English
Compare and contrast two poems that deal with a issue of love
In the following essay I will be co mparing two Browning poems, µPorphyria¶s Lover¶ and µMy Last Duchess¶ I will be discussing how both po ems are similar and how they differ. Both poems written in the Victorian era, discussing issues of love, sexual dece it, and attitudes and views on women in the Victorian era. Both poems are structured alike, both bot h poems are written as monologues; a long dra matic speech made by one acto r. µPorphyria¶s lover¶ is written written in first person by the lover. Likewise µMy Last Duchess¶ is written by the Duke, talking t alking about his last duchess. ³My Last Duchess´ The title shows that Duke is speaking as he re fers to his last duchess. This shows the poem is written in first person. In Porphyria¶s lover is also shows it is written in first person ³I am quite sure she felt.´ a line from the poem, this t his shows the lover¶s opinion. The monologues create a bias point of view on the events that take place in both poems, because the poems only portrays one persons opinion, as only the men get to portray their opinion; the lover and Duke. Neither of the poems does the victim of sexual deceit dece it have an opportunity show their own o pinion or defend themselves; both poems this being the wo man. Browning uses the monologues effectively in which in both cases shows the viewpoint o f men in the poems and how they look upon their woman. The poem also interprets how men can be paranoid, obsessed and controlli contro lling ng towards to wards their loved ones. In addition it portrays a stereotypical view on women on the Victorian era. Poem encourages the Victorian lifestyle of women, the role of women was which to have children and tend to the house and the men being in charge and controlling. Both Browning¶s poems touch on o n the issue of sexual deceit and love in the Victorian era. Although both pieces depict o n the same issue, Browning exemplifies the two poems d ifferently. ifferently. µPorphyria¶s Lover¶ describes Porphyria meeting up with her so called lover, lover being portrayed as psychotic and possessive. µAnd yet got has not said a word¶ this gives out an illusion illusion to the reader that murder cases as such, isn¶t looked deeply upon. Comparably, µMy Last Duchess¶ is about a Duke that has a duchess that flirtascious flirtascious act towards everyone. Duke didn¶t appreciate her attitudes towards everyone. µOr t hat in you disgusts me;¶ shows he has hatred inside of him due to the way she behaves. Both poems meaning slightly differ, µPorphyria¶s lover¶ is possessed, obsessed, jealous lover on the other hand, the duke is a controlling, jealous, paranoid, respectful man. Although both Porphyria¶s lover and My Last Duchess discuss d iscuss issues of love. ³The moment she was mine, mine, fair´ line 36 from µPorphyria¶s Lover¶ ³too soon made glad, Too easily impressed; she liked whate¶er´ line 22&23 from µMy Last Duchess¶. In Porphyria¶s lover the repetition the word mine, shows that he wanted to believe he owned her, this shows the reader that The lover is possessive, and wanted her all to himself, himself, as he was just a lover, and she was a married women. Whereas in My Last Duchess the Duke is a portrayed as paranoid as he looks look s to much into minor actions, such as smiles. Overall Browning portrays two lovers who are jealo us of their woman, The Duke, do esn¶t appreciate his wife smiling at other men, and a nd The lover doesn¶t want to share Porphyria with
Shahanaz Begum
English
anybody else. E.g. Her husband. The poem encourages a message, the danger of an extra-marital affair; an affair outside of marriage, ³Three times her little throat around, And strangled her.´ this quote from Porphyria¶s lover shows that she resulted as dead, at the end of the affair. In a different case, ³Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands as if alive´ this quote from µMy Last Duchessµ, shows the aggressive side of the Duke, the quote suggests he killed her, this is because Duke saying as if alive, would mean, she wasn¶t a live. The overall theme for µPorphyria¶s Lover¶ and µMy Last Duchess¶ would be µLove, passion, jealously and death¶. Browning uses same variety of effects on bot h poems to set an image into the readers mind instantly or sometimes as they read more into it. He uses the same type of effects to put this image into the reader head, many such as describing the atmosphere e.g. the weather, the mood etc to construct a image. ³The rain set early into the night, The sullen wind was soon awake´ This the opening of Porphyria¶s Lover immediately sets a image into your head t hat something bad is going to happen due to the bad weather stereotypically resulting to a bad event. Similes and metaphors so the reader can apprehend more into what has been said, and an image of what has been compared to and can be thought about. ³Looking as if she was alive´ The second line from My Last Duchess this makes reader think o f the painting as more alive and rea listic rather then a ordinary painting, this also portrays the Duke treats her as if she is an object. Another technique Browning has used in both poems to encourage an image is personification; representing something abstract to something more human-like. ³Worked busily a day and there she stands´ line 4 from My Last Duchess, this refers to a painting, but compares a pa inting to being a real human standing. Equally in Porphyria¶s Lover ³and did its worst to vex the lake´ line 4 from Porphyria¶s lover. Also some lines that isn¶t a simile metaphor or a personification still put a image into your mind. ³together down, sir. Notice Neptune though, Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity´ this particular line that My Last Duchess ends with, not only effectively sets a imagine in our head but also touches on the personality of The Duke. Him taming a seahorse like Neptune suggests that he wants to portray that he is in control. Browning has used similar language in both his poems, words and sentences, that show how the Duke and the lover¶s personality comes across to the reader, but without describing in words what his characters like. Moreover he also uses quotes he says to show the aggressiveness of the Duke¶s anger. Furthermore actions that show he has pride. On the other hand, in Porphyria¶s lover, the lover doesn¶t at all seem aggravated, but more deeply in love. Line 26 & 27 ³Dropping of the daylight´ meaning in a complex way daylight fading, into night-time. ³The bough of cherries´ browning referring to possibly her virginity because cherries are mentioned, on the other hand, in Porphyria¶s lover, this is a less apparent way of co nveying the fact she was not a virgin at the of their marriage. Similarly in µPorphyria¶s Lover¶ you can state the resemblance between the Duchess and Porphyria due to her actions ³and made her smooth white shoulder bare´ this shows she is sexually act ive, same way men would portray The Duchess¶s actions as she smiled at other men. ³Her looks went everywhere´ Meaning shes easily impressed.
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English
Men looked at her.
Both poems include extracts of sexual deceit, both men in both poems, the duke and the lover are both victims of their lover being unfaithful ³And, stooping , made my cheek lie there,´ a line from Porphyria¶s lover, the word stooping not o nly suggests her going down, but also conveys the facts she is losing her respect in a wa y we would say µHow could you stoop so low?¶ Equally browning uses same word in My Last Duchess line 42 and 43. ³I choose never to stoop.´ But portrays in a way, that the Duke would not consider to stoop so low. Same way Browning d id in Porphyria¶s lover. Shows the duke and the lover are both have a negative viewpoint towards their lovers actions. Browning portrays to two similar poems that portrays the att itudes of men towards women in that era. Although he has two similar structured poems that both deal with an issue of love, jealousy, paranoia that men in different positions of love have towards the one the y love, but differs on the situation the men are in, µMy Last Duchess¶ reveals a stubborn Duke t hat never approached her about her manner of expressing her gratitude due to pride, thinking it would be below his dignity reprimand his wife, he felt she should know better and a lso seems unable to his feeling clearly. Whereas Porphyria¶s Lover was a dra matic poem about a possessed lover wanting to own Porphyria, a lover that would reach an extent to murder for the ownership of this woman. Although the lover does murder Porphyria, Browning puts points and act ions that justify the case and make it seem alright. Overall Browning uses a whole load o f different effects to portray the attitudes of Victorian times. Browning uses effects such as describing the at mosphere before the men in these poe ms start to express their sentiments of the women. ³That¶s my last duchess painted on the wall looking as if she was alive´ This is the opening to My Last Duchess. This straight away depicts on the way men in the Victorian era looked upon their woman. ³She shut the cold out and the storm´ this lovers way of saying he felt the war m as soon as Porphyria entered. In addition also uses actions of the characters in the poem that gives out a clear judgment on him/her. ³She put her arm about her waist´ this clearly implies that is sexually enthusiastic. Also personification that creates an illusion in the reader¶s mind. In conclusion Browning has created two different poems, discussing the actions of two different characteristics discussing two completely different situation their in. Although both men the duke, and the lover touch on the same aspects as they detesting or rather in The Lover¶s case debating on the same issues, issues such as Victorian attitudes towards women, sexual deceit, possessive psychotic love. And overall Browning po rtrays a bias view that women can be flirtascious to encourage a different view to other men, o r be unfaithful face consequences of obsessed
Shahanaz Begum
English
Shahanaz Begum
