Insecurity and Psychological Struggle

Beneath the surface of control and power, both poems reveal deep-seated insecurities in their narrators. In "The Laboratory", the narrator's apparent calm and collected demeanor masks significant self-doubt and paranoia.

Example: The use of anadiplosis in the line "while they laugh, laugh at me" emphasizes the narrator's perception of being mocked and her resulting insecurity.

This repetition of "laugh" draws attention to the narrator's paranoia, which influences her subsequent actions in the poem. The lateral sound of "l" elongates the line, intensifying its impact and highlighting how her insecurity affects her decisions.

Similarly, in "Porphyria's Lover", the narrator's initial confidence gradually crumbles as the poem progresses. His insecurities become apparent when he describes Porphyria's heart as "Too weak [...] To set its struggling passion free from pride, and vainer ties dissever".

Highlight: This line reveals the narrator's stereotypical views of women as weak and confused, requiring men to make decisions for them.

The narrator's belief that Porphyria desires to be "set free" from her upper-class life to live with him, a man of lower class, showcases his own insecurities and desire for control. Browning's choice to use these lines exposes the narrator's fragile ego and his need to assert dominance over Porphyria.

Both poems confront readers with the psychological struggles that lie beneath the surface of seemingly controlled exteriors, demonstrating how insecurity can drive individuals to extreme actions in their pursuit of power and control.

Power, Control, and Linguistic Techniques

In "The Laboratory", Browning masterfully employs contrasting lexical fields to portray the narrator's complex emotional state. The poem oscillates between soft, sibilant words and harsh, sinister vocabulary, reflecting the narrator's dual nature.

Vocabulary: Lexical field - A group of words related in meaning or associated with the same topic.

The female narrator in "The Laboratory" rejects stereotypical views of women by appearing to have full control over her situation and emotions. However, the fragmented language and concentrated verb lists suggest an underlying instability.

Quote: "Grind, mash, moisten, and pound, powder"

This line demonstrates the aggressive aura surrounding the narrator, using plosive and nasal sounds to create a sense of urgency and violence.

In "Porphyria's Lover", Browning similarly uses sound devices to convey the narrator's power and control. The line "Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss" combines alliteration and an oxymoron to emphasize the narrator's deluded mindset and desire for continuous control over Porphyria.

Definition: Oxymoron - A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.

Both poems utilize homodiegetic narrators to highlight the desire for power and control over another person, demonstrating how this desire can lead to uncontrolled emotions overwhelming rational thought.