Porphyria's Lover by Robert Browning “Porphyria's Lover” by Robert Browning is a poem that deals with the subject of love. However, unlike most of his Victorian contemporaries, Browning wished to challenge his readers' perceptions, in this case driving the poem's speaker increasingly mad through his obsessive love for Porphyria. The reader sees the speaker's obsession grow throughout the poem, sitting in the cold and dark waiting for Porphyria to arrive, his manipulative behavior towards her, his desire for more than love of his share and his possible need to possess it. Browning's skillful use of word choice and imagery throughout the monologue encourages the reader to consider some of the darker consequences of obsessive love. The scene takes place in the first four lines of the poem. The speaker sits alone in his lakeside cabin while a storm rages outside. Browning uses a pathetic fallacy in these lines, using the weather to reflect the inner torment the speaker is experiencing. The description of the "sullen wind" trying to " vex " the lake establishes the speaker's mood. He is clearly upset that Porphyria hasn't come to meet him yet. Although the speaker's feelings may be understandable at this point, the reader is warned of the violent consequences of the speaker's love. as “tear” and “disappoint” suggest the anger and aggression that also simmers within the speaker and foreshadows the tragic events that will unfold later in the poem. The speaker's negative emotions, reflected by the storm raging outside, are not what the reader would expect given his love for Porphyria. When Porphyria arrives, the mood of the poem changes dramatically. His mere presence causes a radical change of atmosphere in the speaking room...... in the middle of the... vision of the paper. It also confirms to the reader the dangers and consequences of obsessive love. “Porphyria's Lover” by Robert Browning is a poem that deals with the subject of love, as the reader sees the speaker growing more and more mad by his obsessive love for Porphyria. Browning's detailed characterization of the speaker allows the reader to see the subtle changes in his personality and his growing obsession with Porphyria. Browning clearly demonstrates how the speaker's feelings of obsessive love lead him to want to control Porphyria, which in turn becomes the desire to possess her. His feelings of obsession become even more destructive when, in order to possess her, he decides to murder her. Finally, the reader sees the tragedy of his obsession as the speaker justifies his actions by demonstrating to the reader the dark consequences of obsessive love..