Robert Browning's "Porphyria's Lover"

In this essay, I would like to discuss one of Robert Browning's more unsettling poems, "Porphyria's Lover." The poem is a dramatic monologue of sorts, though different from Browning's most famous dramatic monologue, "My Last Duchess." In contrast to "My Last Duchess" in which the Duke regales a Count's envoy with tales of his former duchess, Porphyria's lover is not addressing any other living person. Of course, this makes the monologue of Porphyria's lover all …

…not stirred, / And yet God has not said a word!"). His conscience seems to forewarn him of heavenly retribution for Porphyria's murder as he grotesquely keeps company with his lover's corpse throughout the night. Browning's poem is a start reminder of the insanity which may lie hidden not far below the surface of someone we may believe we know but do not actually know at all. We may pay for our ignorance with deadly consequences.