Perspectives On Women In Brownings Poetry Essay - 1211 Words

Perspectives On Women In Brownings Poetry One of the recurring themes in the poetry of Robert Browning, is that of woman, and it is this that I have chosen to focus on. In The first of the poems I have chosen to look at, Porphyrias Lover, Browning initially portrays the female character as the one with the power, although this in inevitably removed from her. In the opening lines of the poem: The rain set early in tonight, The sullen wind was soon awake we gain a sense of forboding as the landscape of the poem seems to reflect the state of mind of the narrator, this is further explored in the next two lines where the speaker describes the weather as spiteful. All the narrator can do at this point in the poem is†¦show more content†¦However, at this point her lover looks into her eyes and sees that she does love him: ...at last I knew Porphyria worshipped me: surprise Made my heart swell, It is in these lines that we see the balance of power alter, secure in the knowledge that the object of his worship in fact worships him, Porphyrias lover takes control of the situation and is finally able to act. In the moment that she is finally truly his perfectly pure and good he chooses to keep her at that moment forever and: ....all her hair In one long yellow string I wound Three times her little throat around, And strangled her In doing this Porphyrias lover is able to keep his most perfect image of Porphyria and indeed what a woman should be forever, so that she would ever remain, silent, adoring and helpless. Having done so, he is able to manipulate her rather than the other way around, and this is most apparent in the lines: I propped her head up as before, Only this time my shoulder bore Her head Porphyrias lover has removed all her power and in this he is now in the position that she occupied before, and all possibility of a return to the previous order is removed: That all it scorned at once is fled, And I its love, am gained instead! With her dead, Porphyrias lover feels able to maintain aShow MoreRelatedEssay about Robert Browning1690 Words   |  7 Pageswere considered upper middle class. So they could indulge in giving their kid whatever education they desired. Browning’s parents were very supportive to the type of education their children received. No one knows when he started writing poetry his earliest attempts at writing mimic Byron or Wild Ossianic. 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