3 hour paper.

All sections are worth 25 marks

each.
1 hour per section.

Section A = Unseen

Section B = Answer one question

on a specific text

Section C = Answer one question

focusing on the two texts NOT
written about in Section B.

NOTE THIS!
How will you be
marked?
 Crime and
Gender punishment
Religion
roles

What do you know

about Victorian context
already?
(Make links to Literature you have read where
possible)
The Development of
British Science and
Empire Technology
Class
divide
What themes and emotions are
evoked from this image?

How can we relate it to

Victorian context?

Why might the man be faceless

compared to the woman in the
picture?
 Robert Browning
Write a brief account of the life
and times of Robert Browning,
including his:
● Family life
● Views on gender
● Views on religion
● Style of writing
● Poetic influences
These were all discussed in the previous lesson btw…
Big question…

What is LOVE?
 Key Themes:
-Power and passivity
-Objectification of women
-Social class
-Immorality
-The ‘Fallen Woman’

As we listen:
● Check literal understanding (what is actually happening?)
● Underline key quotes – how is characterisation established?
Symbolism: Hair
The poem is told from the perspective of a mentally disturbed mind and
the narrator appears to have an obsession with Porphyria’s hair.
● Re-read the poem and highlight all the references to hair.
● What does the narrator do with her hair? How does the writer
portray that this man is mentally disturbed?
● Sometimes the narrator refers to it as ‘the hair’ rather than ‘her
hair’. Why do you think he changes the pronouns here?

What other symbols/motifs can you identify in the poem?

How does the author use language in order to convey the mood of the speaker in
this extract?

‘As a shut bud that holds a bee,

I warily oped her lids again.’

200 words.
Power and Helplessness
With two different colour highlighters, Key word: A sudden
highlight all the times that: change in tone or
a) The lover has the power in the relationship
b) Porphyria has power in the relationship perspective in a poem
(usually a Sonnet) is
● How does the power change throughout? called a ‘Volta.’
● Could you argue that the lover kills
Porphyria simply to gain power?
Can you identify a
volta in this poem?
 Meaning
what is the poem about?
who is the speaker? - are they dramatized (a character)
who is being spoken to or addressed?
MITSL
Meaning, Imagery, Tone, Structure, Language
what is being spoken about?
Theme(s) of the poem - what is it really about?
Always link everything to meaning. Ask yourself how does this contributes to
Setting/culture - where’s the poem set? Culture it is from/about? the meaning? Why has the poet used this technique?

Structure Tone
Rhyme - is there a rhyme scheme? Couplets? Internal rhyme? How would the poem be spoken? (angry, sad, nostalgic, bitter, humorous
Rhythm - how many syllables per line? Is it regular or free verse? Why are etc)
some different lengths?
Stanzas - How many? How do they change? Is there a narrative? Language
Lines - how many are their in each verse? Do some stand out? What kinds of words are used?
Enjambment - do the lines “run on” to the next line or stanza? Puns - a pun is a play on words.
End stopping - does each line finish at the end of a sentence? Connotation - associations that words have (as "stallion" connotes a
Form - does the poem have a shape to it? certain kind of horse with certain sorts of uses)?
Double meanings - “butts in” - putting bottoms in or interrupting.
Imagery – What image does the language create in your mind and what Ambiguity - is the word or phrase deliberately unclear? Could it mean
is the effect of it? opposite things or many different things?.
Alliteration - the repeating of initial sounds. Word order - are the words in an unusual order – why?
Assonance - is the term used for the repetition of vowel sounds within Adjectives - what are the key describing words?
consecutive words as in, 'rags of green weed hung down...'. Key words and phrases - do any of the words or phrases stand out? Do
Metaphor - comparing two things by saying one is the other. they shock? Are the words “violent” or “sad” etc?
Simile - comparing two things saying one is like or as the other. Slang or unusual words and misspellings - Does the poet use slang or
Personification - giving something non-human human qualities. informal language? Are American words used?
Onomatopoeia - words that sound like the thing they describe. Intertextuality - does the poem reference another text?
Repetition - does the poet repeat words or phrases? Style - does the poet copy another style? (Newspaper, play etc)
Characters - if there are characters how do they speak?
 The word ‘spite’
Symbolism - the description of
refers to having a
the surrounding could be a The rain set early in to-night, desire to hurt
reflection of the lover’s mental
The sullen wind was soon awake, someone - this
state - he expects rejection/
may mirror the
contradicts idea of It tore the elm-tops down for spite,
desires of the
masculinity/being in control And did its worst to vex the lake: narrator.
Tone is set - uneasiness + sense I listened with heart fit to break. Perhaps she
of foreboding When glided in Porphyria; straight lives a parallel
She shut the cold out and the storm, life when she is
with him and
And kneeled and made the cheerless grate actively shuts
Porphyria brightens up the Blaze up, and all the cottage warm; out her upper-
atmosphere, bringing
warmth and comfort - this Which done, she rose, and from her form class life.
provides evidence that she
is not a femme
fatale/cruel/evil; she has Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl,
good intentions Perhaps she can be herself
And laid her soiled gloves by, untied with him, she lets down her
guard in front of him -
He remains almost catatonic and Her hat and let the damp hair fall, becoming vulnerable. The
doesn’t help her as she comes in from
the rain - she has to do everything And, last, she sat down by my side cloak and shawl may also be
such as removing her cloak and seen as her burdens from
lighting up the fire. Perhaps he has
And called me. When no voice replied, her upper-class life or
some sort of illness whether it be societal norms for women of
physical or mental. the time.
 The fact that the woman is playing the more active agent could be threatening
Imperative verb, she is the active
for the man of a Victorian society, leading to the murder. Is she provocative?
agent - she is in control at the Intimate area, she is in physical
moment (emphasised through the She put my arm about her waist, control. More confident - sexually as
repetition) she is showing areas which were not
And made her smooth white shoulder bare,
traditionally shown hence strong
She’s being vulnerable and open
which also makes her appear to be
And all her yellow hair displaced, sexual connotations
the more confident one. And, stooping, made my cheek lie there, Physical attractiveness - “spread”
--- territorial, covering more ground, hair
Murmuring could also be his And spread, o'er all, her yellow hair, is a physical trait subjected to
entrapment in her beauty through a Murmuring how she loved me--she attractiveness
space out from reality Exposes his intentions and his
Too weak, for all her heart's endeavour, possessive nature which could be
To set its struggling passion free argued from a feminist lens to show
Shift in power he exposes her his own insecurities
weakness so he’s gaining control From pride, and vainer ties dissever,
‘Struggling passion’ suggest that all
And give herself to me for ever. his desires are trapped within, soon to
But passion sometimes would prevail, be released or that he is struggling
Not even the upper class people with self control
with all their power over her (which Nor could to-night's gay feast restrain The love is superficial - It is purely
is why she is unable to leave her
other life to be with him) could stop A sudden thought of one so pale physical as a love in vain depicts a
him from having “sudden thought” lack of emotion involved as it is all for
of one so “pale”. Refers to her
For love of her, and all in vain: nothing
femininity and vulnerability. She is So, she was come through wind and rain. The masculine rhyme scheme could
his because she is here - hence a suggest that he is in control of the
vulnerability Pathetic fallacy - foreshadowing something bad is about to happen to
narrative despite her her exclaiming
her. Wind and rain emphasise her active intent and possible
her femininity and confidence
implications could be derived from the reason why ~ why does she go
to his house in such conditions, for what reason?
 Position shows power dynamic → Implies that he did not know that
She's above him → Is she making Porphyria loved him → Suggests
him physically look? → ‘Proud’ inferiority complex → She's out of
implies that he views having her love his league → Is she in a higher
and attention is an achievement →
Be sure I looked up at her eyes social class than him? → Is she
He’s dependent on her to give his Happy and proud; at last I knew more confident than him?
life meaning → Reverse of the social
norm Porphyria worshipped me; surprise He uses her hair to kill her- the hair
Made my heart swell, and still it grew could symbolise Porphyria’s sexuality
He does not enjoy her being and femininity, thus showing how he is
independent and without him → While I debated what to do. blaming her outwardness and
'fair' suggests that she's pretty or That moment she was mine, mine, fair, confidence for her death, suggesting he
implies that he feels that he's has to kill her to protect her “pure and
fighting for her attention/love
Perfectly pure and good: I found [goodness]”
‘perfectly pure and good’ implies A thing to do, and all her hair
that her sexuality makes her a In one long yellow string I wound She’s awaiting his
fallen women → Othello killing decision → Power
Desdemona to protect the ‘rose’ Three times her little throat around, change
And strangled her. No pain felt she; Shows the progression of how he
He wants the experience to be
I am quite sure she felt no pain. continues to objectify her and
more intimate and personal, he
view her as a vulnerable person
choose to strangle her, maybe so
who need protecting
that he can witness the moment Very insisting on her being painless → Loves
when power changes within their her? → Shows his delusional mental state →
relationship → when the light goes Feels guilty and thus is convincing himself that
out from her eyes, that’s when he she died peacefully
finally gains power
 Simile, nature imagery to justify him
Alliteration of “Blushed bright
murdering her, holding her captive As a shut bud that holds a bee,
- Use of nature - the act of taking her beneath my burning kiss” -
power is a necessary part of life
I warily oped her lids: again domineering and obsessive
- Cycle of life - those who claim power Laughed the blue eyes without a stain. presence, intonation sounds
by force will be more successful in the forceful, tries to make her a
sphere of life
And I untightened next the tress subject of his possession instead
- “Fallen man” - tries to gain his social About her neck; her cheek once more of her own individualism - murder
position again through the more
Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss:
powerful and influential figure, the Suggests that her death was
“bud” is usually the subject of gain for I propped her head up as before, necessary to remove those keeping
the “bee” - shunned from society Only, this time my shoulder bore them apart by force - societal
constructs. By being dead, she has
Her head, which droops upon it still: no societal standing.
Could be argued that he kills her so that The smiling rosy little head, The speaker is delusional - fits
she cannot leave him - an act of passion
rather than a crime. Alternatively, it could So glad it has its utmost will, the post-modernist theme of
an unreliable narrator. This
be an act of rebellion against society for That all it scorned at once is fled, makes it hard to trust the text -
keeping them apart. did he really kill her out of love
And I, its love, am gained instead! or was it for control. He also
Porphyria's love: she guessed not how tries to justify his actions by
Use of exclamation mark suggesting that this was her
suggests an ecstatic and Her darling one wish would be heard. ‘wish’.
somewhat surprised tone at And thus we sit together now,
what he has committed Emphasises that this is her death
- His role as a murderer is
And all night long we have not stirred,
was necessary - just part of life,
enforced impulsively And yet God has not said a word! as God allows it to occur.
onto himself
The Fallen Woman (A03: Context)

● The term fallen woman was used to describe a woman who has "lost her innocence" and fallen from the grace of God. In 19th
century Britain especially, the meaning came to be closely associated with the loss or surrender of a woman's chastity.
● Its use was an expression of the belief that to be socially and morally acceptable a women's sexuality and experience should be
entirely restricted to marriage.
● Used when society offered few employment opportunities for women in times of crisis or hardship, the term was often more
specifically associated with prostitution which was regarded as both cause and effect of a woman being "fallen".
● Today, with a general acceptance that theologically, men as well as women are capable of falling from grace, the term is considered
to be outdated although it retains strong literary associations and has considerable historical importance.

● What evidence can you find in the poem to support that Porphyria is a ‘fallen
woman’?
● Can you find any evidence that contradicts this?
Alternative Point of View (AO5)
● Victorian society obeyed strict values.
● They believed you should marry someone of your own ‘social status’ and you should
only mix with people of a similar class.

It is arguable that Porphyria is of a higher class/social standing than her lover (the
narrator). - CAN YOU FIND THE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THIS?

IF this argument is valid, then why do you think the lover may have decided to kill
Porphyria?
Are there social forces preventing a serious romantic relationship between Porphyria and
her Lover, as perhaps indicated by "pride" and "vainer ties?"
Look at the different poetic techniques employed
by Browning in the poem. Sentence Starters:
Browning has employed …
Which techniques most effectively demonstrate
[technique]… to demonstrate
the madness of the narrator?
the madness of the narrator.
He exclaims that…
Select at least two techniques from your [quotation]… which
annotations to develop into full PEE suggests………
paragraphs. This emphasises his madness
as…..

Challenge: Use the correct subject terminology in your answer and make links
to the context of the poem and how a Victorian reader may have reacted.
How does Browning use:

• Setting

• Poetic elements (what are they?)

• Imagery

• The persona

• The depiction of the victim

in Porphyria’s Lover to convey the crime

effectively?
Which techniques most effectively demonstrate the madness of the
narrator?

Section 1: Browning creates pathetic fallacy through the dark and gloomy setting in which the poem begins, implying the
sinister intention of the lover . The hostility and destructive nature of the “sullen wind” in “[tearing] the elm-tops down for
spite” illustrates the madness he is experiencing, causing his “fit-heart to break”, in which the readers can expect an act of
impulse and uncontrollable rage that unravels in the poem. Gothic elements of nature’s dangerous power are employed by
Browning to set the perfect atmosphere of crime and sin, hinting at the role power and control plays in justifying the lover’s
madness and delusion. Furthermore, Porphyria’s act of ‘gliding in’ suggests an ethereal portrayal of her as a figure of interest,
foreshadowing his attempt in justifying her murder. By elevating her as a character, the lover instigates a mythical and
supernatural image of Porphyria in her ability to “shut the cold out” and “ made the cheerless grate warm up” simply through
her presence; this gives the readers an insight to his impression of Porphyria as a powerful being in which he places on a
pedestal of admiration. The lover emphasises the assertive power she has over her audience, implying a possible aspect of
envy he has of her which provides him with the motivation for murder in attempts to possess that power himself.
Alternatively, Browning suggests that the narrator is ‘mad’ due to the actions of Porphyria, from her
Which techniques most effectively demonstrate the madness of the
narrator?
Section 2:
Clearly, Porphyria cares for and trusts her lover as she ‘put my arm about her
waist’ and ‘made her smooth white shoulder bare’ however we can see that the
narrator almost despises her intimate actions. This is through Browning’s
pervasive use of sibilance throughout section 2 which adds a bitter and
serpentine nature, emphasising the unreliability of his narration and mental
state. Furthermore, the usage of a masculine rhyme scheme and the shift in
power towards the narrator with the revelation of Porphyria's devotion,
emphasises the narrator’s desire for control, which places his motives under
more scrutiny than they would otherwise be.

In general terms, a masculine

rhyme is one where the final
syllable is stressed.
Which techniques most effectively demonstrate the madness of the narrator?

Section 3

Browning demonstrates the madness of the narrator through the use of literary techniques, repetition, alliteration, rhyming and imagery effectively. In this section the repetition of ‘sure’
makes the reader question how reliable the narrator is. He starts of by saying ‘Be sure’ and ends with ‘I am quite sure’ the decrease in confidence the lover/narrator himself feels suggests
that he is not in the right mental space to be aware of what he is doing. In a way he himself is not confident that she did not feel pain it is almost as though he is convincing himself and
the reader that there was no pain felt when in actuality the reader and the lover are both aware that Porphyria did die a painful death. Him trying to convince himself shows the madness of
the narrator and the lover. Browning used the technique of repetition effectively to convey the narrator's madness as he wanted the lover and narrator to be questioned and wanted their
uncertainty to be shown explicitly to demonstrate their descent to madness.

The alliteration and rhymes in this section emphasises his delusional state as it usually directly contradicts the subject matter he is talking about. “Perfectly pure and good” is plosive
alliteration and while it could be a show of his “struggling passion”, the matter he is talking about surrounds her femininity and virtue which could be described with more care and
delicacy. Additionally, the masculine rhyme “fair” and “hair” is actually referring to Porphyria’s physical appearance. It could be deduced from that, that the lover, presumably male, is
taking ownership of her physically and not actually keeping her soul “pure” as he claims many times. Following this line, when he strangles her, “I wound” coupled with “around” is a
feminine rhyme which could be interpreted as the narrative voice placing the blame of her death on her. This reflects on his mental instability as he takes advantage of her love and
“worship” for his selfish gain in claiming her life and preserving her purity forever in his eyes.

The action of looking into someone’s eyes with the intent of murdering someone is an obvious form of the narrator’s emphasis of a damaged mental psyche. Porphyria worshiped me -
Gives us insight to how his perspective is deformed and misogynistic at its values as we delve deeper into his intentions. “My heart swell, and still it grew” in conjunction with the line
“That moment she was mine, mine, fair;” further emphasises this idea of ‘madness’ as we once again see that malformed thought process as he finds pleasure in corrupting her purity. The
extract’s focal point is the revelation of his perverse nature and how his ‘true intentions’ being autassassinophilia through the distorted nature of his mentality - hence a profound emphasis
on a declivity to madness. The implementation of the masculine rhyme scheme, greatly focused in the passage portray further that shift in authority and power - the prominence of the
physical nature also relates to a problematic personality type as it reveals a much deeper problem in his psyche.
Which techniques most effectively demonstrate the madness of the narrator?

Section 4: Browning uses nature imagery to demonstrate the mental state of the narrator. He sees his act of killing her
as necessary just like how a “shut bud holds a bee”, which shows the shift in power dynamic within nature as a bee is
the one which uses the bud for food, the bud is now the one that takes the life of the bee, thus the man believes he is
justified in killing her for him to ‘gain’ power in the relationship and society. Coupled with the syntax ‘soiled gloves’
which insinuates Porphyria to be a fallen woman, contemporary readers may sympathise with the narrator as they see
it fit for Porphyria to be put in her place in society and for him to regain control of the relationship. In addition, the
use of plosive alliteration of ‘b’ and ‘p’ sounds throughout emphasises the consequence of the murder on the mental
state of the persona as it creates a heavy and dark atmosphere, similar to the sinister environment readers are
introduced to at the beginning; thus it suggests that the murder of Porphyria has inevitably affected the narrrator’s
psyche for the worse. Furthermore, Browning chooses to employ an exclamation mark in the quote “and I, its love,
am gained instead” to further highlight the man’s insanity as he is euphoric of Porphyria’s death, thus, emphasizing
how the mentality of the man has deteriorated to the point where he feels no remorse for killing her. Alternatively, a
reader might interpret the exclamation mark as a indication that he feels guilty for taking Porphyria’s life, thus, this
ambiguity further accentuates his lunacy as it shows his emotional instability.
What is the significance of the title of the poem?

CONSIDER/RESEARCH:

● Why the name Porphyria? What does it mean and how can it
relate to the key themes?
● Why PORPHYRIA’S Lover and not the other way around?
● Why might the narrator have decided to call his text Porphyria’s
Lover remaining anonymous and referring to himself in the 3rd
person?
Critics are divided about why the speaker decides to murder Porphyria. You are each
going to be given a different critical theory. Find evidence to support this belief. Be
ready to argue your case.

1. The speaker in the poem murders his lover in an attempt to preserve a perfect moment.

2. The speaker thinks that Porphyria’s love is not going to last and kills her out of fear of this.

3. She is suffering from an incurable disease and the speaker kills her out of kindness so that she
doesn’t have to suffer anymore.

4. The speaker has an obsessive personality disorder and murders Porphyria because he cannot control
himself.
 Language as Defense in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’
1. What is the effect of writing the poem as a
Dramatic Monologue where the murderer is the The monologue form represents the
narrator? thoughts and feelings of the narrator
(stream of consciousness).
2. How reliable is the narrative voice? Should we
The lack of stanzas could represent
believe that this murder even took place? how the narrator’s thoughts are
3. How does the structure of the poem make you view crashing into one another; hinting at
his unstable mind set.
the narrator? Does it emphasise his madness or detract
While the monologue is supposed to
from it? mimic the thoughts and speech of the
narrator it does follow an ABABB
CHALLENGE: Compare this to the narrative voice in The rhyme scheme – this intense, patterned
style could reveal the narrator’s hidden
Murder of Roger Ackroyd. What links can you make? madness.
What elements of
Crime Fiction
can you name?
 Elements of Crime Writing • the inclusion of violence, murder, theft, betrayal
In the case of Elements of crime writing, many of the texts pre-date the crime • the detection of the criminal and the investigation that
fiction genre that emerged as a recognisable literary genre in the mid-19th century leads to his or her capture or punishment
and with academic recognition in the 20th century. However, in all the texts a • how far there is a moral purpose and restoration of
significant crime drives the narrative and the execution and consequences of order
the crime are fundamentally important to the way the text is structured. • guilt and remorse, confession and the desire for
forgiveness
All set texts are narratives which focus on transgressions against established order • the creation of the criminal and their nemesis, the
and the specific breaking of either national, social, religious or moral laws. The typical detective hero
focus in this component must be on ‘Elements’ and students need to consider the • the sense that there will be a resolution and the
elements that exist in each of their texts. The elements that might be explored, criminal will be punished
depending on the individual text, include: • the victims of crime and the inclusion of suffering
• the central motifs of love, money, danger and death
• punishment, justice, retribution, injustice, accusation,
• the type of crime text itself, whether it is detective fiction, a post-modern novel, the legal system, criminal trials and courtroom dramas,
a revenge tragedy, an account of a life lost to crime imprisonment, death
• the structural patterning of the text as it moves through
• the settings that are created as backdrops for criminal action and for the pursuit a series of crises to some sense of order
of the perpetrators of crime: both places and times will be significant here • the specific focus on plotting
• the nature of the crimes and the criminals, the criminals’ motives and actions • the way that language is used in the world that is
created; there may be use of a criminal register, legal
register, police register
• the way that crime writing is used to comment on
society, particularly the representation of society at
particular historical periods
Elements of Crime Writing • the inclusion of violence, murder, theft, betrayal
• the detection of the criminal and the investigation that leads to his or
To what extent does her capture or punishment
• how far there is a moral purpose and restoration of order
Porphyria’s Lover fulfil • guilt and remorse, confession and the desire for forgiveness
the conventions of Crime • the creation of the criminal and their nemesis, the typical detective
hero
Fiction? • the sense that there will be a resolution and the criminal will be
punished
• the victims of crime and the inclusion of suffering

Make links to other • the central motifs of love, money, danger and death
• punishment, justice, retribution, injustice, accusation, the legal
Crime texts you have system, criminal trials and courtroom dramas, imprisonment, death
• the structural patterning of the text as it moves through a series of
read where possible. crises to some sense of order
• the specific focus on plotting
• the way that language is used in the world that is created; there may
be use of a criminal register, legal register, police register
• the way that crime writing is used to comment on society, particularly
the representation of society at particular historical periods
To what extent do you believe that the
crime committed in Porphyria’s Lover
was premeditated or was it an act of
passion?
TASK: As a group, plan for this question using
the Assessment Objectives to guide you.
The AOs are as follows:

AO5 Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations. (12%)

AO4 Explore connections across literary texts. (12%)
AO3 Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which
literary texts are written and received. (24%)
AO2 Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts. (24%)
AO1 Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated
concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression. (28%)

Weightings for each question are as follows:

AO5: 3 marks AO4: 3 marks AO3: 6 marks AO2: 6 marks AO1: 7 marks

● Given that this is an open book exam, comments on the ways meanings are
shaped should be specific and accurate.
 AO3 (6 marks) AO4 (3 marks) AO5 (3 marks)
What RANGE of contextual issues could How can you explicitly link back to Crime What alternative interpretations are there?
you address? Don’t just consider gender genre? Consider the key aspects of crime. Could you argue it was neither? (Consider
roles. How TYPICAL is the text? the unreliable narrator).
AO1 AO2
AO4
AO3
AO5 Example Paragraph
Firstly, the narrator has a clear motive for killing Porphyria which implies it is a premeditated killing, and is
typical of crime fiction. His motive for killing Porphyria is arguably due to her class and gender. It is suggested
that Porphyria is of a higher class than her lover, in her ‘cloak’, ‘shawl’ and albeit ‘soiled’ gloves. This is also
reflected through the setting of the crime being the lover’s ‘cottage’ implying humble and small, compared to
the ‘gay feast’ that Porphyria had arrived from; an event that would only be restricted to the upper class. As a
man, the narrator would arguably feel uncomfortable with Porphyria’s power over him and therefore it is
considered by many critics that he kills Porphyria to restore order in the Victorian society by preventing her
gender from being more dominant. A 19th Century reader, although they would not agree with such a crime,
may understand his motive due to the patriarchal society.
On the other hand, some would argue that the actual murder itself and the murder weapon contradicts the
concept of this being premeditated. The act of strangulation with Porphyria’s own hair appears spontaneous.
“I found A thing to do, and all her hair In one long yellow string I wound”. The phrase ‘I found’ definitely
suggests a discovery in the moment. However, the intimacy of this act could again reflect the psychopathic
mindset of the murderer. There is a perverted thrill in using her own hair which he clearly has an obsession
with from the outset “all her yellow hair displaced…” and mentions frequently throughout the dramatic
monologue. If the lover is concerned with Porphyria eventually leaving him, then her beauty may be a cause
of this. By killing her with the thing that makes her desirable, he is gaining even more power over her, and this
is arguably a very conscious decision and not at all an act of passion.