3.1.1
Summary & Structure
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Summary of Porphyria’s Lover
Robert Browning's Porphyria's Lover is a dramatic monologue, delivered by Porphyria’s lover after he has murdered her and propped her corpse up next to him.
Browning
- Robert Browning is the husband of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, author of Sonnet 29.
- Robert Browning was a key Victorian poet.
- He follows on from the tradition of Romantics such as Shelley and Byron.
- However, many of his poems are more concerned with particular anxieties of the Victorian era – particularly those of morality in both the public and private spheres.
Context
- We see in this poem a man who seems mentally unstable, yet in his own mind he has created a perfectly respectable scene.
- In the title, there is an implication of Porphyria’s own guilt in this situation. She has a lover, which implies that it is a relationship outside the realms of Victorian respectability.
Wider symbolism
- Beyond this Victorian setting, the poem is an exploration of a dysfunctional relationship in the most extreme sense – the man wants to have total control over his lover, and he cannot imagine any other way to do this except for killing her.
- There is little communication between the two.
- Browning presents this poem as a dark and twisted version of what love is. The narrator is so focused on his own desires that he has been driven mad.
Form and Structure of Porphyria’s Lover
Here's some interpretations of the form and structure of Porphyria's Lover:
Dramatic monologue
- The poem is delivered in one long stanza. We are only given the direct speech of our murderous narrator. All speech from Porphyria is reported, and she is muffled even then as she is "murmuring how she loved [him]."
- Therefore, our narrator is presenting Porphyria in a muffled and silenced way even while she is alive – just the way he prefers her to be.
Enjambement
- There is extended use of enjambement (sentences flowing over the ends of lines) in the poem.
- This could be a subtle hint at the true instability of the narrator, even though his tone seems calm on the surface.
- The regular rhyme scheme and calm tone create a sense of cohesion (togetherness). But the enjambement undermines this.
1When We Two Parted - Lord Byron (1788-1824)
2Love’s Philosophy - Percy Bysshe Shelley
3Porphyria’s Lover - Robert Browning (1812-1889)
4Sonnet 29 - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
4.1Sonnet 29 – ‘I think of thee!’ Analysis
5Neutral Tones - Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)
6Letters from Yorkshire - Maura Dooley (Born 1957)
6.1Letters from Yorkshire Analysis
7The Farmer’s Bride - Charlotte Mew (1869-1928)
8Walking Away - Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972)
8.1Walking Away Analysis
9Eden Rock - Charles Causley (1917-2003)
10Follower - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)
10.1Follower Analysis
11‘Mother, Any Distance’ - Simon Armitage (Born 1963
11.1'Mother, Any Distance' Analysis
12Before You Were Mine - Carol Ann Duffy (Born 1955)
12.1Before You Were Mine Analysis
13Winter Swans - Owen Sheers (Born 1974)
14Singh Song! - Daljit Nagra (Born 1966)
14.1Singh Song! Analysis
15Climbing My Grandfather - Andrew Waterhouse
15.1Climbing My Grandfather Analysis
16Grade 9 - Comparisons
16.1Grade 9 - Comparisons
17Recap: Main Quotes
17.1Recap: Main Quotes
17.1.1When We Two Parted - Lord Byron (1788-1824)17.1.2Love’s Philosophy - Percy Bysshe Shelley17.1.3Porphyria’s Lover - Robert Browning (1812-1889)17.1.4Sonnet 29 - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (17.1.5Neutral Tones - Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)17.1.6Letters from Yorkshire - Maura Dooley (Born 1957)17.1.7The Farmer’s Bride - Charlotte Mew (1869-1928)17.1.8Walking Away - Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972)17.1.9Eden Rock - Charles Causley (1917-2003)17.1.10Follower - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)17.1.11‘Mother, Any Distance’ - Simon Armitage (Born1963)17.1.12Before You Were Mine - Carol Ann Duffy (Born 1955)17.1.13Winter Swans - Owen Sheers (Born 1974)17.1.14Singh Song! - Daljit Nagra (Born 1966)17.1.15Climbing My Grandfather - Andrew Waterhouse
Jump to other topics
1When We Two Parted - Lord Byron (1788-1824)
2Love’s Philosophy - Percy Bysshe Shelley
3Porphyria’s Lover - Robert Browning (1812-1889)
4Sonnet 29 - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
4.1Sonnet 29 – ‘I think of thee!’ Analysis
5Neutral Tones - Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)
6Letters from Yorkshire - Maura Dooley (Born 1957)
6.1Letters from Yorkshire Analysis
7The Farmer’s Bride - Charlotte Mew (1869-1928)
8Walking Away - Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972)
8.1Walking Away Analysis
9Eden Rock - Charles Causley (1917-2003)
10Follower - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)
10.1Follower Analysis
11‘Mother, Any Distance’ - Simon Armitage (Born 1963
11.1'Mother, Any Distance' Analysis
12Before You Were Mine - Carol Ann Duffy (Born 1955)
12.1Before You Were Mine Analysis
13Winter Swans - Owen Sheers (Born 1974)
14Singh Song! - Daljit Nagra (Born 1966)
14.1Singh Song! Analysis
15Climbing My Grandfather - Andrew Waterhouse
15.1Climbing My Grandfather Analysis
16Grade 9 - Comparisons
16.1Grade 9 - Comparisons
17Recap: Main Quotes
17.1Recap: Main Quotes
17.1.1When We Two Parted - Lord Byron (1788-1824)17.1.2Love’s Philosophy - Percy Bysshe Shelley17.1.3Porphyria’s Lover - Robert Browning (1812-1889)17.1.4Sonnet 29 - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (17.1.5Neutral Tones - Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)17.1.6Letters from Yorkshire - Maura Dooley (Born 1957)17.1.7The Farmer’s Bride - Charlotte Mew (1869-1928)17.1.8Walking Away - Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972)17.1.9Eden Rock - Charles Causley (1917-2003)17.1.10Follower - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)17.1.11‘Mother, Any Distance’ - Simon Armitage (Born1963)17.1.12Before You Were Mine - Carol Ann Duffy (Born 1955)17.1.13Winter Swans - Owen Sheers (Born 1974)17.1.14Singh Song! - Daljit Nagra (Born 1966)17.1.15Climbing My Grandfather - Andrew Waterhouse
Practice questions on Summary & Structure
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Which of these are true about Robert Browning?True / false
- 2
- 3What poetic era was Browning from?Multiple choice
- 4What is the form of _Porphyria's Lover_?Multiple choice
- 5Structure and form of _Porphyria's Lover_:True / false
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