The Last Duchess is a dramatic monologue written by Robert Browning in 1842. It is spoken by the Duke of Ferrara, who is showing the portrait of his last wife, the Duchess, to an envoy from another nobleman. The Duke's monologue reveals his possessive and controlling nature, as well as his jealousy and resentment towards the Duchess.
At the beginning of the poem, the Duke is describing the portrait of the Duchess to the envoy, boasting about her beauty and how she was the perfect wife. However, as the monologue continues, it becomes clear that the Duke was not satisfied with the Duchess and was unhappy with her behavior. He mentions that she had "too much of the frailty" and that she smiled "too much." This suggests that the Duke saw the Duchess as being too flirtatious and not behaving in a way that was appropriate for a noblewoman.
The Duke's possessiveness is also evident in his jealousy towards the Duchess. He mentions that she received "too many nods" from other men and that she had "too many" of her own friends. This suggests that the Duke was not comfortable with the Duchess having any kind of independence or agency and wanted her to be entirely devoted to him.
The Duke's controlling nature is further revealed in the lines "I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together." This suggests that the Duke was used to getting his way and expected the Duchess to do as he commanded. It also suggests that the Duchess was not allowed to have any kind of autonomy or agency in their relationship.
The Duke's resentment towards the Duchess is also evident in the line "I call / That piece a wonder, now: FrĂ Pandolf's hands / Worked busily a day, and there she stands." This suggests that the Duke sees the Duchess as a possession or object, rather than as a person with her own thoughts and feelings.
Overall, The Last Duchess is a powerful and poignant poem that reveals the dark side of possessiveness and control in relationships. It shows the dangers of allowing power dynamics to dominate a relationship and the importance of respecting the autonomy and agency of one's partner.
My Last Duchess Analysis
The speaker and the listener are looking at an extremely life-like painting of the former Duchess, whose fictional painter is introduced as Fra Pandolf. We see that the Duke stops when they come across the portrait of the late Duchess. This verse is loosely supported on historical incidents relating Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara, who used to live in 16th century. The company below, then. Is that because perhaps your night was even more frustrating? Looking at the character traits and differences of the narrators the desires of the narrators are understandable. Notice Neptune, though, Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me! Both stories are about loving couples that also have altercations in their relationship.
My Last Duchess Robert Browning Summary & Analysis
It covers the portrait of the duchess, and the duke has the power to open and cover. Light shone through the window and glared in my eyes, making objects in the distance only look like silhouettes. The poem is not a narrative poem because it has a speaker rather than a narrator, but it nevertheless tells a story of a doomed marriage, a man capable only of irrational jealousy and possessive force, and male pride indeed, arrogance and privilege too that barely conceals the fragile masculinity just lurking beneath. The poem elicits many unanswered questions. Broomall, PA: Chelsea House Publishers. These pauses are an attempt to shield the extent of his anger at the Duchess as, by pausing, it makes it seem less like a continuous flow of anger and more of a calm appraisal of her weaknesses.
Robert Browningâs My Last Duchess Analysis Essay Example
Notice Neptune, though, Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me! The expensive neckless that the duke gave her, the sunset, hours riding has the same feeling for her, accepting everyone the same. Again, we learn how the Duke feels that her blushing is a visualisation of her faults of being too easily aroused or impressed. The Duke having made these revelations, he returns to discuss the issue of the new marriage as he shows the emissary other artworks. These two facts point to the same historical Duke even though the Duchess is not portrayed as a daughter of two powerful monarchs. We should feel thoroughly uncomfortable when we finish reading the poem for the first time, because we have just heard a man confessing to the murder of his wife â and, perhaps, other wives â without actually confessing.
