Unrequited Love In Porphyrias Lover :: Porphyrias Lover Essays

Unrequited Love in "Porphyrias Lover" In Robert Brownings dramatic monologue "Porphyrias Lover," he introduces the persona, a twisted and abnormally possessive lover whose dealings are influenced by the perceived deliberation of others actions. As the monologue begins, a terrible, almost intentional storm sets upon the persona, who awaits his love, Porphyria. His lover "glides in" (l 6) from a "gay feast" (l 27) and attempts to calm her angry love. This leads to a disastrous end, either for spite or fulfillment of a figurative wish that "would now be comprehend" (l 57). Browning suggests one must be cautious of what one wishes for, especially in dealings with love, where one focuses on the heart rather than material consequences.     romanticist poems, plays and stories from the Victorian period in England dealt primarily with forbidden love. A class system set strongly in Brownings "Porphyrias Lover," or an aged bitterness in the midst of two families in Shakespeares "Romeo and Juliet," both prevented lovers from living "happily ever after." In literature it can be argued that there are two ways to line up together with a lover. The first is shoemakers last, as seen in Shakespeares dramatic plays and poetry, and the second is sexual. "Porphyrias Lover" is a reflection of both.     2Shakespeares story of "star-crossd lovers" begins with a prologue summarizing what events lead to the death "From forth the fatal loins of these two foes" (Hylton). Here the "ancient grudge that breaks to new mutiny, / Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean" leads to the foes "childrens end" (Hylton). In "Porphyrias Lover," the parallel of natures tremendous storm, and the personas own thoughts elude to his plans "The rain set early in tonight, / The sullen wind was soon awake" (l 1-2), his thoughts began to mold i nto a scheme, patch his rage corresponds with the storm as "It tore the elm-tops down for spite, / And it did its worst to vex the lake"(l 3-4). The aforementioned sentence foreshadows the events to come.     Porphyria enters from the storm into her lovers home, "When glided in Porphyria straight / She shut the cold egress and the storm, / And kneeled and made the cheerless grate / Blaze up, and all the cottage warm" (l 6-9), permitting the persona to feel safe in within himself and his surroundings. She sat by his brass "And called him. When no voice replied, / She put his arm about her waist, / And made her smooth white shoulder bare, / And all her yellow hair displaced" (l 15-18).