Porhyrias lover
The rain set in earlie tonight,
The sullen wind was soon awake,
It tore the elm-tops down for spite,
And did its worst to vex the lake:
I listened with heart fit to break,
When glided in porphyria; straight
She shut the cold out and the storm,
And kneeled and made the cheerless grate
Blaze up, and all the cottage warm;
Which done, she rose, and from her form
Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl,
And laid her soiled gloves by, united
Her hat and let the damp hair fall,
And, last, she sat down beside me
And called me. When no voice replied,
She put my arm about my waist,
And made her smooth white shoulder bare,
And all her yellow hair dispaced,
And, stooping, made my cheek lie there,
Spread o’re all her yellow hair,
Murmuring how she loved me – she
To weak, for all her heart’s endeavour,
To set its struggling passion free
From pride, and vainer ties dissever,
And give herself to me forever.
But passion would sometimes prevail,
Nor could tonight’s gay feast restrain,
A sudden thought of one so pale
For love of her, and all in vain:
So, she was come through wind and rain.
Be sure i looked up at her eyes
Happy and proud; at last i know
Porphyia worshiped me; suprise
Made my heart swell, and still it grew
While i debated what to do.
That moment she was mine, mine, fair,
Perfectly pure and good, i found
A thing to do, and all her hair
In one long yellow string i wound
Three times her little throat around,
And strangled her. No pain felt she;
I am quite sure she felt no pain.
As a shut bud that holds a bee,
I warily oped her lids: again
Laughed the blue eyes without a stain.
And i untighted next the trees
About her neck; her cheek once more
Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss:
I propped her head up as before,
Only, this time my shoulder bore
Her hand, which droops upon it still:
The smiling rosy little head,
So glad it has its utmost will,
That all it scorned at once fled,
And i, its love, am gained instead!
Porphyrias love, she guessed not how
Her darling one wish be heard.
And thus we sit together now,
And all night long we have not stirred,
And yet god has not said a word!
1 a) What way is the wind described in line 2-4?
b) Give two separate words from lines 2-4 that help you answer question 1a.
2 a) In what way does porphyria, in lines 5-9, contrast with the speaker of the poem?
b) Give two reasons why the poet chooses to describe the fireplace as "the cheerless grate"? (line 8.)
3 a) What is especially noticeable about the behavior of the speaker in the first 19 lines of the poem?
b) What might this suggest about his attitude at the time towards porphyria?
c) Give two pieces of evidence from lines 1-19 to support your answer to question 3b.
4 a) What conflict does the speaker believe exists in porphyria?
b) Is there any evidence of this conflict in porphyrias behavior? support you answer with evidence from the text.
c) Which side of the conflict does the speaker believe prevents porphyria giving herself to him forever?
5 a) Did the speaker expect to see porphyria on this particular night?
b) By close reference to the poem, give two reasons for your answer to question 5a.
6 a) Porphyria has said that she love the speaker, so why would he still believe that his love for her is "all in vain" (line 29)? Support your answer with evidence from the poem.
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