Of the consequences of maintaining an obsessive nature, of its ability to clouding rational judgments and encouraging humanity to surrender to its darkest and most intimate impulses constitutes one of its most tragic aspects. Robert Browning explores this concept through his poems "Porphyria's Lover" and "My Last Duchess". After Porphyria's entry into the narrator's cottage in "Porphyria's Lover", she verbally affirms her love for him as she believes that Porphyria's love will inevitably fail, the narrator thereafter turns to murder and necrophilia in an attempt to preserve this moment for which; his affection seemed genuine. Similarly, the Duke of Ferrara at the beginning of “My Last Duchess” reveals to his visitor, whose purpose is to negotiate the marriage of the Duke with another family, a portrait of his ex-wife, whom he had killed. due to his inability to remain faithful and maintain affection towards her, Browning illustrates how the obsessive and contradictory nature present in both narrators dismantles their sanity, encouraging them to rationalize their decisions, regardless of the extent to which they violate morality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Browning uses lustful and contradictory diction with a dramatic monologue as a goal in "Porphyria's Lover" to show the underlying manic mentality within. the narrator and how he perceives his crime as the definitive testimony of his love towards Porphyria. In the opening lines, the narrator describes her as having “bared her smooth white shoulder…spread over all, her fair hair” and how she “adored” him (17-20, 33). The narrator's unnerving attention to the minute details of Porphyria's sensual behavior as she undresses characterizes her as an object to satisfy his lust, of which, from his perspective, she approves. Following her verbal admission of affection to the narrator, he strangles Porphyria using her hair (41). The narrator, in support of his personal desire for Porphyria, resorts to murder when she declares his love for her in an attempt to bind her to him for eternity. This exemplifies the main contradiction within the narrator, as while he is pleased to have gained Porphyria's affection, he hates the possibility of his eventual feelings towards her weakening, and has chosen to preserve this ideal version of Porphyria instead of having to face it. potential reality. The narrator further states that this was a fate desired by Porphyria herself (57). The narrator interpreted his statement of devotion towards her as a definitive truth that it was his desire to be sealed in that instance of purity; this highlights how the narrator's obsession with Porphyria has convinced him that her murder is an act illustrating his love for her. Furthermore, Browning uses irony in "My Last Duchess" to highlight that while the Duke is incapable of having warm feelings towards anyone who fails him to meet his ideal standard, he is incapable of suppressing his obsession towards them . In the opening lines, the Duke describes the painting of his former duchess as having “the depth and passion of her serious gaze” (7). Although these comments initially suggest a positive evaluation, the rest of the poem reveals these words to be ironic; they reveal the Duke's innermost bitterness and displeasure towards this woman as she did not conform.