Porphyria's Dying Wish

Porphyria’s Dying Wish In Robert Browning’s poem “Porphyria’s Lover”, a woman named Porphyria travels through a storm to meet her lover. Porphyria and her lover sit together and flirt a bit; her lover later decides to strangle her. Porphyria’s lover killed her out of love and respect for her, he was granting her, her one and final wish; which is something they both agreed upon. The storm at the beginning of the story sets the mood for what is to come. “The rain set early in to-night, The sullen wind was soon awake, It tore the elm-tops down for spite, And did its worst to vex the lake” (Robert Browning 1-4). The storm may signify the way the man is feeling. This storm could represent how he is feeling when Porphyria walks through the door. “And, last, she sat down by my side And call’d me. When no voice replied (Browning, 14-15). This may signify that he is not thrilled to see her. He appears to be sad. He may be aware of the …show more content…
With the title being “Porphyria’s Lover” this may indicate that Porphyria had this disease and planned on killing herself or having someone do it for her so she would not have to live in pain anymore. ‘I warily oped her lids: again Laugh’d the blue eyes without a stain’ (Browning 44-45). The fact that Porphyria’s eyes “laugh’d” back at him after he killed her, could indicate that Porphyria felt proud and happy of how things turned out. This could also be taken to mean that Porphyria does not regret what her lover had done. She could quite possibly be thankful. “The smiling rosy little head, So glad it has its utmost will” (Browning 52-53). The fact that Porphyria is smiling back at him, after he has killed her could show that she is happy with how things turned out. She is grateful for what her lover did. ‘Her darling one wish would be heard’ (Browning 57). Knowing that Porphyria could quite possibly have this blood disease, it is plausible to think that her one wish was to end her life so she