A young man murders a girl with whom he is in love. Why? What was his motive? Which of the following accounts best describes the reasons, which best gets into the mind of a killer: the autopsy report, the legal indictment, the newspaper account, the sisters sob story, or Robert Brownings poem? All are methods of literary communication. Can one be better than the other? 1. The Autopsy report. From the Autopsy Surgeons Report of the condition of Porphyria Blanks corpse: Death occurred from the effects of asphyxia, cerebal anemia, and shock. The victims hair was used for the constricting ligature. Local marks of the ligature were readily discernible: there was some abrasion and a slight ecchymosis in the skin. But I found no obvious lesions in the blood vessels of the neck. Cyanosis of the head was very slight and there were no pronounced hemorrhages in the galea of the scalp. I should judge that very great compression was effected almost immediately, with compression of the arteries as well as of the veins, and that the superior laryngeal nerve was traumatized with the effect of throwing the victim into profound shock.... The lungs revealed cyanosis, congestion, over- aeration, and subpleural petechial hemorrhages... 2. The Legal Indictment State of Colorado El Paso County Twenty-First Judicial District Court THE GRAND JURORS of the State of Colorado, duly impanelled and sworn, in and for El Paso County in the name and by the authority of the said State upon their oath, find and present: THAT ONE John Doe late of El Paso County, on the 6th day of May in the year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Five, with force and arms, in El Paso County, aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction of the Twenty-First Judicial District Court of Colorado, for the El Paso County, did unlawfully, feloniously, with malice aforethought kill and slay one Porphyria Blank by strangulation. Contrary to the form and the Statutes of the State of Colorado, in such cases made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the same. District Attorney for the 21st Judicial District of Colorado 3. The Gazette article Local Girl Found Slain by Rejected Lover Miss Porphyria Blank, 21, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Blank, of Briargate, was found strangled this morning in the cottage owned by John Doe, 25, who was apprehended at the scene of the crime by officers Bailey and Hodge. Doe was found holding the body in his arms, and appeared to be in a stupor, his only reply to repeated questioning being, I killed her because I loved her. According to members of the Blank family, Doe had paid attention to Miss Blank for the last several months, though it was strenuously denied that his regard for Miss Blank was returned. Miss Blanks engagement to Mr. Roger Weston was announced last month. Mr. Weston could not be reached for a statement. Mrs. Blank was prostrated by the news of her daughters death. The slain girl disappeared last evening at approximately eleven oclock from a dinner party given at her parents home in honor of the approaching wedding. The family became alarmed when it was discovered that she was not in her room, and instituted a search for her about midnight. The police, who were promptly notified, in the course of the search knocked at Mr. Does cottage, a building some quarter of a mile from the Blank estate, at five in the morning. Receiving no answer, they forced the door and discovered Doe sitting with the dead girl in his lap. She had apparently been strangled; Dr. A. P. Reynolds, Autopsy Surgeon for the county, stated that, from the condition of the body, death must have occurred at about midnight. Doe, who has been charged with murder, could give no coherent account of what happened. 4. Porphyrias sisters sob story. The dead girl, beautiful and peaceful in death, her scarlet lips slightly parted as though whispering a caress to her lover, her blue eyes gentle and unquestioning as a babys, lay in the murderers arms like a child who has been rocked to sleep. Her golden hair falling in profusion about her shoulders all but concealed the cruel welt of red about her throat. The murderer, clutching his still burden to him, like a mother holding an infant, appeared dazed. As the police came in, he rose to meet them, still carrying his precious burden in his arms. The officers had almost to force him to relinquish her. He could not answer questions-- could merely clutch the closer to his breast all that remained of the girl he loved better than life, and mutter, I loved her, I loved her, like a man in a dream. A few hours later when I saw him in the sordid surroundings of the 10th Precinct Station House, so different from the cozy cottage which had been the abode of a tragic love, he was still dry-eyed, though his face wore a ghastly pallor. But when I tried to question him, I became aware of the terrific strain under which he suffered, and he showed all the signs of a man on the verge of hysteria. When I tried to draw from him the motive for the pitiful tragedy, he could only reply, his pale boyish face like a mask: I killed her, but God didnt say a word, a word. At last he managed pitifully to say: I killed her so that she would be mine alone for always! And this is the irony of fate! The very greatness of his love made him strangle her. Separated as they were by wealth, social position, and all that that implies, it was only in death that they could be united. Who are we to pass judgment on such a love? 5. The Robert Browning poem. Robert Browning Porphyrias Lover THE rain set early in to-night, The sullen wind was soon awake, It tore the elm-tops down for spite, And did its worst to vex the lake: I listend with heart fit to break. When glided in Porphyria; straight She shut the cold out and the storm, And kneeld and made the cheerless grate Blaze up, and all the cottage warm; Which done, she rose, and from her form Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl, And laid her soild gloves by, untied Her hat and let the damp hair fall, And, last, she sat down by my side And calld me. When no voice replied, 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, oer all, her yellow hair, Murmuring how she loved me--she Too weak, for all her hearts endeavour, To set its struggling passion free From pride, and vainer ties dissever, And give herself to me for ever. But passion sometimes would prevail, Nor could to-nights gay feast restrain A sudden thought of one so pale For love of her, and all in vain: So, she was come through wind and rain. Be sure I lookd up at her eyes Happy and proud; at last I knew Porphyria worshippd me; surprise Made my heart swell, and still it grew While I debated what to do. That moment she was mine, mine, fair, Perfectly pure and good: I found A thing to do, and all her hair In one long yellow string I wound Three times her little throat around, And strangled her. No pain felt she; I am quite sure she felt no pain. As a shut bud that holds a bee, I warily oped her lids: again Laughd the blue eyes without a stain. And I untightend next the tress About her neck; her cheek once more Blushd bright beneath my burning kiss: I proppd her head up as before, Only, this time my shoulder bore Her head, which droops upon it still: The smiling rosy little head, So glad it has its utmost will, That all it scornd at once is fled, And I, its love, am gaind instead! Porphyrias love: she guessd not how Her darling one wish would be heard. And thus we sit together now, And all night long we have not stirrd, And yet God has not said a word!
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 06:20:17 +0000
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