Porphyria’s Lover MCQs and summary

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman | Last updated: June 10, 2025

Summary:

“Porphyria’s Lover” is a dramatic monologue written by Robert Browning. In this poem, the speaker, a lover, recounts an evening spent with his lover, Porphyria, who arrives at his cottage during a storm. As she makes the fire burn brighter and shows affection towards him, the lover, overwhelmed by a sense of control and power, strangles her with her own hair to “preserve” the perfect moment of love. The poem explores themes of obsession, control, and madness, with the speaker justifying his crime by the belief that Porphyria would have wanted him to kill her to keep her love forever.
Porphyria’s Lover
Porphyria’s Lover
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1. : What action does the speaker take in Porphyria’s Lover?





2. : How does the speaker describe Porphyria’s hair in Porphyria’s Lover?





3. : Where does the poem Porphyria’s Lover take place?





4. : What is the speaker’s justification for killing Porphyria in Porphyria’s Lover?





5. : What emotion does the speaker primarily feel towards Porphyria in the poem?





6. : What type of poem is Porphyria’s Lover?





7. : What is the mood of Porphyria’s Lover?





8. : How does the speaker view his actions at the end of the poem?





9. : What literary technique is primarily used in Porphyria’s Lover to present the speaker’s thoughts?





Question Answer
Poem Name Porphyria’s Lover
Poet Robert Browning
Year Written 1836
Year Published 1836
Poem Type Dramatic Monologue
Verse Form Blank Verse
Setting A cottage during a storm
Main Character The Lover (unnamed), Porphyria
Themes Obsession, control, power, love, madness
Tone Dark, sinister, obsessive
Famous Quote “The rain set early in tonight, The sullen wind was soon awake.”
Main Conflict The speaker’s desire to preserve a perfect moment of love by killing Porphyria
Structure 2 stanzas of 12 lines each
Legacy A striking example of Browning’s use of the dramatic monologue form

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