In Robert Browning’s “My Last duchess”, “Porphyria’s Lover”, and “Two in the Campagna”, psychological states that are deemed, by most standards, unusual or unorthodox are dramatized. In fact, in all three poems, Browning uses several techniques to present these atypical psychological states. Through the use of language, irony, and narrative voice, Browning dramatizes unusual psychological states of mind that ultimately give rise, to aberrant or atypical behavior.
To begin with, the use of language is also used to dramatize the aberrant psychological complexities present in these poems. In “My Last Duchess” the Duke is very careful in what choosing which words communicate and withhold. However, for a brief moment he utters, “I gave commands; …show more content…
For instance in “Porphyria’s Lover,” as Porphyria cuddles with her lover by the warmth of a fire, and “murmur[s] how much she love[s] him” (41.21). However, instead of reciprocating her sentiments, Porphyria’s lover strangles her with her own hair (40); Indeed, this situational irony gives the reader further understanding as to what kind of demented psychological state Porphyria’s lover is in. Similarly, in “Two in the Campagna”, the speaker and his lover gather in a Roman countryside where the beauty of nature is evident everywhere. Instead of professing the beauty of their love for his lover, the speaker takes this opportunity to confess that though he wants to see and feel the same way she does, he wants something more than their relationship, something elusive and out of reach (41-46); indeed expressing one’s discontent towards his relationship with his lover is the least romantic direction to go especially the beautiful nature filled setting they are currently in. Indeed this situational irony further elaborates the narrator’s unusual psychological state. In “My last Duchess” the duke subtly enumerates the flaws of his dead wife. He claims that his wife had a “heart too soon made glad, too easily impressed” (22) and she equates his “gift of a nine hundreds year old name with anybody’s gift” (43). However, in presenting these simple acts as flaws, the Duke unintentionally …show more content…
In “Porphyria’s Lover”, the narrator exhibits a very trusting narrative voice as he openly explains that he murdered his love, Porhphyria, and believes that in doing so, he is fulfilling her “utmost will”(53) Indeed audacity to defend murder portrays his extremely deranged psychological state. In “My Last Duchess”, a very manipulative narrative voice is in charge of the flow of information. The duke (narrator) asserts that it is his wife’s “too easily impressed [heart]” (23), her equating his husband’s “gift of a nine-hundred year old name with anybody’s” (33) and her excessive expression of happiness around others (43) is enough to warrant a death sentence. Indeed, the Duke’s manipulation of the story to make it look like his wife’s death was self inflicted gives the audience insight to his extremely controlling, narcissistic psychological state. However, in “Two in the Campagna,” the narrator is very controlling on how much of his real issues he reveals. Before actually talking about this elusive thought he has, he makes lengthy remarks about the countryside, nature, and flowers and out of nowhere he states, “I would that you were all to me, you that are so much no more” (36); indeed, the limitations of love is a fairly risky topic to bring up when talking to one’s significant other. This passive aggressive nature of the narrative voice reveals a very the
To begin with, the use of language is also used to dramatize the aberrant psychological complexities present in these poems. In “My Last Duchess” the Duke is very careful in what choosing which words communicate and withhold. However, for a brief moment he utters, “I gave commands; …show more content…
For instance in “Porphyria’s Lover,” as Porphyria cuddles with her lover by the warmth of a fire, and “murmur[s] how much she love[s] him” (41.21). However, instead of reciprocating her sentiments, Porphyria’s lover strangles her with her own hair (40); Indeed, this situational irony gives the reader further understanding as to what kind of demented psychological state Porphyria’s lover is in. Similarly, in “Two in the Campagna”, the speaker and his lover gather in a Roman countryside where the beauty of nature is evident everywhere. Instead of professing the beauty of their love for his lover, the speaker takes this opportunity to confess that though he wants to see and feel the same way she does, he wants something more than their relationship, something elusive and out of reach (41-46); indeed expressing one’s discontent towards his relationship with his lover is the least romantic direction to go especially the beautiful nature filled setting they are currently in. Indeed this situational irony further elaborates the narrator’s unusual psychological state. In “My last Duchess” the duke subtly enumerates the flaws of his dead wife. He claims that his wife had a “heart too soon made glad, too easily impressed” (22) and she equates his “gift of a nine hundreds year old name with anybody’s gift” (43). However, in presenting these simple acts as flaws, the Duke unintentionally …show more content…
In “Porphyria’s Lover”, the narrator exhibits a very trusting narrative voice as he openly explains that he murdered his love, Porhphyria, and believes that in doing so, he is fulfilling her “utmost will”(53) Indeed audacity to defend murder portrays his extremely deranged psychological state. In “My Last Duchess”, a very manipulative narrative voice is in charge of the flow of information. The duke (narrator) asserts that it is his wife’s “too easily impressed [heart]” (23), her equating his husband’s “gift of a nine-hundred year old name with anybody’s” (33) and her excessive expression of happiness around others (43) is enough to warrant a death sentence. Indeed, the Duke’s manipulation of the story to make it look like his wife’s death was self inflicted gives the audience insight to his extremely controlling, narcissistic psychological state. However, in “Two in the Campagna,” the narrator is very controlling on how much of his real issues he reveals. Before actually talking about this elusive thought he has, he makes lengthy remarks about the countryside, nature, and flowers and out of nowhere he states, “I would that you were all to me, you that are so much no more” (36); indeed, the limitations of love is a fairly risky topic to bring up when talking to one’s significant other. This passive aggressive nature of the narrative voice reveals a very the