Analysis of Robert Browning's My Last Duchess Robert Browning's poem, My Last Duchess is a poem tha
t represents and holds true to many of the Pre-Raphaelite ideals. It is comprised of rhyming pentame
ter lines. The lines do not make use of end-stops but rather they use enjambment (which is that sen
tences do not necessarily conclude at the end of the lines). This results in the rhymes not creatin
g a sense of closure when the end of the lines come, but to a certain extent keep a subtle driving f
orce behind the Duke's compulsive revelations. The Duke is quite a performer. In his speech he mim
ics other's voices, creates hypothetical situations, and uses the force of his own personality to ma
ke horrifying information seem merely colorful, even laughable. The poem is based loosely on histori
cal events which involve, Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara, who lived in the 16th century. This is an i
mportant part of the poem because it is during the time of the Italian Renaissance, which to Brownin
g as well as the Pre-Raphaelites, held a particular fascination for them. This period of time repre
sented to them the flowering of the aesthetic and the human, alongside, or in some cases in the plac
e of, the religious and the moral. It is in this temporal setting that Browning is allowed to explo
re sex, violence, and aesthetics as all entangled, complicating and confusing each other. An exampl
e of this is Browning's use of such lush language which contradict the fact that the Duchess was act
ually punished for her natural sexuality. The Duke's ranting and ravings try to suggest that the "s
upposed" transgressions of the Duchess are only in his mind. Many Victorians saw sin everywhere arou
nd them and a lot of the Pre-Raphaelite work deals with sin, especially the sin of un-virtuous woman
. The painting of the Duchess that the Duke describes sounds very similar to paintings by Pre-Rapha
elites' like, William Holman Hunt's The Lady of Shalott. The Victorians, specifically the Pre-Raphae
lites were obsessed with the idea of the fallen woman and that is what the Duke is describing in Bro
wning's poem. The Duke is the speaker of this poem and it is his and only his words and thoughts tha
t we read. This type of poem is called a dramatic monologue and it is a classic example of one. It'
s categorized as a dramatic monologue because it consists entirely of the words of the Duke (a singl
e speaker). The speaker of this poem is clearly distinct from the poet and an audience is suggested
(the representative of his soon to be new wife) but never actually appears in the poem. The revela
tion of the Duke's character is the poem's primary aim. The Duke tells the audience in his monologue
his own nature and the dramatic situation in which he currently finds himself in. We are introduced
to the Duke as he is showing the Duchess' portrait to a servant or envoy of his future father-in-la
w. The Duke shows this painting only to select strangers purposely to appeal to his ego and to flaun
t his "prize" (the late Duchess). It is evident in his words that he enjoys telling the story of why
he ordered her death because he enjoys receiving the sympathy of other men, and he enjoys demonstra
ting his power over people, specifically women. Even more specifically, beautiful women like the Duc
hess who seem to be able to acquire what ever they want. The portrait is the embodiment of what he b
elieves his wife should be, a trophy whose beauty is dangerous and can be admired only under his com
plete control. Since he is the Duke with the "nine-hundred-years-old name", he believes that he must
be shown great respect and be the center of attention in his home. As a result of his ego he felt t
hreatened by all the attention the Duchess apparently would receive everywhere she went, such as fro
m the artist Pandolf or the "officious fool" who brought her cherries. Apparently, her presence drew
others' attention away from the Duke which resulted in him not having the control and power he desi
red and required that he should have. In this way, the Duchess seemed to possess a type of power whi
ch was unacceptable for Renaissance women. Renaissance society believed that a wife of the Duke (or
any wife for that matter) existed for the husband's enjoyment alone. Other men should not admire her
, and she especially must not enjoy their attention or take pleasure from anything other than her hu
sband. The Duke felt betrayed that "she liked whate'er, She looked on, and her looks went everywhere
". He also cannot tolerate that "she thanked men... Somehow...as if she ranked my gift of a nine-hun
dred-years-old name, With anybody's gift" or that she smiled whenever he "passed her; but who passed
without, Much the same smile?" The Duke cannot accept or understand that the Duchess seemed to trea
t everyone and every gift equally: "all and each, Would draw from her alike the approving speech, Or
blush, at least". As one of his possessions, the Duke's wife can never be treated as his equal. He
is very traditional and proud and refuses to lower himself to "such an one" since she is merely a wo
man. Therefore, he cannot be expected to have a real conversation with her because that would be adm
itting that she was on equal status with him: "E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose, Never
to stoop". He also cannot take the chance that she would talk back to him and "make excuse" because
then she would be setting her wits to those of a man. The Duke blatantly says that it is unthinkabl
e for him to ever "stoop" to tell her that her behavior was unacceptable. As a result the Duke's onl
y recourse, his only way to tame her and have the complete control that he deserved, was to have her
killed. "I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands as if alive." Now, the
lovely painting is behind a curtain for his pleasure only, for his eyes only, just as a wife should
be. Now he has complete control because he decides when and if people are allowed to partake of her
beauty. By controlling who is able to view the painting, the Duke fulfills his need to exhibit his
power. This is a very similar description as to the situation many of the Pre-Raphaelite found thems
elves in when they would paint beautiful women which in turn rich, white men would buy and display i
n their houses for everyone to see or for no one to see. She became their woman and they can do wha
t ever they want with her. The Duke's purpose for showing this painting is to explain the type of be
havior he will not stand for and to also prove how powerful he is. Instead of coming across as a br
ave, and strong man he seems rather cowardly because he says he does not flaunt this to those who ma
y be more powerful than he. He does not tell this story of the last Duchess to the Count himself but
to his servant who would probably never tell the Count but who would perhaps tell the Count's daugh
ter as a warning so that she would live in fear and awe of the Duke. The Duke certainly wants his ne
xt wife to be another lovely showpiece along with a large dowry, "no just pretense, Of mine for dowr
y will be disallowed".
The Duke thinks he is describing his unfaithful wife but really he is descri
bing to the audience his insecurities and his desire to have control. This correlates with the curr
ent thinking of the Renaissance period in which morally dissolute men, like the Duke, were able to e
xercise absolute power. This was a fascinating study for many Victorians because works of art that
came out of that period (like the painting of the Duchess described) implied that the time period co
uld not have been entirely evil in its allocation of societal control, even though it did put men li
ke the Duke in power. A poem like My Last Duchess calculatedly engages its readers on a psychologica
l level because they only hear the Duke's ramblings. The reader is required to piece the story toge
ther themselves. This poem is very much a painting itself in that when one views a painting they ha
ve to determine for themselves what is taking place, what happened prior to this scene, and what wil
l happen after. Browning forces his reader to become involved in the poem in order to understand it
. This type of poem I can imagine very much intrigued the Pre-Raphaelites because of the way it forc
es the reader to question their own response to the subject portrayed and the method of its portraya
l. By asking these questions, this poem tested the Victorian readers response to their modern world
and to the question of art being a moral component or just merely an aesthetic exercise? This poem
supports the Pre-Raphaelite's ideals and theories because of the questions it causes to arise in its
' readers' minds.
analysis robert browning last duchess robert browning poem last duchess poem
that represents holds true many raphaelite ideals comprised rhyming pentameter lines lines make stop
s rather they enjambment which that sentences necessarily conclude lines this results rhymes creatin
g sense closure when come certain extent keep subtle driving force behind duke compulsive revelation
s duke quite performer speech mimics other voices creates hypothetical situations uses force persona
lity make horrifying information seem merely colorful even laughable poem based loosely historical e
vents which involve alfonso duke ferrara lived century this important part because during time itali
an renaissance which browning well raphaelites held particular fascination them this period time rep
resented them flowering aesthetic human alongside some cases place religious moral temporal setting
that allowed explore violence aesthetics entangled complicating confusing each other example such lu
sh language contradict fact duchess actually punished natural sexuality ranting ravings suggest supp
osed transgressions only mind many victorians everywhere around them raphaelite work deals with espe
cially virtuous woman painting describes sounds very similar paintings raphaelites like william holm
an hunt lady shalott victorians specifically raphaelites were obsessed with idea fallen woman what d
escribing speaker only words thoughts read type called dramatic monologue classic example categorize
d dramatic monologue because consists entirely words single speaker speaker clearly distinct from po
et audience suggested representative soon wife never actually appears revelation character primary t
ells audience monologue nature dramatic situation currently finds himself introduced showing portrai
t servant envoy future father shows painting only select strangers purposely appeal flaunt prize lat
e evident words enjoys telling story ordered death because enjoys receiving sympathy other enjoys de
monstrating power over people specifically women even more specifically beautiful women like seem ab
le acquire what ever they want portrait embodiment what believes wife should trophy whose beauty dan
gerous admired under complete control since with nine hundred years name believes must shown great r
espect center attention home result felt threatened attention apparently would receive everywhere we
nt such from artist pandolf officious fool brought cherries apparently presence drew others attentio
n away from resulted having control power desired required should have seemed possess type power una
cceptable renaissance women renaissance society believed wife matter existed husband enjoyment alone
should admire especially must enjoy their take pleasure anything than husband felt betrayed liked w
hate looked looks went everywhere also cannot tolerate thanked somehow ranked gift nine hundred year
s name anybody gift smiled whenever passed passed without much same smile cannot accept understand s
eemed treat everyone every gift equally each would draw alike approving speech blush least possessio
ns never treated equal very traditional proud refuses lower himself such since merely woman therefor
e cannot expected have real conversation would admitting equal status then some stooping choose neve
r stoop also take chance talk back make excuse then setting wits those blatantly says unthinkable ev
er stoop tell behavior unacceptable result recourse tame have complete control deserved killed gave
commands then smiles stopped together there stands alive lovely painting behind curtain pleasure eye
s just complete decides when people allowed partake beauty controlling able view fulfills need exhib
it very similar description situation many raphaelite found themselves when they paint beautiful tur
n rich white display their houses everyone became their ever want purpose showing explain type behav
ior will stand also prove powerful instead coming across brave strong seems rather cowardly says doe
s flaunt those more powerful than does tell story last count himself servant probably tell count per
haps count daughter warning live fear certainly wants next another lovely showpiece along large dowr
y just pretense mine dowry will disallowed thinks describing unfaithful really describing audience i
nsecurities desire correlates current thinking period morally dissolute like were able exercise abso
lute fascinating study victorians works came period described implied time could been entirely evil
allocation societal even though calculatedly engages readers psychological level hear ramblings read
er required piece story together themselves much itself views determine themselves taking place happ
ened prior scene will happen after forces reader become involved order understand imagine much intri
gued forces reader question response subject portrayed method portrayal asking these questions teste
d victorian readers response modern world question being moral component just merely aesthetic exerc
ise supports ideals theories questions causes arise readers mindsEssay, essays, termpaper, term pape
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