My_Last_Duchess

My Last Duchess In “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning, we are introduced to the dramatic monologue. In a dramatic monologue, the speaker unknowingly reveals his personality through his speech. In this poem, the audience listens to a conversation between the Duke and a nameless envoy who are making the final arrangements for the Duke’s second wedding. Strangely, the Duke brings out a portrait of his former wife whom he rambles incessantly about. Through the Duke’s ramblings, we learn that he is a self-centered, arrogant, and completely chauvinistic man, asserting emotions of both power and weakness. The Duke is a materialistic, proud man. He has a high rank in nobility and a well-respected name. Thus, he tries to portray himself as powerful and sophisticated. But his underlying motives shine through and we see the Duke as jealous and possessive. The Duke was formerly married and this marriage ended tragically. His last Duchess had a wandering eye and a smile for everyone. This infuriated the Duke - The Duke must have been a Leo because he always had to be in the spotlight, his pride injured when the attention was not there. He felt last, duchess, duke, through, wife, portrait, over, name, must, monologue, marriage, man, listen, last, even, envoy, duke’s, dramatic, completely, because, about, woman, whom, whole, well-respected, wedding, weakness, way, wandering, wall, upperhand, upcoming, unknowingly, underlying, twoso, tries