- sullenadjectiveChapter 1 →
Darkly gloomy and threatening in mood or appearance, used here to describe the stormy, hostile weather outside the cottage.
“The sullen wind was soon awake”
- vexverbChapter 1 →
To disturb or agitate something forcefully; here the wind vexes the lake by whipping its surface into rough, choppy waves.
“It tore the elm-tops down for spite, / And did its worst to vex the lake”
- spitenounChapter 1 →
A desire to hurt or annoy; here used to personify the wind as acting out of petty malice against the trees.
“It tore the elm-tops down for spite”
- glidedverbChapter 1 →
Moved smoothly and quietly, almost without effort, suggesting a graceful and silent entrance.
“When glided in Porphyria”
- shut the cold outphraseChapter 1 →
Closed the door firmly to keep the cold stormy air from entering the warm cottage.
“and shut the cold out and the storm”
- blazenounChapter 1 →
A bright, strong fire burning in a hearth, giving warmth and light to a room.
“And made the cheerless grate / Blaze up”
- soiledadjectiveChapter 1 →
Dirtied or stained, here describing gloves made wet and muddy from traveling through the storm.
“And laid her soiled gloves by”
- murmuringverbChapter 1 →
Speaking in a low, soft voice, almost to oneself, in a quiet and intimate tone.
“Murmuring how she loved me”
- worshippedverbChapter 1 →
Adored with an intense, almost religious devotion; the speaker uses it to describe the depth of Porphyria's feeling for him in that moment.
- disseververbChapter 1 →
To cut apart or break free from; here it means to sever or separate herself from the social ties and pride that hold her back.
- prevailverbChapter 1 →
To prove stronger than opposing forces; here passion wins out over social restraint, at least for one night.
“But passion sometimes would prevail”
- gayadjectiveChapter 1 →
Lively, festive, and full of cheerful social activity; an older usage meaning merry or celebratory, with no modern connotation.
“Nor could to-night's gay feast restrain”
- darlingnounChapter 1 →
A term of deep affection, used here to describe the speaker as the one person Porphyria loves most dearly.
- perfectly purephraseChapter 1 →
Completely untainted and morally flawless; the speaker believes strangling Porphyria at her happiest moment has preserved her in a state of ideal innocence.
“That moment she was mine, mine, fair, / Perfectly pure and good.”
- strangledverbChapter 1 →
Killed by squeezing the throat tightly so that the person cannot breathe; the speaker uses her own hair as the instrument.
“Three times her little throat around, / And strangled her.”
- smiling rosy little headphraseChapter 1 →
A description of Porphyria's face after death, still flushed and wearing the expression of happiness she had in her final living moment.
- burning kissphraseChapter 1 →
An intensely passionate kiss, described as burning to convey the speaker's fervent emotion as he kisses the dead woman's cheek.
“her cheek once more / Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss”
- painedadjectiveChapter 1 →
Showing signs of suffering or distress; here the speaker insists Porphyria felt no pain, using the word to deny any cruelty in his act.
- utmost willphraseChapter 1 →
The fullest or most complete desire or intention; the speaker claims he has carried out exactly what Porphyria herself most deeply wished for.
- said a wordphraseChapter 1 →
Spoken in response or judgment; the speaker notes that God has made no reply, treating divine silence as neither condemnation nor punishment for the murder.
“And yet God has not said a word!”
Porphyria's LoverShort story by Robert Browning