Analysing the poem, "Porphyria's Lover." Hello and welcome to today's lesson.

It is so good to see you again on another lesson in this poetry sequence.

So in today's lesson, we are going to be analysing the poem, "Porphyria's Lover" by Robert Browning.

So, shall we get started? So today's lesson has a very clear learning outcome.

So by the end of today's lesson, we should all be able to explore how Browning presents a transgressive and abusive relationship.

And just as in any lesson, we have some very important words, our keywords.

So I do encourage you just to pause the video just for a moment to jot these down and their definitions, particularly if they are new to you.

'Cause we're going to be using them quite a bit in today's lesson.

Let's take a look at what they are.

Taboo, something forbidden by social norms. Pivotal, crucially important.

Symbolism, using symbols to represent deeper meanings.

And we're going to see lots of symbolism in today's lesson.

A fallen woman, a woman, shunned for moral failings.

And we could potentially say that Porphyria herself is presented as a fallen woman.

And finally, psyche, the human mind and spirit.

So today's lesson has two very clear learning cycles.

The first one is all about understanding the poem's big ideas.

So every poem has big ideas and as students of English, it is vitally important that we understand what they are.

So our first learning cycle is going to be all about that.

And then learning cycle two, I'm going to hand the reins over to you and you are going to have a fantastic opportunity to dazzle me with your knowledge by writing about the poem's big ideas.

So let's get started with learning cycle one.

So two Oak pupils discuss what they think are the big ideas in "Porphyria's Lover." Let's see what they say.

So Aisha says, "For me, the big idea in the poem is all about exploring the psyche of a murderer who wants to exert total control over someone." And we can definitely see that, can't we? With the the kind of culmination of that gruesome murder at the end of the poem.

What did the other people say? Well, Andeep says, "I would focus on the presentation of Porphyria sexuality and the taboo nature of some of her actions, and how this links to the narrator's decision to murder her." So again, kind of focusing on that key event of the the poem, the murder, but looking at it slightly differently there, Andeep.

Looking at the kind of taboo nature of some of her actions.

So my task for you is what do you think are some of the poems big ideas? So let's kick off this learning cycle with a really interesting discussion.

So pause that video, have a quick discussion, drop down some ideas if you're working independently.

And then do push play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, oh my goodness, what a fantastic start to this lesson.

Let's keep that going throughout today's learning.

And I'm hearing lots and lots of big ideas flying across the classroom and we are going to unpick some of them as we move through today's lesson.

So once we understand a poem's big ideas, it is important to be able to analyse them and the methods used to demonstrate them.

So let's look at an example.

So Andeep says, "I want to write about how Browning shows the speaker's emotional turmoil at the start of the poem." Totally valid thing that Andeep could write about there, that kind of horrible storm and how that potentially foreshadows what is to come.

So look again, what devices does Browning use to demonstrate this idea? What devices does Browning use to demonstrate this emotional turmoil at the beginning of the poem? Hit that pause button, have a quick discussion, drop down some ideas, push play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, fantastic work on that.

It's really great, isn't it? To link those big ideas to methods.

Those methods are there to support those big ideas.

So we could say Browning uses pathetic fallacy at the start of the poem to show the speaker's emotional turmoil.

This idea that the storm is kind of reflecting the very turbulent mood, nature, actions of the speaker.

Great job if you picked up on that.

So quick check for understanding for me then please.

At the start, Browning describes a turbulent storm, which mirrors the narrator's own unsettled feelings.

As such, this is an example of pathetic fallacy, symbolism or foreshadowing.

Hit that pause button, have a quick discussion, and then push play when you'd like to see which is correct.

Okay, great job if you picked up A, it is of course pathetic fallacy is a fantastic opening to that poem where we really get a glimpse into the kind of unsettled mind of this kind of narrator.

So let's proceed.

So Browning uses pathetic fallacy at the start of the poem to show the speaker's emotional turmoil.

So we're starting to turn these big ideas, these methods into our own sentences in our essay.

So quick discussion then.

How could we develop this idea further? So this is a good idea.

It is absolutely a valid idea, but it's not the most effective way we could word this.

How can we make this even stronger? Hit that pause button, have a discussion, jot down some ideas if you're working independently, and then push play when you want to proceed.

Okay, great job on this.

I'm really enjoying all those kind of conversations that are really speaking about elaborating on what is a good idea and turning it into a really great idea.

So we could do the following.

We could say Browning uses pathetic fallacy at the start of the poem to show the speaker's emotional turmoil.

We can improve that in the following ways.

We can elaborate it further and say, in "Porphyria's Lover," the use of pathetic fallacy is pivotal, one of our key words, in reflecting the emotional turmoil, the speaker initially experiences.

The stormy weather with its aggressive wind and rain, reflects the speaker's unsettled state of mind.

The use of words like sullen, tore, and vex, imbues nature with a sense of malevolence and agitation, which parallel the speaker's own emotional disturbance.

So you can see there by that incorporation of evidence and elaborating a little bit more on the explanation, we have a really, really well developed idea in response to the poem.

So let's look again at how Browning's use of language devices supports the poem's big ideas.

So we got this comment from Aisha.

She says, "I want to explore the idea that Porphyria's sexuality is presented as a key part of the abusive relationship and her eventual death." Again, really nice comment there from Aisha.

So discuss what devices does Browning use to demonstrate Porphyria sexuality? So not just the quotes alone, not just the words, what are the actual methods and devices being used here? So return to your poem if you need to, but hit that pause button and then do push play when you'd like to see a little bit of feedback.

Okay, well done to all of the groups and individuals that identify the idea of symbolism.

Again, another one of our key words.

So Browning uses the symbolism of Porphyria's hair to convey the taboo nature of her sexuality.

Kind of one of the the key drivers really in his decision to kill her.

So Browning uses the symbolism of Porphyria's hair to convey the taboo nature of her sexuality.

So once again, a really interesting comment, a really valid comment, a good comment, but not the best comment that we could possibly make.

So my question for you again is how could we develop this idea further? What could we do? So hit that pause button, complete the task, and then do push play when you like to proceed.

Okay, fantastic conversations again and well done to everybody picking up on those things we have previously discussed.

So incorporating evidence into our point and elaborating further on our big idea so we can turn the idea that begins, Browning uses the symbolism of Porphyria's hair to convey the taboo nature of her sexuality, into something significantly stronger.

And it now reads as follows, Browning uses the symbolism of Porphyria's hair to convey the taboo nature of her sexuality.

Her hair described as yellow and long becomes a potent symbol of her attractiveness and sexual allure.

Porphyria's act of letting her hair down symbolises her sexual openness and defiance of societal expectations, thus marking her as a fallen woman to Victorian audiences.

So a really nice idea there.

We've got that contextual link about the fallen woman, and we've got some really, really first class evidence that backs up our big idea and well done if you spoke about anything similar in your own discussions.

So we have reached our first practise task of today's lesson, so let's make it count.

So you have been asked to answer the following question, and that question is, how does Browning present an abusive and transgressive relationship in his poem, "Porphyria's Lover?" So we absolutely know it's abusive, we absolutely know it's transgressive, but our task as students of English is to create really, really first class writing, really first class essays that elaborate further on that.

So, I would like you to use Aisha's big idea as a starting point.

So remember her big idea was as follows, Browning reveals the speaker's desire to exert total control over Porphyria by killing her.

In many ways, that is the kind of sole reason he gives for killing her.

He wants to maintain this attention, this possessiveness forever, and he cannot fathom the idea of anybody sharing it with him.

So I would like you to use Aisha's big idea as a starting point and for you to write a paragraph answering this question crucially supported by evidence from the poem.

So really excited to see how you get on with this one.

So do hit that pause button, complete the task, and then push play when you'd like to move on to some feedback.

Okay, fantastic work on that task.

Well done for completing the first practise task of today's lesson to such a high standard.

You know, this poem is a really challenging poem full of really, really challenging ideas.

So it's absolutely fantastic that you are engaging with it and producing such first class work as a result of it.

So here's how you could have approached this task.

In Robert Browning's "Porphyria's Lover," the speaker's desire to exert total control over Porphyria culminates in his decision to kill her, revealing the deeply abusive and transgressive nature of their relationship.

The speaker's meticulous description of the events leading up to the murder, including Porphyria's entrance, her affectionate actions, and his ultimate decision to strangle her with her own hair, underscores his need to possess her completely and eternally.

By killing Porphyria, the speaker believes he has preserved a perfect moment of mutual love, free from any potential future rejection or change.

This delusion of eternal possession is underscored by his calm rationalisation that she felt no pain and his chilling observation that God has not said a word, suggesting a lack of remorse and a belief in the righteousness of his actions.

So a really first class piece of writing here.

What I would like you to do is to discuss where does this answer identify evidence from the poem to support the big idea.

So complete that self-assessment task, pause the video, complete that self-assessment task, and then push play when you'd like to move on to learning cycle two.

Okay, then we have reached learning cycle two already, and we are going to do even more writing about the poem's big ideas about this fantastic poem by Robert Browning and exploring some of the fantastic ideas that are within it.

So let's get started.

So in order to prove our argument to the reader, we need to fully develop our ideas in our analytical writing, and we might develop our ideas through the following things.

We might explain the effect on the reader.

We might extend our analysis by adding a further quotation.

We might analyse the language more closely.

We may link to some relevant context.

We may give an alternative interpretation.

And when writing analytically, we can use discourse markers to explore multiple angles of an idea.

So we're going to practise all of these things through the remainder of today's lesson.

So discourse markers in particular can be really, really effective and they can occupy different roles in our writing.

And we can see some examples on the board now in front of us, can't we? So we can use discourse markers for adding or sequencing our arguments.

So ones like furthermore, additionally, moreover, we can use them to give examples.

For example, illustrated by, for instance, we can show cause and effects things like therefore, thus and consequently.

And finally, we can use them to compare or contrast ideas.

So we could use similarly, likewise, or whereas.

So these really act like road marks to our reader, road signs, they tell us exactly where our argument is heading and they give the reader a bit of a clue about where our ideas are going to go next.

So quick discussion question for me then please.

How would you use discourse markers to add an analysis of the use of dramatic monologue here? So we've got that opening, it says in "Porphyria's Lover," the reader quickly realises the insanity of the narrator, blank.

What could we put there? So hit that pause button, complete the task, and then do push play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, really well done to everybody who identified that this is adding and sequencing to our argument.

So a discourse marker like moreover would be relevant.

So we could say, moreover, the dramatic monologue allows us to see that the speaker's feelings are not passionate, but instead violently controlling.

Great job if you added anything similar.

So let's look at another one.

How would you use discourse markers to show the effect of this? And we've got the sentence in "Porphyria's Lover," the narrator draws attention to Porphyria's soiled gloves.

How could you continue that point and what discourse marker would you use? So really challenging question, but really, really looking forward to how you approach this one.

So hit that pause button, complete the task, and then do push play when you can see what you can put.

Okay, once again, great job to everybody who identified that this is a cause and effect of our discourse marker.

So we need something like therefore, thus, or consequently.

In the example on the board we've got, consequently, he may be alluding to her overt sexuality, something he finds difficult to accept.

So quick check for understanding for me then please.

Browning highlights that Porphyria has a deep love for the narrator, blank.

He refers to Porphyria making his heart swell.

Which discourse marker could work here? Is it for example, for instance, or likewise? Hit that pause button, have a quick go, and then push play when you'd like to see which is correct.

Okay, superb work to everybody who identified either A or B.

All we are doing here is providing an example.

So a discourse marker that gives an example would be acceptable, like for example, or for instance.

Excellent if you picked up on that.

Okay, so let's consider how we might analyse language in more detail.

So when analysing language, we want to, consider why the poet has used certain words or language techniques, what the connotations of their words are, what effect the language has on the reader.

So with that in mind, we have the following discussion question.

How could we extend the sentence below to show a language technique and the effect on the reader? So my example for you is as follows, the poem opens with the speaker waiting for his lover to arrive to a cottage during sullen and spiteful weather.

So what technique could we add there to show our intelligence as students of English? Hit that pause button, complete the task, and then do push play when you'd like to continue.

Okay, very well done to everybody who kind of picked up on the idea of personification here.

We could continue this by saying Browning personifies the weather as spiteful, perhaps echoing the speaker's own feelings of anger and resentment towards Porphyria.

And crucially note there, we haven't just identified it as personification for the sake of it.

We don't really want to do that.

We want to identify the actual effect of that technique, which we've done, to great detail there, haven't we? We've shown exactly what this personification achieves.

So great job if you did that in your own work.

A further way to develop your analysis is to offer an alternative interpretation.

So again, quick discussion for me.

How might we offer an alternative interpretation of the narrator that develops the idea below? So something alternative, but that also develops the idea.

And our initial idea is in Robert Browning's "Porphyria's Lover," the narrator can be interpreted as a psychologically disturbed individual whose psychotic and destructive delusions culminates in murder.

What could we do to add to that? Hit that pause button, complete the task, and then do push play to see how you could have approached this task.

Okay, once again, great job on that.

It is lovely to see you developing your ideas, developing your writing with these key strategies and techniques, which will be of great use to you in your writing.

With this one, it's crucial to remember that this is not the only correct answer.

There are lots of different ways that we could continue that by offering an alternative interpretation.

And the one we've got on the board is as follows, we could say, alternatively, the narrator can be interpreted as deeply possessive and controlling.

His actions reflect a deeply rooted desire to dominate and control her completely to the extent that he would rather kill her than allow her any autonomy.

A perfectly valid response there that really elevates our analysis.

So let's consider how we might further extend our ideas by creating a link to relevant context.

And remember, context is anything associated with background information, anything relevant to the poem.

So let's return to the notion of social values in the Victorian era, which is when the poem was written.

So we have this comment here from one of the Oak pupils.

"Browning notes how Porphyria lets her hair fall when she enters the cottage.

As a symbol of her sexuality, this would have been shocking to a Victorian audience." So quick discussion question for me.

Izzy has mentioned context, but how could she do it more meaningfully? She's made that link to Victorian audiences, but it's a bit generic, isn't it? It's a bit, it's a bit kind of catchall that could apply to any text really, not necessarily this poem.

So how can we make it a little bit more specific? So hit that pause button, complete the task, and then do push play when you'd like to see the correct answer.

Okay, great job for everybody who elaborated that even further.

So instead of just saying, well, a Victorian audience would've found this shocking, this answer now explains why we could say it was a time known for modesty and restraint, especially in women.

Porphyria's unbound hair would've been considered a sign of sensuality and moral looseness.

And great job if you picked up on anything similar in your own work.

Okay, so we have reached our final practise task of today's lesson, so let's make it count.

So here is a segment of Sophia's analytical paragraph.

Let's see what she's put.

Sophia has written, "Browning conveys a transgressive sexual relationship that becomes misogynistic and violently abusive.

Through this dramatic monologue, the reader comes to realise the speaker's feelings are not passionate, but instead violently controlling.

The poem opens.

." So I would like you to take Sophia's opening, and it's a fantastic opening, and I would like you to use the additional notes and questions to develop the ideas in Sophia's paragraph.

And we have the following things here.

How might the spiteful weather at the opening link to the narrator? What effect does Porphyria have on the narrator when she arrives? And finally, how does Porphyria's behaviour challenge typical Victorian values? I'm super excited to see how you link all of this back to your work that you've done today and how you can produce a really excellent piece of written work.

So do pause the video, complete the task, and then do push play when you like to move on to a little bit of feedback.

Okay, my goodness, it is wonderful to see you bringing this all together and producing such great work in response to what is one of the more challenging poems in the anthology.

So really, really well done for your hard work today.

So we could have approached the task in the following way.

Browning conveys a transgressive sexual relationship that becomes misogynistic and violently abusive.

Through this dramatic monologue, the reader comes to realise the speaker's feelings are not passionate, but instead violently controlling.

The poem opens with the speaker waiting for his extramarital lover to arrive to a cottage through stormy weather.

The sullen and spiteful wind seems to reflect the speaker's feelings of anger and resentment.

When Porphyria arrives at the cottage, she instantly warms the place, both literally and figuratively, lighting a fire, but also igniting the speaker's passion for her.

She's portrayed as sexually bold for the Victorian period, taking off her clothes and letting her hair fall.

We are here given the first clue about the speaker's jealousy towards her.

He refers to her gloves as soiled, which implies he sees her as morally stained due to her open sexuality.

So a really, really first class paragraph here in response to that question.

So I would like you now to self-assess your own work and identify where you have covered the following things.

So identify where you have explained the effect on the reader, where you have extended your analysis by adding a further quotation, where you have analysed the language more closely, where you have made links to some relevant context, and finally, where you have given an alternative interpretation.

So if you've not done any of those things or you've missed one or two, they can make a really nice target for next time.

Okay, we have reached the end of today's lesson.

It's been an absolute pleasure to teach you, as always.

So let's just recap quickly what we have focused on in today's lesson.

Browning uses pathetic fallacy to reflect the emotional turmoil the speaker initially feels.

Browning uses symbolism to convey the taboo nature of Porphyria's sexuality, and the illicit relationship.

Browning reveals the speaker's desire to exert total control over Porphyria by killing her.

In the resolution Browning conveys the speaker's psychotic lack of remorse for his gruesome murder.

Browning uses the form of a dramatic monologue to explore the motivations and psyche of a murderer.

So thank you very much for such a fantastic lesson and I look forward to teaching you on another lesson in this poetry sequence.

So thank you very much and goodbye.