Societal criticism in Browning’s “Porphyria’s Lover”

12 Jul 2005

I wrote this essay about a month ago, but didn’t publish it at the time in part because I wasn’t sure if I was shooting way off the mark with my gothic connotations (yeah, I’m self conscious sometimes… bah!), but also because I simply forgot. I discovered an essay written in 1986 earlier today, however, that reminded me to publish this essay. It was titled “Browning’s Use of Vampirism in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’”, and was written by Michael L. Burduck*. Nice to know I’m not the only one who thought that.

By the way, Burduck’s essay does a much better job explaining the Gothic conventions employed because that was its purpose. In mine, they are merely alluded to whilst the key concept presented is that of societal criticism through depicting the plight of the individual (in line with the Board of Studies English Extension 1 syllabus). Two different things entirely — I say all this only to dispel any potential accusation of plaguarism that may arise.

Anyway, enough about all that. 1048 words.

Browning’s poem comments on the role of the individual within society through his portrayal of the demise of his character/victim, Porphyria. Even from the title, such a demise is foreshadowed, with the conventional association between symptoms of porphyria and vampirism. Indeed, use of aspects of the Gothic mode are apparent throughout this work, the most immediately apparent convention being the tempestuous, violent opening – ironically, the most overt display of aggression in this work. Porphyria is depicted as “gliding” in from a “sullen wind” that “tore the elm-tops down for spite,/And did its worst to vex the lake:” it is personified, fighting against this ‘Gothic’ figure of Porphyria.

The irony of Porphyria’s titling is exacerbated at this point – she enters this haven, in the midst of this storm Gothic literature would depict her as being a catalyst for, and proceeds to “all the cottage warm”, in one of the several startling incongruities present within this text. Porphyria “shut out the cold and the storm” – there is no further reference to either phenomena for the remaining length of the text. Browning inverts convention, possibly with the intent of poking fun at contemporaries responsible for the composition of Gothic literature, through his expression of such incompatible, conflicting, and discordant values through this character. More importantly, however, Browning’s inversion of convention in a character whose downfall is subsequently displayed is used to depict the plight of an individual who fails to conform to the normative standards expressed by the ‘value-setting’ institutions of the period.

It may be argued that a reversion is made to this same set of Gothic conventions Browning has just apparently opposed in the apparent role of Porphyria as seductress. This counter-cultural depiction of feminine sexuality is clearly against the grain of Victorian society: within a Gothic construct, such dissonance with the values of society may be viewed as in accord with portrayals of vampiric figures. In such a reading, the speaker’s killing of Porphyria is justified, even correct. Yet elements of the text reject this notion – the speaker declares, triumphantly; “at last I knew/Porphyria worshipped me; surprise/Made my heart swell, and still it grew/While I debated what to do.”

Porphyria is depicted as subservient, and power in this scenario is firmly vested in the speaker – the speaker is deliberating action, secure in the belief that Porphyria is entirely devoted – “she was mine, mine, fair.” Repetition of the possessive pronoun “mine” reinforces this notion, and wrests any semblance of control from Porphyria. Her effeminate qualities, portrayed immediately prior to the speaker’s strangulation of her, reinforce this lack of control in this society – she is a woman, whose apparent role as seductress devolves into “worship” of the speaker. Browning gradually depicts this change from seemingly-dominant to submissive, and then proceeds to recreate her character in accordance with Victorian values of women – “Perfectly pure and good: I found/A thing to do, and all her hair/In one long yellow string I wound…” – The notions of purity and beauty (expressed in reference to her hair alone here, although previous allusion had been made to the appearance of her skin – “smooth white shoulder bare”) are used, further associating feminine aspects with her characted.

Thus far in the text, there has been a progression in the character of Porphyria from that of a dominant, powerful, figure of societal-anathema, to a figure of seduction and temptation, of sexuality beyond that permitted by Victorian sensitivities, and then onwards further still, to a figure “Perfectly pure and good”. Intermediate events link this progression of character, but the overall effect of such incongruity is far more important.

Browning depicts Porphyria’s fall. She does not progress, reach this state of societal compatibility, and then, in fairy-tale ending, live “happily ever after”. Porphyria’s Lover is a darker poem than that. It is a text of apparent incongruity, that depicts, in tragic mode with (near-parodic) Gothic elements, Porphyria’s demise. Outwardly, no reason is given for this. She is abruptly murdered, at the hands of one to whom she submitted, “worshipped”.

Significantly, the reader is told little about the speaker. No name is given at any stage, and disclosure of a gender is similarly avoided. The speaker is a deliberately-limited personification of society. Porphyria opposes society (evident in the initial Gothic conventions utilised and her name), then proceeds to appeal to it whilst retaining other notions in her heart (lines 21-25 – Porphyria is “Too weak… To set [her] struggling passion free… and vainer ties dissever… And give herself to me for ever.”). She is brought around to acceptance of this society in a complete sense – she “worshipped [it]”. She was “pure and good” in its eyes. Her sense of self, her individuality, had been destroyed by society – this is the final murder.

The speaker “propped her head up as before” and notes her appearance, still a “smiling rosy little head”. Porphyria remains, but she is merely a shell of her self, which has been murdered in this submission. Browning’s criticism of an individual’s submission to society culminates in these satiric lines: “The smiling rosy little head,/So glad it has its utmost will,/That all it scorned at once is fled,/And I, its love, am gained instead!” The incongruity of the speaker’s actions should not be attributed to that persona, but rather to the individual whose desire for the acceptance of society (the speaker) has lead to their demise – “All it scorned at once is fled” to be replaced with “its love”, the acceptance and support of a society responsible for her destruction.

The closing three lines, “And thus we sit together now,/And all night long we have not stirred,/And yet God has not said a word.” speak of society’s failure to change, and decries the seemingly perpetual state of oppression against the individual in place. Browning’s ‘justification’ of the speaker’s actions by way of referring to a lack of any divine intervention is equally applicable to the actions of society. The speaker’s actions are incongruous, yet nothing is done to challenge these. Similarly, society’s own incongruities remain unchallenged, and, through this work, Browning aims to criticise these and expose the passivity that makes such oppression possible.

* Michael L. Burduck, “Browning’s Use of Vampirism in ‘Porphyria’s Lover,’” in Studies in Browning and His Circle, Vol. 14, 1986, pp. 63-65. Reprinted in Poetry for Students, Vol. 15.