Robert Browning who although born in England in 1812, has had his name and poetry revered throughout the centuries. Renowned for his unprecedented, grotesque comments on the more sinister side of human nature with his added mastery of the dramatic monologue used to give an in-depth look into the mind of the insane; has created a distinct tone characteristically his. This unique style paved way for the iconic poems, ‘Porphyria’s lover’ and ‘My last Duchess’ in which Browning defied traditional poetic conventions and themes to breathe life into his captivating and troubling characters.
A motif seen throughout many of Browning’s poem is the objectification of women, seemingly caused from the protagonists own lack of power, an imbalance of power …show more content…
With a further manifestation of the dukes possessiveness seen throughout the structure of the poem in which the numerous uses of caesura illustrates the duke’s control over the conversation and compliments the Duke’s own arrogance. Throughout the conversation the Duke is, in effect, manipulating his guest as if he were a puppet- sit down, stand up, look at this, notice that- a representation of just what his free-spirited wife would have resented to do. With this the impression is created that he was only able to enjoy possession of his wife when she has become a painting on the wall; when he had reduced her to an alluring object, to never be lost. Similarly, in Porphyria’s lover, Browning tells a twisted love story in which a man kills his beloved so that she would be with him forever. After the speaker has gone through the ritualistic murder of Porphyria he remarks on; “The smiling rosy little head, So glad it has its utmost will, That all it scorned at once is fled.”. Converted into an "it," Porphyria no longer has the power over herself; instead, "its will" is that of her beloved murderer. he animated his dead lover, attributing life and
A motif seen throughout many of Browning’s poem is the objectification of women, seemingly caused from the protagonists own lack of power, an imbalance of power …show more content…
With a further manifestation of the dukes possessiveness seen throughout the structure of the poem in which the numerous uses of caesura illustrates the duke’s control over the conversation and compliments the Duke’s own arrogance. Throughout the conversation the Duke is, in effect, manipulating his guest as if he were a puppet- sit down, stand up, look at this, notice that- a representation of just what his free-spirited wife would have resented to do. With this the impression is created that he was only able to enjoy possession of his wife when she has become a painting on the wall; when he had reduced her to an alluring object, to never be lost. Similarly, in Porphyria’s lover, Browning tells a twisted love story in which a man kills his beloved so that she would be with him forever. After the speaker has gone through the ritualistic murder of Porphyria he remarks on; “The smiling rosy little head, So glad it has its utmost will, That all it scorned at once is fled.”. Converted into an "it," Porphyria no longer has the power over herself; instead, "its will" is that of her beloved murderer. he animated his dead lover, attributing life and