Porphyria's Lover

Aa/ What narrative methods does Browning use in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ to tell the story?

‘Porphyria’s Lover’ tells the tale of murderous love through the use of dramatic monologue. The poem begins with Porphyria entering the lover’s house escaping the torturous weather outside. She takes off her shawl, gloves and hat and puts her hand around the lover’s waist and begins to declare her love. The lover realises that Porphyria truly loves him and in an austere turn of events strangles her until she is dead using her hair. After the act has been committed, the lover props her up as she was before and admires her. The poem ends with the lover sitting with Porphyria all night long.

Browning employs pathetic fallacy to create setting that not only mirrors the lover’s character but the sinister story within. “The rain set early” suggests that the disposition of…