him.

Browning writes of love as being a very strong which on occasion simply cannot be ignored - "Nor could to-night's gay feat restrain the feeling of one so pale" suggests that they are using a dinner as an obstruction, possibly in an attempt to draw attention away from the emotion, but it is simply too strong to ignore. Porphyria has admitted that she loves him, however, in the midst of this, he admits that his "heart swell". In terms of imagery, I see the heart began to increase in size, But cannot tell if this out of nervousness, or if this has become a confidence booster for what he is about to do. He becomes latched to the idea of her and her love, which I think is represented by his use if repetition ""mine, mine, fair". His tone at this point in the poem appears as being casual, which is especially surprising when he says "And strangled her" because this to me seems like something that I would consider as a chaotic moment, and would panic. Browning uses repetition again, saying "No pain felt she; I am quite sure she felt no pain" this time, however, I think he is using it to try and assure himself and the reader that she was not in pain. He is trying to calm himself, and answer the shock of the reader. He then makes a naturistic and metaphorical comparison - "As a shut bud that holds a bee, I warily oped her lids" It is as if he is the bee, being cautious and curious around the flower (Porphyria), who appears as the shut bud who gets his attention, much like it would a bee.

He continues to sound casual in his delivery "And I untightened next the tress About her neck" implying that this is an ordinary process for him. It is part of a routine that goes through on a regular basis - maybe Porphyria wasn't the only women to experience this. He has killed her, I think, to preserve her happy state. She can be forever in a happy pose, and he can rest with her "smiling rosy little head" forever and always, and it will never change. He concludes the poem by saying, or as the exclamation mark suggests, yelling the sentence "And yet God has not said a word!". Again, I think he attempting to protest to the reader that there was nothing wrong with what he has just done to this women, and if there was, God would have given a sign. Religion is used as a symbol, and as this symbol has not flashed in any way, he thinks that he is safe. However, he could also be protesting this out of paranoia. Maybe he is waiting for something bad to happen to him that will be caused by religion, and the suspense of waiting for a sign is driving him insane. Porphyrhia, however, is the only other person mentioned in this poem. He speaks so much of her, but we never hear her speak, so she is left to be a name without a voice, and only a description.