“My Last Duchess” Analytical Essay In the Victorian era, patriarchal society was a key element of the era and a main theme used by many literary poets such as Robert Browning. Robert Browning wrote the poem “My Last Duchess”. This poem attacks patriarchal society in which all power and authority falls to the men. This poem reflects how women are often victims of violence brought on by men, who go on unpunished. The feminist approach helps us to better understand the poem as the Duchess is presented as a victim to the Duke’s jealousy, and controlling attitude, a victim of her own innocence and emphasizes how the Duke’s power allows him to treat women however he pleases. The Duke is the speaker in the poem and has complete power over how his story is being told. Throughout the poem the feminist approach is used to expose the Duke’s fears. It is evident throughout the poem that the Duke fears losing control. The Duke fears …show more content…
The Duke believes his nine-hundred-year-old name is a gift bestowed upon the Duchess and one she should respect and honour more than any other gift given to her. The Duke’s political
Di Tomaso 4 power is highlighted by the feminist approach as it emphasizes the male empowerment of the era. The significance of male empowerment is evident in the poem as the Duke refuses to fall to the level of his Duchess, “E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose / Never to stoop” (42-43). Duchess is a title indicating wealth and prestige, however, it is still not given the authority and power of the title Duke. The Duke refuses to explain to the Duchess that her behavior is inappropriate because it would mean he’d have to stoop to her level which would threaten his power more than if he just got rid of her discreetly. Therefore, the Duke’s power and prestige emphasize the male empowerment and justifies the Duke treating women however he
She questions “why should I be my aunt / or me, or anyone?” (75-76), perhaps highlighting the notion that women were not as likely to be seen as an induvial at this time in history. Additionally, she questions, almost rhetorically so, if “those awful hanging breasts -- / held us all together / or made us all just one?” (81-83). This conveys the questions of what it means to be a woman: are we simply similar because of “awful hanging breasts” as the speaker of the poem questions, or are we held together by something else, and what is society’s perception on this? It is also interesting to note Bishop’s use of parenthesis around the line “I could read” (15). It may function as an aside for the reader to realize that the six year old girl can in fact read, but also might function as a wink to the misconstrued notion throughout history that women were less educated and didn’t
Last Duchess. The Duke's view of his wife is that she is too naïve and
Robert Browning's dramatic poem "My Last Duchess" defines how extremely a person may lose touch with reality, as a result of jealousy and self-love. This central thought is achieved through an aristocrat's conversation with a visitor concerning a painting of his ex-wife; within the conversation, the aristocrat--Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara--reveals that he has been a key figure in the murder of his late wife. The Duke's sense of reality and his misuse of power stand as important facets within the fabrication of the central idea.
“My Last Duchess” is written in a dramatic monologue style, which allows the readers to see the true temperament of Browning’s character, Duke Ferrara, and how his personality was similar to that of an imposing, imperialistic country. One key point of reverse imperialism, which society would notice in the poem, would be the compulsive nature to collect things as the Duke does. Imperialistic countrie...
However, it is through Colin’s song that a more complex characterization of his psyche is constructed. The initial framing of Colin’s character as a male who is unafraid of his feelings sets the reader who also views stereotypical gender roles as intrusive and therefore allows the reader to sympathize with Colin. This would of been inherent in Queen Elizabeth’s reading being a woman leader in a patriarchal society. However, Colin’s divergent androgynous qualities incisively change during the song to that of a young lustful boy with seemingly misogynistic undertones. In the first stanza of the song he
Robert Browning, one of the most influential and imaginative poets in our history, engulfs readers in a wave of dramatic language, and colorful character representation in the extremely popular poem: “My Last Duchess”, which stands as one of Browning’s most famous literary pieces. In many ways the tone Browning wishes to convey provides a dark background in which many impressions and interpretations of the Duke and his former Duchess can be assessed. “And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, how such a glance came there; so, not the first are you to turn and ask thus” (Kennedy 16). As well, Browning has ingeniously chosen vivid and extraordinary instances through out the poem to hint at obscure character qualities and mysterious moments, that make it seem like the reader is eavesdropping on the personal conversation between the Duke and the nobleman belonging to his new fiancé’s family.
...resent in his poem all specific examples. Therefore, it is interesting to notice that he finds women as representative of humanity as men. Again, this reflects the beliefs of people of his time -- social roles of men and women and social propriety of the past were not held by modern people. Poets must recognize this change and reflect the sensibilities of their audiences.
Her poetry legacy approximates nearly 2,000 poems. Many of them include a radical philosophy, which requires sensitive perception from the reader. Typically, the poem “She Rose to His Requirement” contains an indignant point of view of gender inequality. In the 19th century, women were inferior to men, and they did not have many rights as men did. Married women were restricted to domestic employments. They were the shadow of their husbands. This prejudice was normal in Dickinson’s time period, but she refused to follow this convention. She owns a feminist ideology of a modern woman, so to her, limiting women’s ability is against nature. Therefore, the poem is her voice for the desire of gender equality for women, and for wives.
In an essay on feminist criticism, Linda Peterson of Yale University explains how literature can "reflect and shape the attitudes that have held women back" (330). From the viewpoint of a feminist critic, "The Lady of Shalott" provides its reader with an analysis of the Victorian woman's conflict between her place in the interior, domestic role of society and her desire to break into the exterior, public sphere which generally had been the domain of men. Read as a commentary on women's roles in Victorian society, "The Lady of Shalott" may be interpreted in different ways. Thus, the speaker's commentary is ambiguous: Does he seek to reinforce the institution of patriarchal society as he "punishes" the Lady with her death for her venture into the public world of men, or does he sympathize with her yearnings for a more colorful, active life? Close reading reveals more than one possible answer to this question, but the overriding theme seems sympathetic to the Lady. By applying "the feminist critique" (Peterson 333-334) to Tennyson's famous poem, one may begin to understand how "The Lady of Shalott" not only analyzes, but actually critiques the attitudes that held women back and, in the end, makes a hopeful, less patriarchal statement about the place of women in Victorian society.
This monologue as spoken by the Duke represents many definitive traits that the Duke encompasses in his character. The manner in which he views his deceased Duchess demonstrates his egotistical view of himself. His selfish, jealous, protective, greedy, paranoid persona is displayed by his act of killing his wife. He could not control his Duchess as he wanted so his arrogance and his shallowness got the better of him until he could no longer do anything except kill her. The painting represents a wife that he can control until the day he died. His repeated manipulative habits continued as he influences the envoy to view the circumstances of this future marriage as being solely for the purposes of companionship. This is not the case; the Dukes greed is his only concern, a wife to dominate as he wishes and sufficient dowry to amplify his wealth. The character of the Duke is established as one of a man who believes he is the center of the universe. This man does not accept anything less than being seen as exactly that, the center of the universe.
Robert Browning, the author of "My Last Duchess", uses the setting to show the Dukes greed, cruelty, and jealousy. The development of the setting begins with the Duke showing an agent for the Count of Tyrol the curtained picture of his deceased Duchess. Count of Troy sent an agent in order to see if the Duke is worthy to marry his daughter. The fact that he keeps the picture behind closed curtains and deems it a privilege to view the Duke's last Duchess illustrates his possessiveness and greed. "She thanked men--good! But thanked somehow--I know not how--as if she ranked my gift of nine-hundred-years-old name with anybody's gift". This line lends to the setting by showing his greed and how he places himself above other men according to his possess...
In the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries, the idea of patriarchy ruled the many societies all over the world. Particularly in Britain, its “overarching patriarchal model” (Marsh) had “reserved power and privilege for men” (Marsh). Also during this time period feminist literature began to arise and was invaded by, “the complex social, ethical, and economic roots of sexual politics… as testimony to gender bias and the double standard” (“Sexual Politics and Feminist Literature”). In Jane Austen’s writing, readers have been aware of her constant themes of female independence and gender equality. However, many have criticized the author for the fact that many of her “individualistic” female characters have ended up
Murder, mystery and intrigue all describe Robert Browning's poem, "My Last Duchess." From the speakers' indirect allusions to the death of his wife the reader is easily lead to think that the speaker committed a vengeful crime out of jealousy. His elaborate speech confuses and disguises any possible motives, and the mystery is left unsolved. Even if he did not kill his wife, he certainly has something to hide. Based on the poem's historical references, style and structure, the Duke's controlling and jealous nature becomes evident.
In Robert Browning's dramatic monologue 'My Last Duchess'; there are two characters that many people can be compared to in the world today. The two characters are Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara and his Duchess. Throughout the monologue the duke is described as being conceited, arrogant and perhaps maybe even psychotic. While his Duchess is the opposite of him, a person who enjoys life and everything it has to offer.
...f the piece, whereby it is revealed that he is in the process of negotiating another wedding ceremony. The imaginary listener character is a representative of another noble, as shown by the speaker's reference to him as "the Count your master" (ll. 49). In spite of the speaker's obvious ignorance for the value of life, and his apparent corruption, this agent seems to agree to arrange for the duke's marriage to the count's daughter. Therefore, it is assumed that the count, although not there in the setting of the poem, also agrees to the marriage of this duke to his daughter, fully aware of the death of the former's previous spouse; the count likely stands to benefit from such an arrangement, as was the practice of the time. This, again, speaks to the author’s opinion of the nobility as corrupt and made inhuman by the very power that elevates them above other men.