Prophyria's Lover- Dark Side of Human Nature

Porphyria Lover by Robert Browning is a dramatic monologue. Browning has used several poetic elements to engage the idea of his idea about the dark side of human nature. Form the title, Porphyria's lover, Porphyria is a name given to a form of blood poisoning that causes dementia. Just by reading the title of the dramatic monologue, we can immediately tell that it is about a mentally ill person and his obsession towards his lover. The dramatic monologue is separate in two main parts which is when porphyria is still alive and when she is dead. This starts with the female being active in the first part of the monologue. 'And called me. When no voice replied, she put my arm about her waist, And made her smooth white shoulder bare' It is really subversive as the topic of sex is a forbidden topic in the Victorian period. In fact, in a male dominating society, woman are expected to stay at home, and breed would be their only duty to do. Under the pressure of a society like this, Porphyria's uncontrollable sexuality has been released when she was shut away from the 'storm' outside into the little cottage of his. In the second part of the monologue, the second twist from woman active to man active suggests Porphyria's death and his controlling over her. The man is being the active one in this part. He don't want to control by her especially in a man dominated society. His self-esteem is so strong that could lead him to kill the woman that he loved. The pattern of contrasts shows us that the morality of human manner in a different way. The pattern of rhyme is well-structured in the monologue. This covey the idea of the well structured an tightly control society they are in. That also convey the idea of the murder is well planned at the first place, while he stays calm after the