My Last Duchess
Robert Browning's poem "My Last Duchess" conveys a Duke's feelings towardhis deceased wife. The Duke addresses his feelings to her lifelike portraiton the wall, which contains enough of her essence and personality to invokean emotional response in the speaker. Furthermore, the Duke's reaction tothe painting reveals his feelings toward his wife as well as about his ownpersonality. Her joyous countenance and demeanor invokes a degree ofresentment in the speaker, who compares her to an exotic sea creaturetoward the end of the poem. This also proves that the Duke is a possessiveand haughty man, who perceived his wife as more of a trophy or art objectthan as a human being. Through the medium of dramatic monologue, in whichthe poet's voice is hidden behind that of the narrator, Browning creates apsychological character study with his poem "My Last Duchess." The audience for the Duke's monologue is twofold: he speaks both to anenvoy present within the dramatic setting of the poem, but he also s
The Duke, however,was less concerned about her heart's loyalty and devotion than he was abouther deference to him: she seemed to treat everyone she knew with equalrespect, while the Duke felt he deserved to be placed on a pedestal becauseof his title and "nine-hundred-years-old name," (33). Moreover, the Duke stops reminiscing at this point andproceeds to treat the Duchess only as an object of art hanging on the wall. However, the Duke's demeanor isanything but casual and informal; he is hyperaware of his rank and bragsabout his "nine-hundred-years-old name," (33). peaksto a generalized audience, including the reader of the poem. He is simply the product of his social standing, a manwhose title allows him to abuse women and deride all others below his rank. The callousness of the Duke, conveyed through Browning's diction, hasno apparent cause. As he describes the portrait of the Duchess, the Duke growsresentfully sentimental and uses the painting as a means to invoke hisfeelings. Eventually he took somekind of action against her; Browning hints that the Duke might have had theDuchess killed, for he states "I gave commands; / Then all smiles stoppedtogether," (45-46). He leads the envoy downstairs to meet the Count,whose daughter will soon become the Duke's next trophy bride. The Dukeproceeds to compare himself to Neptune, who tames a sea horse, "thought ararity," (55). The last fewlines of the poem hint that the Duke's pattern of possessiveness willdoubtlessly continue. To bothaudiences, the Duke wants to convey his fine tastes, especially in art andwomen. He attitude and tone are condescending throughout themonologue, indicated both by the content and diction of the speech as wellas his unwillingness to allow anyone else to speak.
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