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We only learn about Porphyria through the speaker’s perspective, so we have to be careful when drawing any conclusions about her. For instance, it is the speaker, and not Porphyria herself, who associates her with domestic warmth. He begins the poem in a chilly cottage, and it isn’t until Porphyria arrives and attends to “the cheerless grate” (line 8) that a fire begins to warm the home and ignite the speaker’s passions. That said, Porphyria’s very name suggests a symbolic link to warmth. “Porphyria” is a feminine version of a Greek word that means “fire-bearing,” and which further connotes warmth, good health, and ruddy complexion. Her name also references a type of rock known as porphyry, the deep burgundy color of which is traditionally linked to love and passion. And Porphyria does indeed exhibit passion. For instance, she embodies her sexuality quite comfortably, as demonstrated in the way she embraces the speaker (lines 16–20):

     She put my arm about her waist,
            And made her smooth white shoulder bare,
     And all her yellow hair displaced,
            And, stooping, made my cheek lie there,
            And spread, o’er all, her yellow hair

Porphyria’s overt expression of sexuality toward a man who isn’t her husband marks her as an unconventional Victorian woman. It isn’t entirely clear why her relationship with the speaker is illicit. But regardless, she continues to visit him of her own accord, thereby flouting the traditional morality of her day.

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