In “Porphyria’s Lover”, the speaker desires control over Porphyria. He admits that Porphyria is not, and will never be, completely devoted to him: Too weak, for all her heart's endeavour,
To set its struggling passion free From pride, and vainer ties dissever, And give herself to me forever. (22-25) …show more content…
The speaker wants her to leave behind her social class and other relationships to be with him. The speaker shows his possessive and controlling mentality when he says, “That moment she was mine, mine, fair,” (36). He is convinced that Porphyria is, or should be, his and his alone. By continuously sneaking back to see him she reveals that she is not planning on giving up her primary lifestyle anytime soon, thus proving that she is not under his control. In the same manner, the Duke in “My Last Duchess” also craves control over his wife. The Duke discloses that, “She had / A heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad,” (22). He deems his wife as too free spirited and friendly with other men, which he takes as her disobeyment of him as her husband/ruler. Furthermore, he believes she is not naturally so