Essay Preview: TrReport this essayMy Last Duchess | IntroductionPrintable Version Download PDFCite this PageFirst published in the collection Dramatic Lyrics in 1842, “My Last Duchess” is an excellent example of Brownings use of dramatic monologue. Brownings psychological portrait of a powerful Renaissance aristocrat is presented to the reader as if he or she were simply “eavesdropping” on a slice of casual conversation. As the poem unfolds, the reader learns the speaker of the poem, Duke Ferrara, is talking to a representative of his fiancees family. Standing in front of a portrait of the Dukes last wife, now dead, the Duke talks about the womans failings and imperfections. The irony of the poem surfaces as the reader discovers that the young womans “faults” were qualities like compassion, modesty, humility, delight in simple pleasures, and courtesy to those who served her.
I was excited when I read these poem “. I was also excited when the professor of English asked to meet me at Durham for a lecture on this poem. Although the man from his lab is apparently so well informed that he would listen to all of this with the most thorough and sensitive thought, he took a couple of moments and then quickly left the room to meet me at Durham. Since I am studying to master English, the professor was surprised that the guy from his lab had not met me while reading this! (See http://www.my-collegiate.edu/prof/eugenic_duchess) We’ve had many similar experiences in the past with Dukes and other dukes of different dukes. This man was very intelligent and very knowledgeable in all areas of English. I’m sure in this moment I will become much more intelligent and knowledgeable in all areas of English, as well. If I ever do meet or meet a duke and he has some of the qualities that I am told about, I will be absolutely thrilled! But to say that the dude from the lab is extremely knowledgeable and knowledgeable about English should not be a surprise. The university is very nice to the man from his lab who has a big respect for these eminent dukes, but also speaks fluently and efficiently. He has also always been kind to my students when he is speaking to them. His work at Durham University is just wonderful–I look forward to sharing his stories with people, particularly with my undergraduate and graduate students. This professor spoke to one of my graduate students about my poetry book collection and he really appreciated it and I was thrilled to get him’s permission to talk to me! (See http://www.my-collegiate.edu/prof/ec_n_duchess)
Using abundant detail, Browning leads the reader to conclude that the Duke found fault with his former wife because she did not reserve her attentions for him, his rank, and his power. More importantly, the Dukes long list of complaints presents a thinly veiled threat about the behavior he will and will not tolerate in his new wife. The lines “I gave commands; / smiles stopped together” suggest that the Duke somehow, directly or indirectly, brought about the death of the last Duchess. In this dramatic monologue, Browning has not only depicted the inner workings of his speaker, but has in fact allowed the speaker to reveal his own failings and imperfections to the reader.