using symbols to represent deeper meanings

Analysing the poem 'Porphyria's Lover' by Robert Browning

English

In 'AQA Love and Relationships Poetry' continued, pupils used a range of reading skills to aid the supported decoding of challenging poems. In 'Unseen Poetry', pupils use these reading skills to decode texts with independence.

In 'AQA Love and Relationships Poetry', pupils compared the language, form and structure of a variety of poems connected by the themes of love and relationships. In 'AQA Love and Relationships Poetry continued', pupils work on making more nuanced comparisons, focusing on the final three poems: *Singh Song*, *The Farmer's Bride* and *Porphyria's Lover*.

In this unit, pupis read and analyse three poems from the 'Love and Relationships' anthology. Pupils complete two lessons about each poem: one on understanding and one on analysis. At the end of the unit, pupils analyse themes from the anthology and analyse the modern and Victorian poems as groups.

Poetry anthology: continued study

Which of the below are reasonable synonyms of the word 'pivotal'?

In Victorian society, a woman shunned for moral failings would have been described as a {{}} woman.

extend our analysis by adding a further quotation

make a link to the writer's childhood experiences

Which of these are effective ways to develop our analysis in English?

Which of the below discourse markers would be effective for comparing and contrasting?

It reflects the emotional turmoil the speaker initially experiences.

The poem is about human relationships, the focus on nature is a contrast.

Pathetic fallacy was a common language device used in Victorian times. 

It creates a foreboding atmosphere, hinting at the violence to come.

Which of the below are reasonable points to make about the pathetic fallacy at the start of 'Porphyria's Lover'?

it doesn't include evidence from the poem

it doesn't make a link to Browning's life

Aisha makes a point about 'Porphyria's Lover': 'As a symbol of her sexuality, Porphyria's hair would have been shocking to a Victorian audience.' Why is this not the most effective use of context?

'Porphyria's Lover' is written from the perspective of a troubled narrator who reveals much about his personal thoughts. As such we would say it is ...

The speaker describes a destructive storm.

She removes her damp clothing and unfurls her hair.

Porphyria tells the narrator of her love for him.

The narrator is unsure what to do but eventually decides to murder her.

The narrator kills Porphyria by strangling her with her own hair.

He then spends all night with her body declaring that God will not condemn him.

Starting with the first, put these events from 'Porphyria's Lover' in chronological order.

Complete the sentence: 'Arguably, in 'Porphyria's Lover', Porphyria is presented as a very provocative character, doing several things that would seem __________ to a Victorian audience.' 

Which language device is being described here: 'using symbols to explore deeper meanings'?

If something is 'taboo' then it is __________ by social norms.

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of serious crime

Adult supervision required

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Analysing the poem 'Porphyria's Lover' by Robert Browning

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.