My_Last_Duchess_and_Porphyria's_Lover

It is witnessed that canonical artists similar to the likes of Robert Browning, interpret views and perceptions through literature in a timeless sense transcending them into the now modern context even surpassing the effects of the ever progressing time. However, upon review, one can notice that its inferred meaning has indeed been exposed to influence and subsequently change as a result of the developing social judgement. In proposing this, morals and values that have been practised and held by societies, as well as the presented culture and surroundings shape the composer, leading to his/her style and purpose of creating works. Also stemming from the environment from which a piece of text is produced, composers develop conventions of certain genres shaping them to address/conform to certain economical, geopolitical, social, historical, cultural and geographical contexts. The poems My Last Duchess and Porphyria's Lover both being composed by Robert Browning, give prospect to his Victorian and Italian Renaissance context through his presented values and ideas. My Last duchess and Porphyria’s Lover both take on the form of dramatic monologues superimposed on the fundamentals of poetry. It was written in the 19th century where society held common Victorian beliefs and customs; this was also a particular era which somewhat resurrected elements from the past, one of which reflected the Renaissance period. In brief, at this moment in time society experienced both a societal and intellectual upheaval, it also was an occasion of self-indulgence in materialism especially in the form of possessions, not to mention a period of history which was sexually conservative to the point where such topics were considered as subjects of scandalous taboo. Through these deductions one can assume the persona of the general audience at the time to which these poems targeted and so subsequently through context one can better understand the poem, further discovering its intended meaning. Parallel to this insight, the poet makes use of a variety of techniques to convey its overall meaning and expose the scope of immediate context. Through literature Browning conveys his intended meaning which mirrors his feelings and attitude towards his society and its mentality. Both his tales of sexual transgression in the form of vindictive homicide were considered, during his time to be horrifying yet titillative. This was largely due to Bowning’s use of literature and its employable techniques. Symbolism is one of the highly dominant literary devices used in both the poems ‘My Last duchess’ and ‘Porphyria’s lover’. In the poem My Last duchess, symbolism is evident in the painted portrait of his late mistress and the line in which the Duke describes the ruler of the sea to be taming a sea horse - ‘Notice Neptune, though, / Taming a sea-horse thought to be a rarity,’. (Line 54-55) In both of these instances he elevates himself to a position of authority signifying his power, control and obsession. The portrait itself is symbolic of how his former spouse is merely a possession to be displayed and revealed according to his desires. Nearing the poems conclusion the Duke comments on the god of the sea, in effect he is likening himself to a god-like figure with the seahorse symbolising the departed Duchess that he controls and tames. This coincides with his egotistical line of thought seeking materialistic fulfilment and ownership. This same technique of symbolism is noticed in the latter poem – ‘Porphyria’s Lover’. However, in this occurrence it is denoted by the personas actions. The speaker actively fondles with, and repositions the corpse of his love shortly after slaying her, - ‘I propped her head up as before / Only this time my shoulder bore / Her head,…’. (Line 49-51) As aforementioned this technique is used to reinforce the speaker’s obsession with Pophyria, it also again relates back to the theme of possession apparent from how the narrator toys with her, without her disagreement. Through both poems of how Browning manipulates language, one can witness the overriding theme of dominance, authority and ownership. These aspects were the very notions that intrigue the public at the time. Other than symbolisations and representations, many techniques riddle the poem giving it meaning and content. In the poem ‘My Last Duchess’ the account between the Duke and the Duchess, as delivered by the Duke closely resembles Alfonso II (1533-1597), fifth Duke of Ferrara. This historical allusion is supposedly in reference to Alfonso II, by the fact that he also had a wife (Lucrezia de Medici) for three years, whom later died amongst suspicion of foul play, subsequent to this Alfonso sought new love (Barbara). This coincidently mirrors the plot of the poem being that the duchess died by execution (‘This grew; I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together.’ Line 45-46) and the Duke seeking, through an emissary a new hand in marriage. This relates back to the imperative context of the Italian Renaissance and its ideas of love, greed, cunningness and hypocrisy. This accentuates the historical dominance that men exert over women. Likewise, the technique of violent imagery plagues the poem – Porphyria’s lover, in that it visibly describes a rendezvous from a perspective of an illogical lover, resulting again in an unforgivable act of murder. He vividly recounts his horrifying actions taking into account all facets of strangling Porphyria and its aftermath - ‘In one long yellow string I wound / Three times her little throat around, / And strangled her…’. (Line 49-41) This abrupt yet clear sequential sentence suggest that he intended for this to happen in turn allowing her to forever be in his presence satisfying his desires. Similarly, it once again reinforces the perceptions of obsession, male superiority and sexuality that were rampant during Browning’s context, largely due to the speaker’s complete and utter disregard for women’s rights and choices. In both these poems, Browning describes almost indifferently a weirdly erotic, sadistic, obsessive and compulsive theme in a somewhat conservative manner, as evident from the meaning. This is in direct correlation to the then present audience, put simply, without these themes and techniques poems similar to these will not have its value it beholds as a dramatic monologue. In essence it is only through contextual understanding of a particular artist do we fully comprehend and grasp its true intended meaning, thus appreciating it for what it’s really worth.