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
De Vane, William Clyde, and Kenneth Leslie Knickerbocker, eds. Ă the apparentĂ manifestation ofĂ this is oftenĂ the murder of his wife. He is terrified to speak to her because he feels he will not be able to explain his feelings well enough, he does not think that they will be interested in him, therefore, holding him back. He asks him: which nobleman should lower himself by seeking to instruct his wife about how she should behave? WhatĂ this mightĂ suggest is that the duchess wasĂ actuallyĂ guilty of greater transgression than he claims, thatĂ rather thanĂ flirtation, sheĂ may needĂ physically or sexually betrayed him. New York: Chelsea House, 1985. When the artist painted the portrait, he praised his wife as beautiful as art. Despite their characters being complete opposites, they are both unsuccessful in obtaining their desires due to their insecurity with manhood.
Analysis of the poem, my last duchess in the psycho analytical framewâŚ
On the surface, for instance, the poem constitutes a thinly veiled warning: the duke makes a show of his authority even as he lets out some of the rather embarrassing details surrounding his failed marriage. There she stands As if alive. My favour at her breast, The dropping of the daylight in the West, The bough of cherries some officious fool Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule She rode with round the terraceâall and each Would draw from her alike the approving speech, Or blush, at least. Alliteration is present in line 26. Then all smiles stopped together. Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me! Two additions to an otherwise helpful analysis: First, a duke is higher than a count, so if the count could marry his daughter to a duke, he would be raising his own status and that of his whole family very considerably.
My Last Duchess, Robert Browning Poem Analysis/Annotations
Tell this duchess these are the bad characteristics of her which he not fine with them. It also portrays how her natural independence and inquisitiveness juxtaposes his ideal perception of a wife. Masculinity seems to extend outward into patriarchy and inward into the family; masculinity represents the power of inheritance, the consequences of the traffic of women, and the promise of social privilege. How did she come to have such an expression? How come they die so soon after marrying him? Considering the narrators have the same outcome, it is important to analyze their differences, to see why they both have the same result. 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.
A Short Analysis of Robert Browningâs âMy Last Duchessâ
But the lens of aristocracy undercuts the wonderful psychological nature of the poem, which is overall more concerned with human contradictions than with social or economic criticism. The Duke rhetorically addresses his guest. The last duchess was a beautiful woman which is evident because he wanted to have a painting of her. Ă during thisĂ poem, loosely inspired by real events set in Renaissance Italy, the duke reveals himself not only as a model of culture but also as a monster of morality. One of the collectibles. From simple essay plans, through to full dissertations, you can guarantee we have a service perfectly matched to your needs.
