Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Free Essays on “Porphyria’s Lover” Analysis

Robert Browning’s first dramatic monologue entitled, â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† explores both psychological and mental states of its main character. It is told by a madman in the process of murdering his lover by strangling her with her own hair, which he does so that she can be his forever and will be in an eternal state of love. The title shows that the poem is about the main character’s lover Porphyria. Browning uses personification, actions of the characters, and the setting to define the speaker’s attitude. This brings us to the question: What is the meaning of this poem? In lines 2-4, it shows how the wind was soon awake, tore the elm-tops down for spite, and vexed the lake. The speaker is giving human like qualities to things of nature. How is this strange? A sane person can tell the difference between what is authentic or counterfeit, dead or alive; however, this character’s mental and psychological state is abnormal. You will see this further in the poem. The setting of the poem is also strange. A few details provide the setting: a stormy night, a cottage with a fireplace. It is also very gloomy, dark, and cold. What the speaker describes is nothing but negative thoughts from lines 1-8 where it says: The rain set early in to-night, The sullen wind was soon awake, It tore the elm-tops down for spite, And did its worst to vex the lake: I listen’d 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. Pelzer 2 This shows a sense of peculiarity because this type of weather is not suitable for anyone, but the speaker seems to be used to this life of dreariness and darkness. The actions of the characters also make the poem strange. When Porphyria is brought into the poem, she seemed to be calm and quiet. She takes off her wet clothing and gets comfortable. She whispers his name and says how much she loves ... Free Essays on â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† Analysis Free Essays on â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† Analysis Robert Browning’s first dramatic monologue entitled, â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† explores both psychological and mental states of its main character. It is told by a madman in the process of murdering his lover by strangling her with her own hair, which he does so that she can be his forever and will be in an eternal state of love. The title shows that the poem is about the main character’s lover Porphyria. Browning uses personification, actions of the characters, and the setting to define the speaker’s attitude. This brings us to the question: What is the meaning of this poem? In lines 2-4, it shows how the wind was soon awake, tore the elm-tops down for spite, and vexed the lake. The speaker is giving human like qualities to things of nature. How is this strange? A sane person can tell the difference between what is authentic or counterfeit, dead or alive; however, this character’s mental and psychological state is abnormal. You will see this further in the poem. The setting of the poem is also strange. A few details provide the setting: a stormy night, a cottage with a fireplace. It is also very gloomy, dark, and cold. What the speaker describes is nothing but negative thoughts from lines 1-8 where it says: The rain set early in to-night, The sullen wind was soon awake, It tore the elm-tops down for spite, And did its worst to vex the lake: I listen’d 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. Pelzer 2 This shows a sense of peculiarity because this type of weather is not suitable for anyone, but the speaker seems to be used to this life of dreariness and darkness. The actions of the characters also make the poem strange. When Porphyria is brought into the poem, she seemed to be calm and quiet. She takes off her wet clothing and gets comfortable. She whispers his name and says how much she loves ...

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Synonyms for Think

Synonyms for Think Synonyms for Think Synonyms for Think By Mark Nichol The bland verb think (from the Old English word thencan, and cognate with thank) is easily supplanted by any one of an impressive assortment of synonyms, each of which has a precise connotation think cannot match. Here are some to think about. To cogitate is to think deeply and intently; the root of the word, which is unrelated to cognition (which refers to knowledge rather than thinking), stems from agitare (meaning â€Å"drive†), from which we also get agitate. Contemplate connotes thought that is extensive as well as deep; another sense is â€Å"view as possible or probable.† The root of contemplatus, the Latin source word, is templum, the word for a place where omens are observed; it is cognate with temple. Deliberate means to think carefully, as implied by its source, the adjective deliberate. An additional sense is â€Å"discuss before making a decision,† as when a legislative body meets to decide about whether to pass a law. (The derivation is from deliberare, meaning â€Å"consider carefully,† the root is possibly libra, meaning â€Å"pound† or â€Å"scale,† with the sense of weighing.) To meditate is to focus one’s thoughts on something; the word, which can, alternatively, allude to planning, also refers to a mental exercise conducted in order to achieve a high state of spiritual awareness. (Meditate is derived from the Latin verb mederi, meaning â€Å"remedy,† and is related to medical and medicine.) Mull, from the Middle English noun mul, meaning â€Å"dust,† is cognate with meal and refers not only to lengthy consideration but also to grinding. Ponder has the connotation of carefully weighing a problem (as a matter of fact, ponder stems from the Latin verb ponderare, meaning â€Å"weigh,† and is related to ponderous), with the implication of extended inconclusive thinking. A similar term with the same etymological origin is perpend. Reflect means, among other things, â€Å"think calmly and quietly†; its root is from flectere (meaning â€Å"bend†), which is also the source of flex. To ruminate is to slowly and repeatedly go over something as if chewing it like a ruminant, a type of animal, such as a cow, that chews its food over and over again. (The word stems from the Latin term rumen, the name in that language and in English for part of a cow’s stomach.) â€Å"Chew over† is an informal synonym. Others include the word eye and the phrases â€Å"kick around,† â€Å"pore over,† and â€Å"wrestle with.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)A While vs Awhile3 Types of Essays Are Models for Professional Writing Forms