Exhibit:

Porphyria's Lover and Sexual Repression

Preview of images

This gallery is designed to demonstrate through the use of imagery how Robert Browning's "Porphyria's Lover" is a commentary on the social expectations surrounding Victorian women and their sexuality.

Images in this Exhibit

Domestic Bliss

This is a painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and five of their children. This painting demonstrates the ideology that became synonymous with Queen Victoria's reign. During the Victorian Era, there was a great emphasis on domestic bliss. The Victorian Era was a patriarchal society, with women thought to be best suited for domestic duties and caring for the children. Queen Victoria further perpetuated this ideology by exemplifying this dynamic in her marriage which she deferred many of the decisions of royal affairs to her husband. At this time in history...
The Color Purple and Its Association with Royalty

The color purple has long been associated with royalty because it was so expensive to produce the dye that only wealthy rulers could afford it. During the Victorian era, a chemist named Henry Perkins was able to create a synthetic purple compound to create the dye. Perkin's synthetic purple was able to be produced more efficiently, making it more affordable. Queen Victoria herself wore a purple dress created with Perkin's mauve to her eldest daughter's wedding, according to Jacqueline Banerjee, associate editor for The Victorian Web. Interestingly, the word porphyria comes from...
Pre-Raphaelite Paintings Depicting Women with "Yellow Hair"

These are Pre-Raphaelite paintings by the artist Arthur Hughes. Porphyria's Lover and other works by Robert Browning are often thought to be the precursor and inspiration for the Pre-Raphaelite movement. There is some evidence to support that one of the most prominent founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Dante Rosetti was influenced by the works of Robert Browning. Dante Rosetti painted Robert Browning and a journal article published by The Princeton University Library details their friendship. These paintings feature women with "yellow hair" as Porphyria is described in line 20: "...
The Idea of the "Fallen Woman" and the Hypocrisy Between Male and Female Sexuality

These illustrations from the 19th century demonstrate the double standard that existed between male and female sexuality. Victorian men were given much more freedom and grace regarding their sexual activities. The New Swell's Night Guide contains information for men on how to navigate London's red-light district. According to Kathryn Hughes writing for the British Library, victorian couples would typically have long engagements. These longer engagements were to make sure the men were financially solvent to care for their wife and any future children they might have. Kathryn Hughes...
Victorian Religion and the Influence on Morality

During the Victorian Era, the dominant religion was Anglican. The influence of religion can be seen in the gender expectations of the Victorians as well many literary works and paintings from this time. For example, Suzie Steinbach writing for Britannica states "Women were also thought to be naturally more religious and morally finer than men (who were distracted by sexual passions by which women supposedly were untroubled)." Victorian beliefs that women were innately morally superior because they lack sexual desire furthered the strict behavioral expectations placed upon them. When...