Comparing the Male Characters of Porphyria’s Lover and My...

Comparing the Male Characters of Porphyria’s Lover and My Last Duchess The creation of a plausible character within literature is one of the most difficult challenges to a writer, and development to a level at which the reader identifies with them can take a long time. However, through the masterful use of poetic devices and language Browning is able to create two living and breathing characters in sixty or less lines. When one examines these works one has to that they are quite the achievements for they not only display the persona’s of two distinct men but also when compared show large differences while dealing with essentially the same subject. A brief examination of the structural aspects of â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† is needed†¦show more content†¦However, what is more important is that the words that are polysyllabic are quiet and unassuming. They do not break the tense tranquility of the piece. Burrows points out that, Much of the force of the narrative lies in its almost naà ¯ve simplicity and in the corresponding quiet, matter-of-fact tone of voice, a tone which in effect is not shouting ‘Horrible murder! Read all about it!’ but murmuring, ‘I am going to tell you a nice little bedtime story.’ (Burrrows, page 53) Despite the fact that the metrical pattern is often strayed from, some lines contain 3 or 5 stresses, the poem is rhythmically appealing. According to Burrows, â€Å"[the poem] suggests the accents and modulations of speech and also remains quietly unemphatic.† (page 56) A similar analysis of â€Å"My Last Duchess† is also needed before the two can be compared adequately. The frigid decorum of the Duke is established by the imperceptible, but unfailing, rhyming couplets. The inability for the reader to notice these during recital of the poem is due to the extreme prevalence of enjambment within the work. According to Burrows, â€Å"It is decidedly the ‘open’ couplet that he uses, and there are many ‘run-on’ lines since syntactical pauses rarely coincide with couple-endings or line endings.† (page 116) The meter of the poem is iambic pentameter though the rhythm feels more irregular due to the deliberate disregard for the formal couplet pattern. This also creates theShow MoreRelated Comparing the two poems Porphyria’s Lover and My Last Duchess1371 Words   |  6 PagesBy comparing the two poems Porphyria’s Lover and My Last Duchess, explore how Browning deals worth the theme of jealousy. Jealousy is a theme that occurs quite regularly in Browning’s poems. This was particularly noticed in both of the poems ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ and ‘My Last Duchess’ where in both cases, the male protagonists were jealous of the extra attention that their lovers received from other admirers. When studying both poems, the reader can create in their mind a vivid picture ofRead MoreEssay on A Comparison Between My Last Duchess and Porphyrias Lover2909 Words   |  12 PagesA Comparison Between My Last Duchess and Porphyrias Lover Works Cited Missing Robert Browning was one of the greatest poets of the nineteenth century and is still considered one of the major poets of the Victorian era. He was born in 1812 and married the privately educated poet, Elizabeth Browning, in 1846. They eloped to Florence, Italy, where his wife gaveRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Sonnet 182829 Words   |  12 PagesSonnet 18 too. Within My Last Duchess, love explores the submissive and possessive side effects of being completely infatuated, which similarly links with La Belle, however instead of patriarchal power, domination is shown through a woman. First Love is comparable to both Sonnets, in which love is portrayed passionately, presenting real love and the overwhelming feeling it can convey. Finally Porphyria’s Lover portrays unrequited love with a sinister background alike My Last Duchess. CONTEXT, READER