Browning has used a rather jaunty rhythm in this poem, which sounds almost comic in contrast to the subject matter. He also has his speaker move jerkily from one thing to another, as if she is distracted by what she sees around her in the chemist's shop.
Everyone's idea of the speaker will be different, but I see her as quite young, rather silly, and obviously with a jealous and vindictive nature.
There is a rather lengthy but comprehensive analysis of the poem here
and a powerpoint presentation which explains the subject matter and language in a simpler way here.
I'd be happy to hear any other ideas about the young woman in the poem, but Browning has certainly created a real character, and a believable setting for her.
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2 comments:
The poem is written as a monologue, the woman in the apothecary is talking to the chemist in the apothecary, but it is interresting how browning didn't include speech from the chemist as I imagine him as an old man who looks quite mysterious, with little white hair on his head and is quite content on trying to meet the needs of this young woman who seems quite jumpy and paranoid about what she wants to do with the poison. I imagine that this young woman quite annoyed this old man as she keeps changing her speech and she insults him a little and distracts him while he tries to find a suitable poison that she wants.
This young woman is probably in her late teens, maybe around about 20 years old and she keeps changing subject to subject in her speech. I imagine this young woman as a quite small jealous, vindictive person who hasn't really been given the opportunity to grow up propperly and still has the mentality of a small child who can only think of solving her problems by punishment like this.
Rahul,
The speaker reveals that she has tried to face up to her rival conventionally, but without effect. And now she thinks, too, that she wants her victim to suffer and the lover to "remember her dying face". She wants also to remove the mask, once there is no danger to her, so that she can see closely the "delicate droplet" the poisoner has prepared. The poem ends with an invitation to the old poisoner to kiss the jealous client - though with a sudden afterthought, that first she should brush off the dust that has settled on her, in case this inadvertently kills her.
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