LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 24:7 July 2024
ISSN 1930-2940

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A Comparative Stylistic Analysis of Robert Browning’s Poems with Special Reference to “My Last Duchess” & “Porphyria’s Lover”

Uma Goswami and Dr. Neelam Yadav

Abstract

This research paper delves into a stylistic analysis of Robert Browning's seminal poems, "My Last Duchess" and "Porphyria's Lover." Both works are exemplary of Browning's mastery of the dramatic monologue, offering rich grounds for exploring his stylistic techniques and thematic preoccupations. The analysis of Robert Browning's poems “My Last Duchess” & “Porphyria’s Lover” utilizes graphological, phonological, morphological, and lexico-syntactic features, this study aims to uncover how Browning crafts his narrators' voices and conveys their psychological complexities. The analysis will also consider the poems' use of imagery, irony, and narrative structure, highlighting how these elements contribute to the overall effect and meaning. "My Last Duchess" presents a portrait of a possessive and controlling Duke, whose speech reveals his authoritarian nature and moral ambiguity. In contrast, "Porphyria's Lover" explores themes of love, obsession, and madness through the perspective of a narrator who oscillates between tenderness and violence. By comparing and contrasting these two poems, the paper will illustrate Browning's nuanced portrayal of power dynamics and human emotions. Ultimately, this stylistic analysis will demonstrate how Browning's innovative use of the dramatic monologue form not only engages readers but also invites them to question the reliability and motivations of his speakers.

Keywords: Robert Browning, My Last Duchess, Porphyria's Lover, graphological, phonological, morphological, and lexico-syntactic features, power dynamics and human emotions, imagery, irony, and narrative structure.

Introduction

Style in literature refers to the unique way in which an author uses language to express ideas, convey tone, and create mood. It includes a variety of components, including rhetorical techniques, figurative language, grammar, syntax and diction (word choice). Style is the distinctive voice that differentiates one author's work from another's and can vary significantly even within a single author's body of work depending on the context, purpose, and audience.

Style is shaped by a combination of factors, including the author's personal preferences, the genre they are writing in, and the period during which they are writing. For instance, the ornate and elaborate prose of the Victorian era contrasts sharply with the concise and straightforward style of modernist writers. An author's style can be descriptive and detailed, terse and minimalist, or any number of variations in between. It is an essential aspect of literature because it affects how readers interpret and engage with the text. Through style, writers can evoke emotions, create vivid imagery, and impart deeper meanings.

Stylistics is the study of style in language, particularly within literary texts. It bridges the gap between literary criticism and linguistics, employing techniques from both fields to analyze and interpret the use of language. Stylistics seeks to understand how linguistic elements contribute to meaning, effect, and aesthetics in a text.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Uma Goswami and Dr. Neelam Yadav
Department of Linguistics
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Agra
Email: umagoswami210@gmail.com
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