To what extent is a Marxist reading of "My Last Duchess" and "Porphyria 's Lover" useful in opening up potential meanings? Ultimately, the source of tragedy in both 'My Last Duchess ' and 'Porphyria 's Lover ', is the capitalistic societal structures that provoke the oppression of its people. Though this subjugation may arise from the corrupt economic system that Marxism critiques, Browning 's scrutiny of society may also delve into social barriers such as feminism, and the adverse psychiatric affect capitalism has on the populace. Browning relied on his inherited wealth to freely write poetry, prompting the argument that he represents Marxist ideology through his conformity to the idea that 'your social circumstance determine much ' -
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Agreeably the poem demands multiple readings due to the concept of mental illness coinciding with the corruption of aristocracy - though which opens the poem 's predominant meaning? Browning conforms to the Marxist ideology that 'a writer 's social class ' has 'a major bearing on what is written ', where Browning 's privileged lifestyle unwittingly sidles its influence within his writing. This influence is manifested through his character 's economical positions which are only shown to be in the extremely high or low classes in society - the Duke or psychotic lover respectively - thus exploring the economic separation that Browning had become aware of by living in a capitalist society. Browning 's incorporation of "gay feasts", as well as other displays of wealth in "Porphyria 's Lover", closely represent the high classes, where the Marxist idea of how the 'bourgeoisie ' is shown - through the decadence of their meals - prompts the idea that mental illness isn 't a key meaning. Furthermore, extreme societal positions are illustrated by settings such as "the cottage", and a forest during a "storm" which bleakly resemble the deprived economical position that Browning too would have found himself in, if it wasn 't for his inherent wealth. Contrastingly, "My Last Duchess" shows a positive rural setting in the Duke 's "courtyard", where the festive imagery of a "bough of cherries", perhaps only illustrates the pastoral idyll due to it being a bourgeoisie residence - thus supporting the idea that your socioeconomic standing determines your experience of
Agreeably the poem demands multiple readings due to the concept of mental illness coinciding with the corruption of aristocracy - though which opens the poem 's predominant meaning? Browning conforms to the Marxist ideology that 'a writer 's social class ' has 'a major bearing on what is written ', where Browning 's privileged lifestyle unwittingly sidles its influence within his writing. This influence is manifested through his character 's economical positions which are only shown to be in the extremely high or low classes in society - the Duke or psychotic lover respectively - thus exploring the economic separation that Browning had become aware of by living in a capitalist society. Browning 's incorporation of "gay feasts", as well as other displays of wealth in "Porphyria 's Lover", closely represent the high classes, where the Marxist idea of how the 'bourgeoisie ' is shown - through the decadence of their meals - prompts the idea that mental illness isn 't a key meaning. Furthermore, extreme societal positions are illustrated by settings such as "the cottage", and a forest during a "storm" which bleakly resemble the deprived economical position that Browning too would have found himself in, if it wasn 't for his inherent wealth. Contrastingly, "My Last Duchess" shows a positive rural setting in the Duke 's "courtyard", where the festive imagery of a "bough of cherries", perhaps only illustrates the pastoral idyll due to it being a bourgeoisie residence - thus supporting the idea that your socioeconomic standing determines your experience of