T.S. Eliot was greatly influenced by many different writers, whose ideas are partly found, in his poem "The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock" "Prufrock." His passion for the French Symbolists, like Mallarme, Rimbaud, and Baudelaire was without a doubt pushing him to write the way he was. He uses a sensuous language and has an eye for unnerving detail that nevertheless contributes to the overall beauty of his writing style. The "yellow smoke" (24) and the "arms that are bracelet and white and bare (but in the lamplight, downed with light brown hair!)" (63-64) are perfect example of his tendency to stress on little details to make his readers even more into the scene.
The poem is an internal monologue where Prufrock reveals himself as lonely and timid. Prufrock is a man in conflict with his duality, the society he has to live in, and the long lost dreams of his youth. Hot and cold, fire and water; duality is part of nature. Prufrock is not in harmony with his two sides. On the surface Prufrock is like a field mouse, frozen by fear who asks, "Do I dare? And Do I dare?" (38) Inside is a tiger that knows there is time to "murder and create." (28) I feel like Prufrock is a tiger in the body of a mouse. Prufrock fears he is not able to meet society’s standard. He fears society will have him "pinned and wriggling on the wall." (58) J. Alfred Prufrock is afraid, not only of what they will say, but how society will look at him. He is extremely concerned with his self-image. Prufrock’s inner tiger wants to be "riding seaward on the waves" (125) and experience the passion of his young age. He is aroused by the perfume from a dress, but is held back by fear. Now, he only dreams of "one night cheap hotels," (6) because he knows those times are past. He has seen his life pass by, little by little, and knows death is awaiting him; laughing at a life half lived. You should not have any regrets or be scared of something you did not accomplish otherwise it leads to the well known "midlife crisis" that no one wishes to experience.
"Prufrock" ends with the hero assigning himself a role: While he claims not to want to be Hamlet, he may yet be useful and important as "an attendant lord, one that will do / To swell a progress, start a scene or two." (112-113)This implies that there is a "follow-through" between Shakespeare's world and ours, that Hamlet is still relevant to us and that we are still part of a world that could reproduce the intensity of Shakespeare's plays. Eliot implicitly suggests, however, that as an "attendant lord" maybe he can become another Hamlet. "Prufrock" ends with a devaluation of its hero. The last line of the poem suggests that when the world intrudes, when "human voices wake us," (131) the dream is shattered: "we drown." (131) With this single line, Eliot dismantles the romantic notion that poetic genius is all that is needed to triumph over the destructive, impersonal forces of the modern world. In reality, Eliot shows that he is a little better than his creation: He differs from Prufrock only by retaining a bit of hubris, which shows through from time to time. The poem, an internal monologue, reveals the timidity,loneliness, and sadness of J. Alfred Prufrock
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats... A better world...
Yeats' poem "The Second Coming" is one of his most famous poems; it is also for me one of most challenging one to fully grasp. However, I wanted to comment on it because of the beautiful imagery he used throughout the piece.The first stanza begins with the image of a falcon flying in circle in the sky, far away from the falconer who released it: "Turning and turning in the widening gyre, the falcon cannot hear the falconer" (1-2) The first paragraph talks about the bird that continues to "wheel" and "gyre" further and further away from the falconer. This metaphor could stand for the young people who have decided to go "away" from their parents and gain some independence. It is also a metaphor for a new beginning as far as art, litterature or music is concerned. Yeats believed he was in a time of transition.The poem was composed in 1920 (second paragraph on p.1115) The last two lines of the first stanza are just a comment on people's behavior during this time period. Yeats says "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." (7-8) This also suggests a comparison between the best, whom Yeats identifies as head people, the intellectuals that are not necessarily making the right decision for the citizens by "lack of conviction," and the worst, whom Yeats associates with the mob who are those who tend to react with more passion rather than careful intellectual study and expression. In the two stanzas of the poem, two different kind of birsd are used as a metaphor. In the first stanza of the poem, Yeats gives us the first one: "the falcon." In the second part of the poem Yeats gives us the second bird metaphor in the form of "indignant desert birds." (17) There is a massive beast, described as a Sphinx who began to move its "slow thighs." (16) the birds became agitated and took off. The birds are flying around above the slowly moving Sphinx. At the start of the second stanza Yeats calls for a a big event to happen, saying "Surely some revelation is at hand." (9) Yeats is the revelator because he gives us a powerful vision of The Second Coming. This is the image of a "rough beast" (21) which has the intelligence of a man and the fierce emotions and body type of a lion. Furthermore, Yeats suggests that the body movement of the beast, the "slouching" (22) movement is what is moving the Christ closer and closer to "Bethlehem." (22). For Keats, Bethlehem is the symbol of a new age; the vision of the rising sphinx is his vision of the character of the new world. This illustrates Yeats as a modern prophet. It is of major importance that Yeats describes the Sphinx as "A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun," (15) because spiritual leaders are known to "gaze blankly" as they transmit "the Godly message" to their disciples. The "Second Coming" (10) is implying that Yeats is talking about Christ maing an appearance on Earth to give a lesson to men. After Yeats presents this brilliant visionary image, he says "The darkness drops again." (18) His "perfect" vision ends and he starts wondering again, by asking a question. I found that poem to be kind of a riddle for his readers. Throughout the poem, there are hints as to what the answer to the riddle could be. However, Yeats does not want to give away his full thought and makes his reader wonder. First Yeats presents the broken image of the falcon dissociating from its master. Then Yeats presents the broken image of many birds flying around the Sphinx. But the Sphinx itself is a single whole image. The Sphinx which could be described as a "big cat" for "reality example" purposes who would be able to eat the birds. The Sphinx is therefore thought of as mightier than the birds. The idea of being mighty is amplified by the very size of the Sphinx. However the image shown in the poem conflicts with the conventional Christian idea that Jesus Christ overcomes the "Beast of Revelation" as indicated by the scriptures. So Yeats is challenging certain images in conventional Christianity showing an advancement in people's mind at that time regarding every aspects of life, material as well as spiritual.
World War I... Rupert Brooke...Love of the Motherland
War poets were really enjoyable to read. I was impressed by how much intensity they could convey through a few lines. I noticed that they tend to be shorter than other poem as if they wanted to make their point coming across clearer. I decided to comment on a poem I really liked. Rupert Brooke’s poem ‘The Soldier’ is a traditional sonnet in which Brooke demonstrates his love for England and how he believes it is right to fight and die for his country. Patriotism and honor probably had a powerful impact on Brooke, a much stronger effect than it would have on any one nowadays. However, I feel like Brooke never really witnessed the true horror of World War I, as he “fortunately” (if we can say that…) died in 1915 before he actually got to fight in it. Therefore his poem is very idealistic and has a very traditional viewpoint. This poem deals mainly with the thoughts and feelings of a man who loves his country dearly. War seems to be something much deeper in "The Soldier" than it is usually thought of. "The Soldier" is a very short poem which consists of only two stanzas. It is a wartime poem which adroitly draws our attention to the morale of the soldiers during that particular period.
Also, another way to look at this poem is to understand his feelings on death and afterlife. Brooke shows genuine optimism about his perception of the afterlife, and he believes that there is a place where pain and suffering is void as shown on line 9-10: “And think, this heart, all evil shed away, a pulse in the Eternal mind…” Brooke tells of this imaginary place, “under an English heaven,” (14) that resembles to England but that is better in respects to possessing the power of creating a more perfect setting where evil is just an old nightmare. Memories are restored of laughter and old acquaintances where everyone is at peace, and dreams are lived out as mentioned: “And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness.” (13) This place that Brooke describes is a mixture of England at its top and his own understanding of heaven.
Also, another way to look at this poem is to understand his feelings on death and afterlife. Brooke shows genuine optimism about his perception of the afterlife, and he believes that there is a place where pain and suffering is void as shown on line 9-10: “And think, this heart, all evil shed away, a pulse in the Eternal mind…” Brooke tells of this imaginary place, “under an English heaven,” (14) that resembles to England but that is better in respects to possessing the power of creating a more perfect setting where evil is just an old nightmare. Memories are restored of laughter and old acquaintances where everyone is at peace, and dreams are lived out as mentioned: “And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness.” (13) This place that Brooke describes is a mixture of England at its top and his own understanding of heaven.
Channel Firing by Thomas Hardy... Judgment Day
Channel Firing by Thomas Hardy was written in the time frame when the English army was exercising at sea at the dawn of World War I. First person is used throughout the poem; we can assume it is one of the “dead person” buried (maybe an ex-serviceman, a hero) talking while the windows are being shattered by the blast and quivering of guns being fired for “practice” (10) in the English Channel. The fracas was so intense that all the “dead men” believed “Judgment Day” (4) has come. We can envision the frightening “comic” of the scene there when the skeletons are portrayed suddenly sitting up as if they were ready for the great day to finally arrive.
The humor takes an impudent turn as Hardy brings in God into actions, reassuring the corpses that it is not time for the Judgment Day but merely “gunnery practice” (10), adding that the world is as it was when the dead men “went below” (11) to their graves. That is a general statement saying that every country is trying to make its methods of destruction more efficient to “win over the world.” Unfortunately, the only way they can achieve that is by shedding more blood, making “red war yet redder.” (14) God sees the world as insane. There is no brightness in the future by going to war. The pride of a country should be watching its citizen grow old. The dead are obviously now “helpless in such matters”. In other words, the living does nothing “for Christes sake.” (15) Note how the old fashioned spelling, “Christes,” adds to the humor of the stanza. God carries on, observing that those to blame for the “gunnery practice” are lucky that it is not the Day of Judgment. Otherwise, their belligerent threats would be punished by their having “to scour Hell’s floor…” (19-20) While the suggested chastisement is somewhat absurd, and so comic, it is almost a fitting one. Certainly Hell, if there is such a place, seems the appropriate one for the war makers. With a hint of malevolence, God claims that He will guarantee that His Judgment Day will be far worse than they imagine stating with such condescension (laugh): “Ha, ha. It will be warmer when I blow the trumpet…” (21-24) He admits that He may not insist, though, as everlasting rest seems more suited to the human condition. The scriptural illustration of the blowing of the trumpet that warns for the end of the world seems rather ironic when God, Himself, plainly uses it.
After line 25, it seems like God stops talking as if he thought his intervention was explicit enough. Right then, the skeletons started to talk to each other about the gunnery practice wondering if men will ever realize that the world would be a better place without any wars. That clearly is a denunciation of armed conflict. Significantly, while many of the skeletons nod, “And many a skeleton shook his head,” (29) as if to imply that man will never acknowledge peace. The preacher, himself, lost hope in human nature and wished he had not lost his time giving sermons to people not willing to receive them. He mentions that “Instead of preaching forty years” (30) he would rather have “…stuck to pipes and beers.” (32). That shows great desperation on his part; he, who devoted so much of his life to others, is now contemplating men’s craziness.
The last stanza of the poem drops the somewhat “over-exaggerated” humor of the previous lines. Instead, Hardy writes of the threatening sound of the guns, ready “to avenge.” (34) What does he mean? Avenging what? Do men even know or realize why they do what they do? Perhaps he further suggests that civilizations are hopeless because man's nature never makes any moral progress whatever era we are in.
Even though the poem is meant to make his reader grin, it is written with a tad of dry wit; the humor is of a macabre kind, and “Channel Firing” is not a light-hearted piece. The humor is actually meant seriously to show the stupidity and ignorance of those who wish to make war and think they will profit from it. On the long-run, wars hurt every one of those participating in them.
The humor takes an impudent turn as Hardy brings in God into actions, reassuring the corpses that it is not time for the Judgment Day but merely “gunnery practice” (10), adding that the world is as it was when the dead men “went below” (11) to their graves. That is a general statement saying that every country is trying to make its methods of destruction more efficient to “win over the world.” Unfortunately, the only way they can achieve that is by shedding more blood, making “red war yet redder.” (14) God sees the world as insane. There is no brightness in the future by going to war. The pride of a country should be watching its citizen grow old. The dead are obviously now “helpless in such matters”. In other words, the living does nothing “for Christes sake.” (15) Note how the old fashioned spelling, “Christes,” adds to the humor of the stanza. God carries on, observing that those to blame for the “gunnery practice” are lucky that it is not the Day of Judgment. Otherwise, their belligerent threats would be punished by their having “to scour Hell’s floor…” (19-20) While the suggested chastisement is somewhat absurd, and so comic, it is almost a fitting one. Certainly Hell, if there is such a place, seems the appropriate one for the war makers. With a hint of malevolence, God claims that He will guarantee that His Judgment Day will be far worse than they imagine stating with such condescension (laugh): “Ha, ha. It will be warmer when I blow the trumpet…” (21-24) He admits that He may not insist, though, as everlasting rest seems more suited to the human condition. The scriptural illustration of the blowing of the trumpet that warns for the end of the world seems rather ironic when God, Himself, plainly uses it.
After line 25, it seems like God stops talking as if he thought his intervention was explicit enough. Right then, the skeletons started to talk to each other about the gunnery practice wondering if men will ever realize that the world would be a better place without any wars. That clearly is a denunciation of armed conflict. Significantly, while many of the skeletons nod, “And many a skeleton shook his head,” (29) as if to imply that man will never acknowledge peace. The preacher, himself, lost hope in human nature and wished he had not lost his time giving sermons to people not willing to receive them. He mentions that “Instead of preaching forty years” (30) he would rather have “…stuck to pipes and beers.” (32). That shows great desperation on his part; he, who devoted so much of his life to others, is now contemplating men’s craziness.
The last stanza of the poem drops the somewhat “over-exaggerated” humor of the previous lines. Instead, Hardy writes of the threatening sound of the guns, ready “to avenge.” (34) What does he mean? Avenging what? Do men even know or realize why they do what they do? Perhaps he further suggests that civilizations are hopeless because man's nature never makes any moral progress whatever era we are in.
Even though the poem is meant to make his reader grin, it is written with a tad of dry wit; the humor is of a macabre kind, and “Channel Firing” is not a light-hearted piece. The humor is actually meant seriously to show the stupidity and ignorance of those who wish to make war and think they will profit from it. On the long-run, wars hurt every one of those participating in them.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Impression du Matin by Oscar Wilde... French roots in that poem...
Oscar Wilde was more famous (to me) for his oeuvre “Le portrait de Dorian Gray,” but, even though it was extremely short, “Impression du Matin” is an awesome lesson on life. The French title recalls the name of an Impressionist painting. In fact the poem is a description of London at sunrise and is based on colors and sounds. Wilde wants us to “dive ourselves” into the scene by making us feel the rising atmosphere. Blue, yellow and grey are the dominant colors. They are cold colors and they fit well to the fading of night. The magic atmosphere of blue and gold melts in grey and yellow nuances. Cold fog spreads all over the place. We feel the quiet power of silence. Suddenly an unreal sight: Saint Paul’s dome floats on the fog over the city.
This poem indeed seems like a romantic poem, using beautiful imagery to describe the Thames River. However, the simple fact that the nature being described is the Thames is a clue, a river stuck in the middle of London, a capital of business and chaos, which Wilde recognizes with the “barge with ochre-coloured hay.” (3) What message does he want to convey? Is it a critique of human evolution over such a beauty of nature like the Thames? The message Wilde is intending to transmit is unclear at this point.
In the second part of the poem sounds and motion dominate: the city is waking up: carts fill the streets, everyone starts work, as mentioned: “the streets were stirred with country wagons” (10-11). Also nature seems to wake up: a little bird sings on the wet roofs: “and a bird flew to the glistening roofs and sang.” But everything fades away when in the fore ground a lonely woman comes forward to symbolize human solitude. The fourth stanza really helped me understand the whole point of that poem. He is describing a prostitute as he writes: “the daylight kissing her wan hair, loitered beneath the gas lamps’ flare, with lips of flame and heart of tone.” (14-16) “Beneath the gas lamps’ flare” indicates a location that we often attribute to a place where prostitutes are when they “work.” Also, “lips of flame” portraits the physical cliché appearance of those “ladies of charms.” This is a confusing shift in subject matter, as at first Wilde describes a painting, but a prostitute, or any human figure, for that matter, is found in the painting. This assists the clarity of the poem, confirming the poem is indeed a commentary on society. Her description is a striking contrast to the colorful imagery of her surroundings. Her description is suddenly insipid as far as colors are concerned. No more of those colorful depictions just as if he wants his readers to observe the contrast: “But one pale woman all alone.” (13)
I looked up “wan” (14) in dictionary and found that in every definition, almost every usage, “wan” is used to describe skin, generally on the face. Because one does generally think of the face when “wan” is the adjective, the object "hair" allows for the imagery of a hair color not found in nature, almost transparent. Wilde uses this imagery effectively, conveying society’s view of prostitution as almost transparent, not seeing the poor, those who are forced to do what they would not otherwise do in order to survive. Also in the last stanza is the questionable use of “loitered” (15) as opposed to the grammatically correct “loitering,” possibly implying she is not lurking of her own accord, it is something society has forced upon her.
“Impression du Matin” is a misleading poem, sucking the reader in with a lovely description of a river, something that most of us are familiar with, and ending surprisingly with social commentary regarding prostitution, a sometimes taboo subject especially in the 19th century. I believe this adds to the success of the poem. Since the last stanza is so abrupt, it stands out, not only in the poem itself, but in some of the lasting thoughts of the readers.
This poem indeed seems like a romantic poem, using beautiful imagery to describe the Thames River. However, the simple fact that the nature being described is the Thames is a clue, a river stuck in the middle of London, a capital of business and chaos, which Wilde recognizes with the “barge with ochre-coloured hay.” (3) What message does he want to convey? Is it a critique of human evolution over such a beauty of nature like the Thames? The message Wilde is intending to transmit is unclear at this point.
In the second part of the poem sounds and motion dominate: the city is waking up: carts fill the streets, everyone starts work, as mentioned: “the streets were stirred with country wagons” (10-11). Also nature seems to wake up: a little bird sings on the wet roofs: “and a bird flew to the glistening roofs and sang.” But everything fades away when in the fore ground a lonely woman comes forward to symbolize human solitude. The fourth stanza really helped me understand the whole point of that poem. He is describing a prostitute as he writes: “the daylight kissing her wan hair, loitered beneath the gas lamps’ flare, with lips of flame and heart of tone.” (14-16) “Beneath the gas lamps’ flare” indicates a location that we often attribute to a place where prostitutes are when they “work.” Also, “lips of flame” portraits the physical cliché appearance of those “ladies of charms.” This is a confusing shift in subject matter, as at first Wilde describes a painting, but a prostitute, or any human figure, for that matter, is found in the painting. This assists the clarity of the poem, confirming the poem is indeed a commentary on society. Her description is a striking contrast to the colorful imagery of her surroundings. Her description is suddenly insipid as far as colors are concerned. No more of those colorful depictions just as if he wants his readers to observe the contrast: “But one pale woman all alone.” (13)
I looked up “wan” (14) in dictionary and found that in every definition, almost every usage, “wan” is used to describe skin, generally on the face. Because one does generally think of the face when “wan” is the adjective, the object "hair" allows for the imagery of a hair color not found in nature, almost transparent. Wilde uses this imagery effectively, conveying society’s view of prostitution as almost transparent, not seeing the poor, those who are forced to do what they would not otherwise do in order to survive. Also in the last stanza is the questionable use of “loitered” (15) as opposed to the grammatically correct “loitering,” possibly implying she is not lurking of her own accord, it is something society has forced upon her.
“Impression du Matin” is a misleading poem, sucking the reader in with a lovely description of a river, something that most of us are familiar with, and ending surprisingly with social commentary regarding prostitution, a sometimes taboo subject especially in the 19th century. I believe this adds to the success of the poem. Since the last stanza is so abrupt, it stands out, not only in the poem itself, but in some of the lasting thoughts of the readers.
Pied Beauty by Gerard Hopkins... Praise to God!
Hopkins was extremely hard to understand for me. That is weird since he is a “modern” writer or should I say a “late Victorian/early modern” writer as mentioned at the top of page 773. I felt as lost as I did on some of the hard Romantic poems. I would have assumed word choices for a modern writer would have been easier to comprehend. I decided to write on “Pied Beauty” which inspired me the most. This sonnet is a tune of praise to God the Creator. The sonnet begins by stating this clearly, “Glory be to God for…” (1) and has a nice straight-forward end by concluding with, “Praise him.” (11). Hopkins is concerned with reflecting the splendor and diversity of the created world. For example, we are asked to consider the beauty of the “skies of couple colors as a brinded cow” (2) and then shortly after, we are directed to the minute detail and beauty of “rose-moles” (3) on swimming trout. Moreover, on the following verse, the beauty of “finches’ wings” (4) is contrasted with that of an entire landscape. Hopkins uses a particularly effective metaphor to describe the beauty of cankers: “Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls;” (4)
Here he is describing cankers that have just dropped from the tree. He is particularly trying to point out their shiny, red beauty when they first come out of the tree. He compares them to red hot coal burning in a fire. This effectively conveys both their brightness and their red color. However, we know that for Hopkins the presence of God is symbolized by light. So the presence of God in his creation is conveyed here in the fire metaphor and brings to mind the opening lines of the sonnet, “God’s Grandeur” (line 2-3 on page 774, other poem), for here the presence of God does “flame out” in the shiny, new cankers.
Moreover, this short poem keeps praising the infinite variety found in creation. However, the poet now gives emphasis to contrasting qualities rather than scale. We find opposing qualities put side by side for example, “swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim” (9)
Finally, we notice that throughout this entire sonnet, the poet has chronic succession of two words starting with “f”: ‘Fresh firecoal (4)… falls, finches’ (4) … fold, fallow (5) … fickle, freckled (8)… fathers forth (10).” Is there any significance behind that? A subliminal message he wants to convey? Perhaps the answer lies in the final phrase. It seems that the ‘ff’ is a kind of symbolism for God the Father (starting with F) whose creative hand is to be found everywhere in this world down below.
Here he is describing cankers that have just dropped from the tree. He is particularly trying to point out their shiny, red beauty when they first come out of the tree. He compares them to red hot coal burning in a fire. This effectively conveys both their brightness and their red color. However, we know that for Hopkins the presence of God is symbolized by light. So the presence of God in his creation is conveyed here in the fire metaphor and brings to mind the opening lines of the sonnet, “God’s Grandeur” (line 2-3 on page 774, other poem), for here the presence of God does “flame out” in the shiny, new cankers.
Moreover, this short poem keeps praising the infinite variety found in creation. However, the poet now gives emphasis to contrasting qualities rather than scale. We find opposing qualities put side by side for example, “swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim” (9)
Finally, we notice that throughout this entire sonnet, the poet has chronic succession of two words starting with “f”: ‘Fresh firecoal (4)… falls, finches’ (4) … fold, fallow (5) … fickle, freckled (8)… fathers forth (10).” Is there any significance behind that? A subliminal message he wants to convey? Perhaps the answer lies in the final phrase. It seems that the ‘ff’ is a kind of symbolism for God the Father (starting with F) whose creative hand is to be found everywhere in this world down below.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Porphyria's Lover by Robert Browning... Destructive love...
The poem “Porphyria’s Lover” by Robert Browning is based on the concept of power and possession. It tells the story of passionate lovers. The effect of using dramatic monologue to convey this idea is very effective. “Porphyria’s Lover,” is the dramatic monologue seen from the perspective of the Lover. This could even be an internal monologue. The Lover is going through, in his head, the events of the previous day and night. The use of only one person speaking gives off the dominance which is important in the understanding of this poem.
The lover also shows his abnormal disposition: he is more than likely talking to himself as no one else is known to be present throughout his speech.
First of all, we are led to believe the “cottage” in which they meet is isolated and that it doesn't belong to either of them. This gives us the sense of secrecy and seclusion which is reflected in their love for each other. There also seems to be obstacles between where Porphyria has come from and the “cottage”, since Browning uses the “storm” as a metaphor to exemplify the intensity of their love by overcoming the barriers between them. Porphyria is seen as being graceful, as she “glided” (6) through the door and also as a very warm person, by the way she brings warmth into the cottage: “When she came in she shut the cold and the storm out” (7). It seems like right after the time she came into the room a moment of awkwardness and silence is created as shown in the sentence “When no voice replied…” (15). This lack of response leads Porphyria to be very seductive. She “put my arm about her waist and made her smooth white shoulder bare,” (16-17). She also tries to control the situation in a very loving way. She seems able to voice her feelings freely as well, “murmuring how she loved me” (21). All of these show her need for physical contact. She places her hair in a way that is appealing, etc... However, all this seduction does not satisfy the Lover. After this has happened, the Lover states his criticism of her, saying she is “too weak” (22). This however tells more about the character of the Lover than the one of Porphyria. It shows his very high expectations and his dissatisfaction. The Lover in this poem is very possessive of Porphyria. He believes that he is admirable enough to obtain Porphyria’s reverence “At last I knew Porphyria worshipped me” (32-33). We see his arrogance here, both in his expectation and in the way he feels worthy of this “worship”.
In the beginning of the poem, the Lover is regarded as being dissatisfied with Porphyria’s love for him. He is, around the end, seen as being very arrogant and vain. He believes he is a god-like figure worthy not only of Porphyria’s love but also of her worshipping him (which is extremely pretentious). He also thinks that he has the right to end her life which shows the mental issue the Lover had. He shows his insanity by his obsession with the idea of perfection of their love. He shows it in other ways, like his overpowering possessiveness, which leads him to kill Porphyria so that he can immortalize the moment of perfection. “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 strangled her.” (37-41) It also seems like right afterwards he might be regretting his action because he repeats to himself twice: “No pain felt she; I am quite sure she felt no pain” (41-42). He wants to reassure himself that he did not do anything wrong and that she did not suffer so, therefore, in his mind, it was the best thing to do. However, another way he demonstrates his insanity is the fact that he opens her eyes and kisses her when she is dead. After he has done this he believes she “blushed bright beneath my burning kiss” (48). This behavior is both neurotic and frightening.
At the end, the lover has managed to convince himself that what he has done is right as “God has not said a word” (60). This is a worrying thought, and it makes the reader ask what the Lover expected God to do to show his objection, or disapproval. We are left to wonder how long they laid in each other’s arms and what, if anything, happens to the Lover. Such action can not remain unpunished. Killing by passion is, unfortunately, not that unusual and Browning does a great job depicting how destructive love can be.
The lover also shows his abnormal disposition: he is more than likely talking to himself as no one else is known to be present throughout his speech.
First of all, we are led to believe the “cottage” in which they meet is isolated and that it doesn't belong to either of them. This gives us the sense of secrecy and seclusion which is reflected in their love for each other. There also seems to be obstacles between where Porphyria has come from and the “cottage”, since Browning uses the “storm” as a metaphor to exemplify the intensity of their love by overcoming the barriers between them. Porphyria is seen as being graceful, as she “glided” (6) through the door and also as a very warm person, by the way she brings warmth into the cottage: “When she came in she shut the cold and the storm out” (7). It seems like right after the time she came into the room a moment of awkwardness and silence is created as shown in the sentence “When no voice replied…” (15). This lack of response leads Porphyria to be very seductive. She “put my arm about her waist and made her smooth white shoulder bare,” (16-17). She also tries to control the situation in a very loving way. She seems able to voice her feelings freely as well, “murmuring how she loved me” (21). All of these show her need for physical contact. She places her hair in a way that is appealing, etc... However, all this seduction does not satisfy the Lover. After this has happened, the Lover states his criticism of her, saying she is “too weak” (22). This however tells more about the character of the Lover than the one of Porphyria. It shows his very high expectations and his dissatisfaction. The Lover in this poem is very possessive of Porphyria. He believes that he is admirable enough to obtain Porphyria’s reverence “At last I knew Porphyria worshipped me” (32-33). We see his arrogance here, both in his expectation and in the way he feels worthy of this “worship”.
In the beginning of the poem, the Lover is regarded as being dissatisfied with Porphyria’s love for him. He is, around the end, seen as being very arrogant and vain. He believes he is a god-like figure worthy not only of Porphyria’s love but also of her worshipping him (which is extremely pretentious). He also thinks that he has the right to end her life which shows the mental issue the Lover had. He shows his insanity by his obsession with the idea of perfection of their love. He shows it in other ways, like his overpowering possessiveness, which leads him to kill Porphyria so that he can immortalize the moment of perfection. “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 strangled her.” (37-41) It also seems like right afterwards he might be regretting his action because he repeats to himself twice: “No pain felt she; I am quite sure she felt no pain” (41-42). He wants to reassure himself that he did not do anything wrong and that she did not suffer so, therefore, in his mind, it was the best thing to do. However, another way he demonstrates his insanity is the fact that he opens her eyes and kisses her when she is dead. After he has done this he believes she “blushed bright beneath my burning kiss” (48). This behavior is both neurotic and frightening.
At the end, the lover has managed to convince himself that what he has done is right as “God has not said a word” (60). This is a worrying thought, and it makes the reader ask what the Lover expected God to do to show his objection, or disapproval. We are left to wonder how long they laid in each other’s arms and what, if anything, happens to the Lover. Such action can not remain unpunished. Killing by passion is, unfortunately, not that unusual and Browning does a great job depicting how destructive love can be.
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