A Comparison of “Porphyria’s Lover” and “My Last Duchess”

Both “Porphyria’s Lover” and “My Last Duchess” are dramatic monologues themed on twisted love and anguish written by Robert Browning. The narrator in each poem is a deviant lover who speaks out his mind about his murder of the woman whom he claims to love deeply. The first person narrative allows readers to feel stronger emotions about the characters and, therefore, infer the hidden dark nature of the story.

Porphyria’s lover is a possessive man who wishes to preserve their “perfect moment” and Porphyria’s love for eternity, and the Duke is an arrogant and controlling royal class. While the Duke is clearly at the top in the relationship with his wife because of his powerful social status, Porphyria’s lover appears passive due to his sense of insecurity for love. For instance, the mood of the poem instantly changes from being tense in the absence of Porphyria to warm and calm after Porphyria enters the scene.

It is interesting to see how each character deal with the repercussion of his acts. The intention of both murders is to preserve love, and they manage to do that in quite similar ways. Porphyria’s lover has probably lost his sanity as he props her up after strangling her to death as if she is still alive and enjoying their best moment. Similarly, the cold-blooded Duke makes his last wife immortal on canvas for boasting like she is just a rare collection for him. Their abnormal love is a manifestation of men’s radical eagerness for honor and control and a reflection of women’s minor social status typically during the Victorian era.