The Duchess Monologue

1. What is this poem 's expressive purpose?

This poem 's expressive purpose is to show how detrimental jealousy can be. This poem shows how the duke was overtaken by his desire to control the duchess and became overtaken by insecurity, jealousy, and egotistical feelings. This poem shows how one can be driven by greed and jealousy to commit atrocities. The direct purpose of the duke 's monologue is to act as a warning to the representative of the count so that the duke would not marry another woman like his "last duchess". However, the poem 's influence extends father than this and readers can see Browning 's commentary on love, power, greed, and art.

2. How many characters do we find in this poem?

This poem is told through first person perspective

He has commanded his late duchess to death because she gave everyone "the same smile". But after he " gave commands; then all smiles stopped together" implying that he has killed her. The duke was and still is frustrated because the duchess did not appreciate his power and rather took his "gift of a nine-hundred-years old name with anybody 's gift". Because this poem is written in first person perspective, readers are able to see the duke 's jealousy and contempt for his last duchess. Although the duke tries to make himself appear powerful and noble, through his monologue, readers are able to see his true inner feelings. Through the title "My last duchess" readers question the duke 's past since "last" hints at the fact that there may have been multiple duchesses in the duke 's

Through the image of the painting of the duchess, readers are able to see the duke 's strong desire for power. He says that "none puts by the curtain I have drawn for you" showing the duke 's desire to have full control over the duchess even through her painting. Also, through the painting of the duchess, the poet is able to show how the duke objectified the duchess by embodying her as a painting. Through this image of a painting, the reader is further shown how the duke treated her as if she were a possession and he even refers to her as "my object". The duke tells the visitor to "Notice Neptune, though, Taming a sea-horse" which is the second artwork that this poem discusses. The second artwork symbolizes the Duke himself and his personality. The way that the Duke controlled the Duchess is parallel to the way that Neptune controls the sea horse in the painting. The duke refers to the artist of his duchess as "Fr Pandolf". "Fra" is "used as a title equivalent to brother preceding the name of an Italian monk or friar" (Merriam, Webster). By referring to Pandolf by this title, the duke is showing both his respect for the artist and his amiable relationship with him as a "brother" or a