Martha Peacock
‘It is arguable that Porphyria is a higher class/ social standing
than her lover (the narrator)- Can you find evidence in the text to
support this?’
Some critics may agree that Porphyria is a higher class standing than her
lover. This could be inferred by the title ‘Porphyria’s lover’ seen using
‘lover’ creating evidence that their relationship was illicit. This could be
further proved by the secluded setting. Their illicit relationship could be
because of their differences in class, as in Victorian England mixing
statuses was unacceptable in society. Her name, ‘Porphyria’ is a shade of
purple, which connotates royalty or higher status, this could again
evidence why this may be an illicit affair. The mixing of status within this
relationship may be why “God did not say a word” after he killed her- as it
restores harmony within Victorian society. Critics may also infer that
Porphyria is a higher class than the speaker, by the quote “her smooth
white shoulder blade”. Seen by “white” where it was popular in the 19th
century for rich women to have extremely pale skin to show they do not
work outside like the working class. Her “white” skin shows how she does
not work at all therefore is of a higher class than this (upper-class). The
couple’ s unbalanced level of control could also be because of her
unconscious power over him due to her higher class than him, (“Be sure I
looked up in her eyes”). The use of a dramatic monologue creates an
unreliable narrator, therefore critics are able to infer the narrative further,
as there is a gap between the what the speaker describes and what
happened.
‘Select at least two techniques from your annotations to develop
into full PEE paragraphs.’
Within ‘Porphyria’s lover’, the poem is set in the form of a dramatic
monologue, this creates an uneasy atmosphere as the readers as hearing
from the 1st person narrative of a murderer, seen by the uneasy line “And
strangled her”. The bluntness and lack of rhythm in this line creates a
change of tone, and the lack of emotion further creates an unsettling
nature. This fuels the catharsis that readers of crime writings enjoy.
However, the use of a dramatic monologue creates an unreliable narrator,
him being irrational and psychotic further shows his unreliability. His
psychotic nature is prevalent and highlighted through his personal
narration, this allows the reader to see through the eyes of a killer and see
the pleasures crime- this one being reading abut issues not openly spoken
about in polite society but intriguing to the Victorians. Seen through the
popular reading of ‘The Police Gazette’. The form allows the audience to
enjoy this crime reading, and highlight his psychotic nature, seen within “I
am quite sure she felt no pain”, which the audience knows is inaccurate,
due to the brutality of her murder, his delusional opinion seen in “Her
darling one wish would be heard”. The speaker is clearly deluded these
‘It is arguable that Porphyria is a higher class/ social standing
than her lover (the narrator)- Can you find evidence in the text to
support this?’
Some critics may agree that Porphyria is a higher class standing than her
lover. This could be inferred by the title ‘Porphyria’s lover’ seen using
‘lover’ creating evidence that their relationship was illicit. This could be
further proved by the secluded setting. Their illicit relationship could be
because of their differences in class, as in Victorian England mixing
statuses was unacceptable in society. Her name, ‘Porphyria’ is a shade of
purple, which connotates royalty or higher status, this could again
evidence why this may be an illicit affair. The mixing of status within this
relationship may be why “God did not say a word” after he killed her- as it
restores harmony within Victorian society. Critics may also infer that
Porphyria is a higher class than the speaker, by the quote “her smooth
white shoulder blade”. Seen by “white” where it was popular in the 19th
century for rich women to have extremely pale skin to show they do not
work outside like the working class. Her “white” skin shows how she does
not work at all therefore is of a higher class than this (upper-class). The
couple’ s unbalanced level of control could also be because of her
unconscious power over him due to her higher class than him, (“Be sure I
looked up in her eyes”). The use of a dramatic monologue creates an
unreliable narrator, therefore critics are able to infer the narrative further,
as there is a gap between the what the speaker describes and what
happened.
‘Select at least two techniques from your annotations to develop
into full PEE paragraphs.’
Within ‘Porphyria’s lover’, the poem is set in the form of a dramatic
monologue, this creates an uneasy atmosphere as the readers as hearing
from the 1st person narrative of a murderer, seen by the uneasy line “And
strangled her”. The bluntness and lack of rhythm in this line creates a
change of tone, and the lack of emotion further creates an unsettling
nature. This fuels the catharsis that readers of crime writings enjoy.
However, the use of a dramatic monologue creates an unreliable narrator,
him being irrational and psychotic further shows his unreliability. His
psychotic nature is prevalent and highlighted through his personal
narration, this allows the reader to see through the eyes of a killer and see
the pleasures crime- this one being reading abut issues not openly spoken
about in polite society but intriguing to the Victorians. Seen through the
popular reading of ‘The Police Gazette’. The form allows the audience to
enjoy this crime reading, and highlight his psychotic nature, seen within “I
am quite sure she felt no pain”, which the audience knows is inaccurate,
due to the brutality of her murder, his delusional opinion seen in “Her
darling one wish would be heard”. The speaker is clearly deluded these
