Analysis of Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess"

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I will be analyzing the monologue/poem “My last Duchess” by Robert Lowry. The purpose of this monologue is to convey to the reader the Dukes sense of arrogance, spite and possessiveness towards his estranged wife, which is referred to in the title as his “Last Duchess”. In the first line, it says “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall”. This line gives the reader an idea that the setting of the monologue is taking place within the main characters quarters or house. It appears as if he is speaking to a person who is visiting his house for the first time. He is then showing him around the place, when the person notices a painting of a woman on the wall and is pondering on the thought of who it might be. This leads the main character/voice towards explaining to the person who the painting is of. This is the introduction of the poem The main voice within this monologue is that of the Duke. He is talking to a person, who is visiting his house. The person is admiring the beauty of the woman within the painting. The Duke then goes on to explain in a hubris and voracious way, who the woman is, and what significance she held within his life. He refers to her is in a covetous way; as if he once thought of her as one of his many possessions. To go along with this, the tone of his speech conveys his pride and haughtiness towards the woman in the picture. This is clearly shown when he says, “Will’t please you sit and look at her?” I said “Frà Pandolf” by design, for never read “Strangers like you that pictured countenance, The depth and passion of its earnest glance,” When the Duke says this, it proves his arrogant and possessive attitude towards her, though she is dead. When he is listing her beautiful qualities and attributes, he is inadvertently taking credit for her them, as if to say that without him, she would not be as beautiful or wouldn’t be

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