Intro Quiz: Porphyria's Lover (Part 2)

Video: Porphyria's Lover (Part 2)

﻿Content warning. This lesson covers a poem that describes the violent death of a woman. If this is a sensitive topic to you, we recommend checking with a trusted adult before starting or completing the lesson with a trusted adult nearby. Hello, Ms. Walker here, in this lesson, we will be looking at how Browning has used language, form and structure to explore ideas around possession in the poem 'Porphyria's Lover'. Before we get started, please make sure that your working area is free of any distractions and make sure you've got a pen and paper or something to write on or write with for the lesson. Today's key question. How does Browning explore ideas about possession in the poem 'Porphyria's Lover'? We start off the lesson by looking at closer detail at the word possession before looking at the central themes in the poem. In part three, we'll look at how Browning has used language to explore this about possession and then we'll do the same in part four but for structure. We'll then take all of our learning from the rest of the lesson and apply it to a writing task in part five, before finishing the lesson with a short review quiz, Possession is a word that some of you may already be familiar with using. In this lesson, we'll be looking at it in closer detail. The definition of possession, the act of owning something or someone to have to hold it. The synonyms for it are ownership and control and the etymology say the origin of the word comes from the Latin possess, meaning to have and hold or hold in one's control and be the master of own. And that probably comes from the compound of potis, which means having power and being powerful and able. You can use it as the verb to possess or you can describe someone who is possessive that's the adjective, or you can say someone did something possessively which is the adverb. Let's have a look at the examples of it. I bought the book and paid money for it. So now it's in my possession. So the person owns it, it belongs to them. Example two, In Sonnet 29, I think of thee. The speakers thoughts about her lover have taken possession over her mind. She can think of nothing else because her love for him has taken control of her. Quick application of the vocabulary, decide which variation of the word possess is correct for each sentence. Each sentence has a blank that needs to be filled. The words that you can choose from are in the table at the bottom. Possession, possess or possessive. Pause the video to complete the task. Well done. Number one. He wouldn't let her go out and see her friends. He was possessive. So that's the adjective. In his possession was a watch, a wallet and a photo of his daughter. That's the noun. I do not possess a television. Is the third one and that's the verb form. Second task. Write a sentence of your own that uses the word possession. Use the image of the dog being on a lead to help you. Resume the video once you're finished. We'll also be taking dramatic monologue and the word delusional from lesson one on 'Porphyria's Lover'. If you're not already familiar with these words, please pause the video now to note down the definitions. Onto the central themes. So we're exploring the idea of possession in this lesson. Let's take a look at the other central themes that arise too. Before focusing on the central themes. It's important to have a recap. So let's get started. When Porphyria arrived, she is strong and seems in charge. She changes the atmosphere in the cottage. The speaker on the other hand seems weak and his heart is about to break. She declares her passionate love for him and he wanting to be in control and to preserve the moment of her beauty and purity, he violently strangles her and he lies with her for the rest of the night. Quick check. True or false. The speaker appears in control for the entire poem. Three, two, one, it's false. When he is telling the story to his listener, he actually portrays himself as weak at the start and Porphyria is the one in control. So here we are, the central themes. There are many ideas explored in the poem. We've got possession and control, love, violence, insanity and that all interlinked. So his love for her drives him to insanity. and in order to possess her forever, he then murders her violently. What are the central themes in the poem? Pause the video here, to choose the four central themes in the table on the screen. Yeah, well done. I love insanity, possession and control and violence. In part three, we're going to look at how Browning has used language to explore these ideas of possession and control. Porphyria can be viewed as just having control at the start of the poem when she first arrives at the cottage. However, the speaker has ultimate control as he murders her and takes possession of her corpse. The speaker maintains control over Porphyria in the following ways: He wants to preserve her angelic beauty and purity. He strangles her. He moves her body once his killed her. And also he does not allow the listener to speak as it is a dramatic monologue that listener remains silent for the whole duration. In this lesson, we will be focusing on these three aspects. The first one, wanting to preserve her angelic purity and beauty. The second one, the violent murder and the third one, he moves her body yet after he has killed her. Lines, 33 to 35. This quotation demonstrates the speaker's desire to preserve the moment before her death. The speaker wants Porphyria to worship him like a God, a figure of absolute power and control. No one is more powerful than Him. Why might Browning have used the verb, to worship here? Pause the video to answer the question. The reader is not sure whether this is how Porphyria truly feels, 'cause remember, she's not telling us, the speaker is telling us. The verb to worship suggests the speaker wants to have absolute power and control over her. Just as a God has absolute power over his followers and believers. Lines 36 to 37. This quotation demonstrates the speaker's desire to also preserve the moment. It's another piece of evidence that demonstrates this. Question one. Browning uses repetition of mine. What idea does this reinforce to the reader and two, why does this speak to want to preserve her as perfectly pure and good? Pause the video to answer the two questions. Well done, the repetition of the word mine emphasises the idea that Porphyria has become his possession and she's now become an object as a result of that. By killing her, the speaker can keep her in a pure and good state so she remains perfect for whatever. The speaker wants to preserve her as perfectly pure and good so that she can never be tainted or soiled, which means damaged by anyone else. This line suggests that the speaker may believe that women should not be promiscuous, which means sexually adventurous or free. Lines 37 to 41. Now this quotation demonstrates a speaker's control over Porphyria. Now this quotation demonstrates her speak has control over Porphyria as a result of the murder. Question one, why does the speaker murder Porphyria? Question two, the speaker is fixated on her. He's obsessed and seduced by high yellow hair, which he mentioned throughout. And this has made him feel weak. How does he regain control over the hair and over Porphyria as a result? And three, why might Browning have used the adjective little in this case here? Pause the video to answer the questions Well done. Firstly, the speaker wants to preserve the loving moment where Porphyria becomes his forever. Secondly, he does it because he delusionally believes he is granting her one true wish, to be with him forever. Two, the speak of retains ultimate control by using Porphyria hair to kill her. Her own body is used against her in his desire to have possession over her. Three, the adjective little has connotations of being weak and powerless. The speak his use of the word reminds him that he has physical control over her. Lines 47 to 49. This quotation demonstrates his speaker's possession over Porphyria's dead body. Question one, Porphyria's blushing cheeks symbolise her vitality, her beauty and her youthful innocence. What idea do they reinforce to the reader? And two, the word prompt illustrates that she is lifeless. What else might the word remind the reader of? Pause the video to answer the questions. The speaker believes Porphyria's cheeks are blushing from his passionate kiss. The image makes him feel that he has preserved her beauty. Even in death, she is perfectly pure and good. Two, the imagery we propped suggests that Porphyria is like a lifeless doll. She has become an object that can be manipulated and moved by her owner. She no longer has the agency or independence she had at the beginning of his dramatic monologue has been taken away from her. In part four, we're going to review, Browning's use of structure to portray and explore the ideas about possession in the poem. Firstly, his use of volta, which is a change or turn in thought, ideas, images in a poem. It happens in line 41 in 'Porphyria's Lover'. In the first half of the poem portrays love and passion. However, the tone starts to become quite odd in line 36 onwards onwards as the speaker shares his desire for her to be mine, mine forever. Browning has created a dark and frightening tone in the poem, which disturbs the reader and confirms the speaker is possessive and mad. Okay, why does Brandon use a volta? Is it to show how much the speaker loves Porphyria? Two, to convey the speakers' disrespect for Porphyria? Three, to create a frightening tone that confirms the speaker's possessive behaviour? Or four, to emphasise how deeply he loves her and wants her to be with him forever? Pause the video to decide. Well done. It's to create a frightening tone that confirms the speaker's possessive behaviour. So that's why Browning has used the volta. Browning also uses an adjournment, which is when a line of poetry runs into the next line without any punctuation whatsoever. The enjambment at the start of the poem represents Porphyria's passion as it over spills in her declaration to him. Remember she comes from this party to tell him that she loves him and she wants to be with him forever. Here's an example, Murmuring how she loved me-she Too weak, for all her heart's endeavour, To set its struggling passion free So there's an example of an enjambment. The first line and the third line do not have any punctuation at the end of them. Question, why might Browning have you used enjambment at the start of the poem? Is it to emphasise the speaker's power over Porphyria or is it to demonstrate Porphyria's passionate declaration to the speaker. Pause to decide. It's option two, demonstrates her over spilling passion as she runs to tell him that she loves him. So we have enjambment used at the start and it's used throughout. However, it changes to reflect his passion and pleasure. So, that's a speaker's passion and pleasure. And here's the example. And I untightened next the tress About her neck; her cheek once more Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss: The speaker feels relieved because he has now gained ultimate possession of Porphyria. He no longer seems restricted and undecided on what to do. So, these lines flowing into each other are a sign of release. Ironically though, strangling her has made him feel more relaxed. Why might Browning have used enjambment towards the end of the poem? Option one, to demonstrate the speaker sense of relief, now that Porphyria's is wish has been granted. Option two, to demonstrate the speaker sense of relief now that he has absolute control over Porphyria. Pause the video to decide. Well then it's option two. It demonstrates his absolute control over Porphyria. Browning also uses caesura, and that's stops and breaks created in the middle of a line of poetry using punctuation. Here's an example, And strangled her. No pain felt she; The full stop after her demonstrates the finality of his decision. The action cannot be reversed. It also marks the violence in the poem and stresses the speaker's instability. We learn his desire to control Porphyria and preserve her beauty has resulted in a brutal and disturbing murder. Quick check. Why might Browning have used caesura in the poem? Option one, to demonstrate how unstable and delusional the speaker is. Or option two, to illustrate how his desire to preserve her and control her has resulted in a brutal and disturbing murder. Pause the video to decide. Well, that is option two. Now onto the penultimate part of the lesson where we're going to take all of our information and apply it to a writing task in response to today's key question. Our key question. How does Browning explore ideas about possession in 'Porphyria's Lover'? You're going to write a short response to the question above which you will spend at least 15 minutes doing, and you will need to include evidence from the poem. You may wish to mention, but are not limited to these points. How Porphyria appears in control to begin with, the speaker's desire to preserve Porphyria's beauty, the murder of Porphyria and the speaker's movement of Porphyria's body. Words you must include possession, control and dramatic monologue. Once you've finished writing your response. Remember to come back to the video so you can compare it to one of the model examples that I'll provide for you. Pause video now to complete the task. Here's our first example. In the poem, Browning presents the speaker as controlling and possessive. This is illustrated in the quotation. That moment she was mine, mine. The repetition of mine suggest to the reader that he thinks Porphyria belongs to him. In order to preserve this moment, he decides to kill her so that he can control her forever. The poem demonstrates how deep passion and desire can drive people to become possessive and insane. In this example, I've used the key word possessive, I've also used controlling and control. However, this example is missing dramatic monologue. So make sure that your written response has all three key points. Control, possession and dramatic monologue. Developed example. In the poem, Browning presents the speaker's battle for possession over Porphyria. At the beginning of the dramatic monologue, the speak of portrays profiles agency and control as she adds fire to the cheersless grate. Her declaration of passion to the speaker suggests that she is strong and independent and will not be restricted by societal expectations. However, the volta in line 41 shifts the power dynamic and the speaker gains possession over her instead. The final image of her head resting on his shoulder, the reversal of the image we were shown earlier in the poem when she was in charge, informs the reader that this speaker has absolute control because he is able to play with her like a doll now that she is lifeless. This example has used all three words, possession control and dramatic monologue. Pause the video now to choose which answer you are going to compare your response to. Final parts of the lesson. Please go and complete the five question review quiz, and I'll see you back here in a moment. Wow, that's the second lesson on 'Porphyria's Lover' completed, we have looked at how Browning has used language and form it to explore ideas about possession. Well then feel focused in this lesson. Have a good day.

Exit Quiz: Porphyria's Lover (Part 2)

Completed: Porphyria's Lover (Part 2)

In this lesson, we will explore how Browning has used language, form and structure to present ideas about possession in 'Porphyria's Lover'. This lesson covers a poem that describes the violent death of a woman. If this is a sensitive topic to you, we recommend checking with a trusted adult before starting, or completing the lesson with a trusted adult nearby.


English

Porphyria's Lover (Part 2)

Introductory Quiz

Video

Final Quiz

Lesson Complete