My Last Duchess Essay

Through “My Last Duchess”, Browning exposes the innermost characteristics of the Duke of Ferrara. The Duke is the speaker of the poem and is hashing out the details of another marriage with an emissary from a Count when he draws a curtain to reveal a magnificent fresco of the Duke’s Last Duchess. The emissary voices a question about the expression on her face, an “earnest glance” of “depth and passion” (line 8), prompting the Duke’s monologue. Looking upon the artwork, the Duke praises “Fra Pandolf’s hands” which worked “busily a day” (lines 3-4) to create the masterpiece. Then he tells the emissary, every stranger whom he honors with showing the painting “seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, / how such a glance came there” (lines 11-12).
The poem begins with the Duke speaking in a nostalgic tone about the painting of his duchess. The first four lines of the poem introduce the duchess to the reader. Her painting becomes a representation of her as a character. The Duke gives the first glimpse of his hubris when he says ““Fra Pandolf” by design” (line 6). He is dropping Fra Pandolf’s name to impress his audience of both the quality of the painting and how important he is to attract such a talented painter for his picture. In line ten, Browning further reveals the Duke’s desire for control when he tells the emissary “none puts by / the curtain … but I.” (lines 9-10) He has complete control over who sees the painting. He also mentions the friar’s courtesies to the duchess and how it brought on a “spot of joy” to the duchess’ cheek. The tone shifts to one of bitter jealousy as “’twas not / her husband’s presence only, called that spot / of joy into the Duchess’ cheek” (lines 13-14). The Duke insinuates the blush
The Duke asks a rhetorical question, “Who’d stoop to blame / this sort of trifling?” (line 35), to make the point that this is logical as well as to sooth his own ego. To the audience, it proves his egocentrism. The Duke says “Even had you skill / in speech – (which I have not)” (line 36). This instance of irony is meant to make the Duke seem more humble but is an obvious falsehood because of the very persuasive monologue he is in the process of giving. Browning wrote in iambic pentameter and the poem has an aabbcc rhyme structure. These cause the poem to roll off the tongue in reading and it is filled with conversational interjections which create a very believable and realistic monologue. Due to the Duke’s hubris, he could not simply ask for his duchess to change, so he “gave commands” (line 45) to kill her. Immediately, he changes the subject back to his pending marriage. He tells the emissary he is certain the father of his future bride with provide a generous dowry but says “his fair daughter’s self… / … is my