Irony and voice in my last duchess
Irony and Voice in Browning's "My Last Duchess" In the poem "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning, the author conveys his message by cleverly incorporating literary techniques. Browning's development of voice and use of irony dramatically influences the understanding of the theme. At the end of the monologue, the reader clearly understands the theme that money and power cannot buy love and that marriages between the upper class citizens of the Renaissance era were predominately business transactions. Browning's development of voice tremendously influences the reader's perception of the poem "My Last Duchess" The use of dramatic dialogue separates the speaker from the poet, therefore encouraging the reader to read in between the lines in order to fully understand what the poem is saying. The voice of the author presents the character of the Duke without an actual comment by the poet. By reading how the Duke thought and felt about his wife, the reader gains insight about the true character of the speaker. The Duke is extremely manipulative, has an extreme sense of family pride, and feels a sense of ownership to the memory of his deceased wife. The speaker feels that his wife should have been more grateful to him for marryi
The development of voice created in the poem "The Last Duchess" instills within the reader the theme of money and stature does not create love or adoration, or that arranged marriages among high-class Renaissance-era citizens are merely business transactions used to increase social status. Furthermore, the duke directly refers that his wife, as well as his future wife, are and will be his objects. Throughout the work, the use of dramatic irony unveils to the reader the true meaning of what Browning wishes to convey about the speaker. ng her, as if she were the luckiest woman on earth for him to have chosen her. " The duke is clearly a skillful and manipulative speaker that concisely expresses his point; therefore for him to claim he is not a skillful speaker directly contradicts the truth. Therefore, it enrages him that she reacts in the same manner to the sunset, cherries a man brings to her, and even the mule she rides on. " This proves the idea that arranged marriages between upper class Renaissance citizens were mainly business transactions created in order to fulfill social obligations and personal gain. Verbal irony is presented when the duke states: "Even had you skill in speech- (which I have not). Near the end of the dramatic monologue, the duke unwittingly reveals his true personality to the count's representative by reversing his syntax as follows: "Nay, we'll go together down, sir" This excerpt proves that the duke unintentionally revealed too much about the death of his former wife and is just now realizing it. The development of voice personifies the character of the duke as overly manipulative, ruthless, power-craving man that would not even stop at murder in order to feel glorified and exalted by his wife. At the end of the poem the idea that money and stature doesn't buy love and respect. "All and each would draw from her alike the approving speech, or blush at least" It seems that the Duke is extremely egotistical to act this way to his wife, the person that is supposed to be his life partner, not ego booster. The reader expects the duke's anger to stem from his wife's unfaithfulness, not from being kind and grateful to people. By observing the manner in which the duke talks of his late wife, the reader flirts with the idea that he had his wife murdered.
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