My Last Douche Bag

Through the course of history, men have sought to subdue women by restricting their rights, limiting their freedoms, and when all else fails – murder. In Robert Browning’s "My Last Duchess", Duke Ferrara kills his wife in retaliation for the fact that he could not control her being – actions and feeling – which is evidenced by his description of his last Duchess, his curtain over her portrait, and his skillful control over the syntax and conversation. Through this poem, Robert Browning addresses a grander issue of the extent to which men will go to maintain control.

Through Duke Ferrara’s description of his departed Duchess, it is apparent that he is a controlling individual whose dissatisfaction with the Duchess’ loose behavior led to him arranging her death. When Duke Ferrara was talking to the marriage negotiator about the portrait he has of his last Duchess, he states, “sir, ‘twas not/her husband’s presence only, called the spot/of joy into the Duchess’ cheek” (13-15). When commenting on the expression of his deceased Duchess in the painting, Duke Ferrara claims that the blush of pleasure on her cheeks was caused by numerous individuals, not solely he. Later summarizing the tragic flaw of the Duchess, Duke Ferrara asserts, “a heart–how shall I say?–too soon made glad,/too easily impressed; she liked whate’er/she looked on, and her looks went everywhere” (23-24). With these words, Duke Ferrara alleges that too many things amazed the Duchess, which dissatisfied him. Also through “her looks went everywhere” (24), Duke Ferrara uses a reference to sexual promiscuity to demonstrate his anger toward her lack of emotional restraint. At the end of his monologue, Duke Ferrara discusses the repercussions of the Duchess’ flirtation: “O...

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...the actions of his guest to how the Duchess acted. Since the Duchess was loose in her behavior, Duke Ferrara ultimately sought to control her through murder.

In conclusion, through the use of caesura and rhetorical questions, Duke Ferrara exposes his controlling, egotistical character. Through his description of the Duchess and his recount of her reactions to others’ gifts, Duke Ferrara reveals a motive for murdering the Duchess. Through his aside comment concerning the curtain, Duke Ferrara connects the two together and unearths his crime to the audience. Through the exaggerated example of the Duke killing his Duchess in an attempt to control her, Robert Browning successfully demonstrates a social commentary: men go to extremes to sustain control. By fabricating the Duke as an evil individual, Browning effectively renders the audience receptive to his message.