The character of the Duke in Robert Browning's poem "My Last Duchess" is a complex and enigmatic figure. On the surface, he is a wealthy and powerful nobleman, with a sense of entitlement and an obsessive need for control. However, as the poem progresses, it becomes clear that the Duke's character is deeply flawed and disturbing, as he displays a lack of empathy and a disturbing lack of remorse for the death of his last wife.
At the beginning of the poem, the Duke presents himself as a man of refinement and taste, as he shows the ambassador a portrait of his last wife and speaks highly of her beauty. However, as the conversation continues, it becomes clear that the Duke was unhappy with his wife's behavior and took drastic measures to control her. He reveals that she was "too soon made glad," meaning that she was too easily pleased and showed her joy and affection too freely. This suggests that the Duke wanted a wife who was more reserved and controlled, and that he was jealous of her ability to express happiness and pleasure.
The Duke's jealousy and need for control are further revealed when he speaks of the "nine-hundred-years-old name" of his family, and how he will not allow his wife's name to be "breath'd by commoners." This suggests that the Duke sees his wife as a possession, and that he is fiercely protective of his family's reputation and status. It is also telling that the Duke speaks of his wife in the past tense, revealing that she is no longer alive.
As the poem progresses, the Duke's character becomes increasingly disturbing and sinister. He reveals that he gave orders for his wife to be killed, and that he does not regret her death. He speaks of her as if she were a commodity that he owned, saying "I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together." This reveals a lack of empathy and a disturbing lack of remorse for the death of his wife.
In conclusion, the character of the Duke in "My Last Duchess" is a complex and disturbing figure. On the surface, he appears to be a wealthy and powerful nobleman, but as the poem progresses, it becomes clear that he is deeply flawed and lacks empathy and remorse. His obsessive need for control and jealousy reveal a disturbing lack of respect for the autonomy and happiness of others.
What is the character of the Duke in My Last Duchess?
He references him twice, implying that the painter is likely of high prestige and renown. I hope it helps! And yet he is strikingly charming, both in his use of language and his genial speech. All of this poem and the discussion of his last duchess' mistakes are fair warning for the next duchess--she had better act accordingly or her smiles will be stopped altogether, also. Harmon, William, and C. He says, "She had a heart or how shall I say? The duke seeks happiness in the ideal marriage, but it does not go as planned. Therefore, Robert Browning uses the carefully.
My Last Duchess Character Analysis
He didn't feel as though he should have to discuss why she should blush only for him, why she should be most grateful to him. The definition of jealousy is mental uneasiness from suspicion or fear of rivalry, unfaithfulness, etc. She was guilty of being a fresh young girl who felt happy at the beauty of the sunset, the simple gift of cherries proffered by some subordinate, the white mule she rode. To be specific, here the Duke says that he lacks the skill of speaking in a powerful manner to his wife, but if compared to context, the Duke all the time had been talking in a dominant tone till he arrives at this point and through to the end the power of his tone prevails. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, W. Too soon made glad" He goes on to say that his complaint of her was that not only her husband's presence was that made her happy. Notice here as well that the Duke only mentions his interest to be in the bodily aspects self of the woman, which reinforces his mentality about the woman being an object.
My Last Duchess: Duke's Personality Analysis essay
The Duchess is considered by Alfonso II to be an exchangeable possession that is easily replaceable rather than a human. A remarkably immoral man nevertheless has a sense of beauty and of how to reel in his listener. In the poem my last duchess, Robert Browning carefully crafts the character of the duke to illustrate that vengeful male power can lead to dire consequences for women. No one will be ever convinced that to smile, to thank, to be interested, to be shy, or to talk to people is a crime, or immorality. The Duke 's main intent is for a noble family to see him as a man with power and wealth but fails and reveals his true nature.
Character analysis of the Duke in “My Last Duchess”
In fact, she was responsive readily and easily impressionable. For all that the duke seems concerned with her as a person, she may well have been miserable. Now she belonged to him, in his dysfunctional rationalizing, as yet another of his prized artifacts. These traits are not all mentioned verbally, but mainly through his actions. Nonchalantly, he goes on telling about her last duchess and how he felt annoyed when she showed her satisfaction or smiled at any other person. Analysis of Duke In "My Last Duchess", by Robert Browning, the character of Duke is portrayed as having controlling, jealous, and arrogant traits. If you were the Count's representative, would you recommend allowing the girl to become the Duke's next Duchess? The character of the Duke comes across powerfully as a typical member of the aristocracy of the Italian Renaissance.
