Dover Beach & My Last Duches
Intro to Literature Paper II . My analysis of the setting in My Last Duchess andDover Beach At first glance the setting of a poem is the psychological andphysiological environment in which the story takes place. In some instances, thesetting is used to develop the characters. Robert Browning and Matthew Arnolduse the setting to expose their character traits. "My Last Duchess" and "DoverBeach," respectively, portray the weaknesses of the characters using elements fromthe setting. The text, page 629 and 630, tells us that the setting in "My LastDuchess" displays a valuable art form that exposes his greed and cruelty. "DoverBeach" demonstrates changeability and impermanence. The speaker's solution isto establish personal fidelity as a fixture against change, dissolution, and brutality.Even though the text tells us the main use of setting in these two poems, I believethat many individual words used in the poems help describe the surroundings andthe feelings that the speaker is trying to get across. Robert Browning, the author of"My Last Duchess", uses the setting to show the Dukes greed, cruelty, and
"Duke" itself makes one think of a beautiful castlewith priceless furniture and art work. Thewaves give both a mental and physical setting for the poem. Through his depiction of the eroding shores of the earth, Arnold describes theconstant changes in the relationship and the continuous changes of their feelingstowards each other. The speakers description of a land of dreams having, "neither joy,nor love, nor light, nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain:" is one were therelationship has nothing hidden and the roar of the waves on the beach reflectrelaxation instead of confusion and controversy between the couple. The physical setting of this poem isrevealed by phrases such as " That's my Duchess painted on the wall" and wordslike "curtains" and "Duke". The use of setting ina poem emphasizes the author words and character development. The setting described in the lastthree lines using words such as struggle, flight, clash, and darkling plan allows thereader to understand the confusion in the couples life Where Browning uses thesetting to reveal the characters greed and cruelty, Arnold uses the setting in "DoverBeach" to expose the lover's struggle in their relationship. Thefact that he keeps the picture behind closed curtains and deems it a privilege toview the Duke's last Duchess illustrates his possessiveness and greed. Setting not onlydescribes the physical surroundings; it also describes the mental though of thecharacters in a poem. In the distantbackground the speaker describes the cliffs of England as he looks across atranquil bay. "Listen! You hear thegrating roar of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling, at their return, upthe high strand, begin, and cease, and then again begin, with tremulous cadenceslow, and bring the eternal note of sadness in. The wind, waves, and sounds that you hear alongthe beach, obviously the physical aspects of the setting represent the emotional tiesof the lovers. The use of ebb, flow, and miserymakes the night and the relationship between the lovers appears dark and chaotic. The author is setting up a romantic scene for two people in love.
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