Robert Browning

“Porphyria’s Lover” is such an intriguing poem, because at first reading it would seem that this poem recounts the tale of the murder of a woman by a jealous lover; however, after a closer more in depth look it would seem that this is a tale of euthanasia, a topic of much debate in America now. What is so interesting about this poem is that an argument could be made for with case. An argument could be made that this is, in fact, a crime of passion, but a case could also be made for euthanasia. This is a very well-crafted poem that keeps its readers wanting more.
It is made apparent by Browning that the two people in the poem are very passionate lovers, which is why it is fairly easy to make a case for a crime of passion. When she first enters the room, Browning says “She shut the cold out and the storm, / And kneeled and made the cheerless grate / Blaze up, and all the cottage warm” (662; ll. 7-9). There is obviously something between them, because her very presence creates a warmth in the narrator who is her lover and who is fully aware that Porphyria loves him. He says, “I looked up at her eyes / Happy and proud; at last I knew / Porphyria worshipped me” (663; ll. 31-33). The most curious thing though is they both love each other, but Porphyria cannot be with her love. Browning never specifically says why she cannot be with him, but he does say she:
Too weak,, for all her heart’s endeavour,
To set its struggling passion free
From pride, and vainer ties dissever,
And give herself to me for ever. (663; ll.22-25)
Shortly after this, the killing that occurs is described by the narrator admitting “In one long yellow string I wound / Three times her little throat around, / And strangled her” (663; ll. 39-41)., but readers are left guessing as to the reason why. He obviously still cares for her, because he takes great care with the body after he has killed her, then why does he kill her?
This question plagues readers minds until they take a deeper look into the poem. After some research, readers find that Porphyria is a disease of the blood, which is often very painful for the inflicted. By the end of the poem it seems as though it was Porphyria’s wish that this happen because the narrator thinks to himself “Porphyria’s love: she guessed not how / Her darling one wish would be heard” (663; ll. 56-57), but it was not an easy thing for the narrator to do. Before the killing he says “surprise / Made my heart swell, and still it grew / While I debated what to do” (663; ll. 56-57). It may have been Porphyria’s wish to end her suffering, but it is something her lover must force himself to do for her. His attempted justification at the end, however, is very intriguing. The narrator tries to convince himself in the end as he lies in bed with his murdered lover that “all night long we have not stirred, / And yet God has not said a word!” (663; ll. 59-60). Because he has not seen immediate action from God, he assumes he has done the right thing in this highly intriguing and somewhat controversial poem.