Poetry Aspects of Crime
Peter Grimes
Crime, Murder and Violence
Killing his father is a violent crime, and a crime against God (patricide). He also does petty crime of theft. Grime’s is a
cruel criminal, who inflicts prolonger torture, physical and emotional abuse. First crime is spontaneous. The victims are
also forced into crimes because of his abuse
Criminal Psyche
Volatile and unstable criminal. He sets himself against the wold which makes the reader view him as extreme dangerous
and isolated. He mocks the justice system and commits crims to spite authority figures. He doesn’t respect the rules of
society. He likes to feel in control and to have power over others. Sadistic. He rejects love and morality. He does feel
guilt for his crimes which suggests he is not amoral and does understand right/wrong. His isolation leads to insanity and
he begins to experience guilt for his actions. He is terrified of torture. He confesses towards the end, but it is interwoven
with a desire to defend his actions, perhaps in an effort to save himself from damnation
Victims
Grimes senior, 3 children (Grimes junior?). The boys are all presented as innocent. Sam is not named until after his death
– he is seen as a human too late. 2nd boy is given little time in narrative. Only 3rd boy receives any sympathy Grimes is a
victim of ostracization, insanity and implies suffering beyond the grave
Punishment/justice
Poem shows the failure of the justice system. Grimes escapes any legal punishment, but he is outcast, punished by guilt
and it is suggested that he will be punished in hell. He brings about his own punishment but remorse is not enough for
him to atone for his crimes. Punishment too harsh for crime?
Social Commentary
The community are passive and culpable. They are at fault for not intervening – child abuse was not illegal at the time.
But later do the Christian thing and forgive him (they reflect the reader’s view of Grimes) It is very easy for Grimes to
enslave more boys. Crabbe points out the systematic abuse/exploitation of vulnerable children
Setting
Boat – seen as Peter’s refuge. Small and provides no escape for boys. Later becomes Grime’s prison. London – his
behaviour goes unnoticed, suggesting that London is as corrupt and as evil as Grimes. The setting is used to mirror
people’s responses to Grimes. Aldeburgh – quite, Suffolk fishing town implied poverty. Land becomes his hunting
ground. Isolation of the sea is used to reflect Peter’s emptiness when he is exiled from his community. Grimes isolates
himself from this setting that welcomes others e.g. the 3 rd boy. His isolation of people and place outcast him entirely
when he is on the marsh. This is the only place where he will be accepted. However, this isolation drives him mad with
guilt. The setting becomes part of his punishment
Porphyria’s Lover
Crime, Murder and Violence
The violence of the crime is underplayed as the speaker insists that she felt no pain – the speaker uses this to try to justify
his crimes
Criminal Psyche
The crime is not premeditated, it suggests it was impromptu. It is also cold and unfeeling. He is unafraid of discovery. It is
hinted that the speaker is mad. He is presented in a calm, cold manor in a orderly manner (form). Browning suggests
that madness is a complex phenomenon that has more in common with sanity than we think. Is is implied that they are
in an unequal relationship in terms of social class. He wants to preserve the ‘perfect moment’ and keep her there
forever – extremely controlling. He is proud of his actions at the end of the poem and feels no guilt. He is coldly
objective in his speech
Peter Grimes
Crime, Murder and Violence
Killing his father is a violent crime, and a crime against God (patricide). He also does petty crime of theft. Grime’s is a
cruel criminal, who inflicts prolonger torture, physical and emotional abuse. First crime is spontaneous. The victims are
also forced into crimes because of his abuse
Criminal Psyche
Volatile and unstable criminal. He sets himself against the wold which makes the reader view him as extreme dangerous
and isolated. He mocks the justice system and commits crims to spite authority figures. He doesn’t respect the rules of
society. He likes to feel in control and to have power over others. Sadistic. He rejects love and morality. He does feel
guilt for his crimes which suggests he is not amoral and does understand right/wrong. His isolation leads to insanity and
he begins to experience guilt for his actions. He is terrified of torture. He confesses towards the end, but it is interwoven
with a desire to defend his actions, perhaps in an effort to save himself from damnation
Victims
Grimes senior, 3 children (Grimes junior?). The boys are all presented as innocent. Sam is not named until after his death
– he is seen as a human too late. 2nd boy is given little time in narrative. Only 3rd boy receives any sympathy Grimes is a
victim of ostracization, insanity and implies suffering beyond the grave
Punishment/justice
Poem shows the failure of the justice system. Grimes escapes any legal punishment, but he is outcast, punished by guilt
and it is suggested that he will be punished in hell. He brings about his own punishment but remorse is not enough for
him to atone for his crimes. Punishment too harsh for crime?
Social Commentary
The community are passive and culpable. They are at fault for not intervening – child abuse was not illegal at the time.
But later do the Christian thing and forgive him (they reflect the reader’s view of Grimes) It is very easy for Grimes to
enslave more boys. Crabbe points out the systematic abuse/exploitation of vulnerable children
Setting
Boat – seen as Peter’s refuge. Small and provides no escape for boys. Later becomes Grime’s prison. London – his
behaviour goes unnoticed, suggesting that London is as corrupt and as evil as Grimes. The setting is used to mirror
people’s responses to Grimes. Aldeburgh – quite, Suffolk fishing town implied poverty. Land becomes his hunting
ground. Isolation of the sea is used to reflect Peter’s emptiness when he is exiled from his community. Grimes isolates
himself from this setting that welcomes others e.g. the 3 rd boy. His isolation of people and place outcast him entirely
when he is on the marsh. This is the only place where he will be accepted. However, this isolation drives him mad with
guilt. The setting becomes part of his punishment
Porphyria’s Lover
Crime, Murder and Violence
The violence of the crime is underplayed as the speaker insists that she felt no pain – the speaker uses this to try to justify
his crimes
Criminal Psyche
The crime is not premeditated, it suggests it was impromptu. It is also cold and unfeeling. He is unafraid of discovery. It is
hinted that the speaker is mad. He is presented in a calm, cold manor in a orderly manner (form). Browning suggests
that madness is a complex phenomenon that has more in common with sanity than we think. Is is implied that they are
in an unequal relationship in terms of social class. He wants to preserve the ‘perfect moment’ and keep her there
forever – extremely controlling. He is proud of his actions at the end of the poem and feels no guilt. He is coldly
objective in his speech
