In “Porphyria’s Lover” by Robert Browning, the narrator displays a bitter and passionate tone by the use of abbreviated words and long syntax. When Porphyria’s lover waits, he sits in a cold house listening to the storm. He tells us, “I listen’d with heart fit to break.”(5) The narrator waited expecting Porphyria not to come. He’s bitter towards her because he’s planning for her to stand him up. Her social status is above him and he believes that Porphyria’s desire for riches will keep her from him. Despite Porphyria’s lover’s bitterness, he’s passionate towards her. After he strangles her, he looks back at her beauty and love. “...her cheek once more / Blush’d bright beneath my burning kiss: / I propp’d her head up as before, / Only, this time my shoulder bore”(47-50). After the
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When Porphyria first gets to the cottage she, “...made the cheerless grate / Blaze up…”(8-9). She started a fire in the empty fireplace. Porphyria’s lover was waiting for her in the cold and darkness. Browning uses the word “cheerless” to describe that her lover revoled his happiness around her and how much he emotionally relies on her. He’s emotional towards her in good and bad ways. He loves her, but he thinks her social status that’s above him will keep her from him. Browning also uses symbolic wording. When Porphyria’s lover won’t respond she goes to him and holds him. She, “...made her smooth white shoulder bare...all her yellow hair displaced…”(17-18). Porphyria bared her shoulder to him- which was risky in her time- and moved her yellow hair out of the way. Browning uses colors to symbolize her purity and angelic view in her lover’s eyes. She physically offered herself to the narrator. With her social status this elevates just how risque this is. Even when doing a ‘sinful’ act in their time Porphyria’s lover still sees her as pure and
When Porphyria first gets to the cottage she, “...made the cheerless grate / Blaze up…”(8-9). She started a fire in the empty fireplace. Porphyria’s lover was waiting for her in the cold and darkness. Browning uses the word “cheerless” to describe that her lover revoled his happiness around her and how much he emotionally relies on her. He’s emotional towards her in good and bad ways. He loves her, but he thinks her social status that’s above him will keep her from him. Browning also uses symbolic wording. When Porphyria’s lover won’t respond she goes to him and holds him. She, “...made her smooth white shoulder bare...all her yellow hair displaced…”(17-18). Porphyria bared her shoulder to him- which was risky in her time- and moved her yellow hair out of the way. Browning uses colors to symbolize her purity and angelic view in her lover’s eyes. She physically offered herself to the narrator. With her social status this elevates just how risque this is. Even when doing a ‘sinful’ act in their time Porphyria’s lover still sees her as pure and