Notice that paleness speaks back to the title of the poem and the woman’s name as well. Those infected with Porphyria are pale. This would suggest that the speaker is pale “for love of her,” and in this sense the woman has infected him with this lovesick disease. This reading makes her the predator in this relationship. However, pale skin is also a typical sign of an unsatiated mythological vampire, which would suggest that the speaker’s love has turned him into a predator with his desire for her.
