The last Duchess

Last Duchess

Passion-related murders are a common sight, and, one that commits a crime for such a purpose will in all probability encourage such actions supporting their belief by describing the circumstances which lead them to act accordingly. Robert Browning's poem My Last Duchess expresses a monologue performed by the Duke of Ferrara in which the man speaks of his late wife. Apparently, unknowingly, the duke also relates to his wife's defects, and to how he had been stressed by them. Moreover, he establishes a link between her death and the fact that he could not stand her behavior.

My Last Duchess is a dramatic monologue in which the Duke of Ferrara indirectly comments on his wife with the help of a portrait of her. Initially intending to give just a brief description of his former wife, the duke finds himself giving a complex narrative on the woman that apparently shared too much with the rest of the world.

Robert Browning's intention when writing the poem had most probably been to have the duke relate to his wife and to send hidden hints that would lead to the audience learning of his taking part in her death. Across the poem, the duke speaks about the painting picturing his "last Duchess." Even if the duke initially appears to refer to his wife when bringing the painting into the conversation, he actually wants the painting and its excellence to be the center of discussion. The duke expresses his immoral nature by choosing to speak of a painting's attributes before speaking of his deceased wife.

Jealousy has no limits when it comes to the duke and this becomes obvious when he calls for "Fra Pandolf's hands" to paint his wife's portrait. Considering that his wife had been vulnerable to virtually anyone with whom she interacted, the duke had chosen a monk to perform the painting in hope that the two would not feel seduced by each other. Until this point, the audience can observe that the duke is obsessed with having his wife all for himself, convinced of the concept that she would cheat at the slightest chance that she would get. It is not clear whether or not the duke had reasons to act as he did, but it is clear that he had not been a person that one would easily live with.

The poem further unfolds and brings evidence supporting the duke's obsession for his wife. It appears that his jealousy is justified, as he considers his wife to be defenseless in front of other men. Even after her death, the duke holds her painting covered with a curtain, so that only he would have access to her beauty.

The poem expresses masculinity and man's authority over woman through the fact that only the duke is speaking while his wife is lifeless, trapped in a portrait. In contrast to the masculinity expressed by the duke, the painting itself expresses feminine, as it is behind a curtain, exposed to a potential breach from the masculine world. In spite that the duchess is unable to reply to the duke's monologue, it is still possible for the audience to observe the deep sentiments which she rose in him. The fact that the duke is commenting on his wife despite she cannot reply indicates that his words are not necessarily true.

Across the poem, Browning brings the audience to the point where they can almost see the painting and the expression on the duchess's face. Because people are unable to determine whether or not the duchess had been fair to her husband, Browning intervenes, and, with the help of the duke's character, he sheds light on the situation. The duchess had apparently been an outgoing person, willing to share her time with most individuals, regardless of their backgrounds or of their social statuses.

To the duke's distress, the duchess had been nothing as he wanted her to be, as she was kind and appreciative towards everyone. The duke virtually suffered of megalomania, as he considered himself to be an almost supernatural being which had been endowed with the power to control other people's lives. The duke did not consider his wife to be more than a simple object, as he almost identified her with a painting. Furthermore, he believed his wife to be similar to something that could simply be replaced when it finished serving its purpose.

It seems that the duke does not actually want his listener to become acquainted with the fact that he had been responsible for his wife's death. Being captured in the monologue, he constantly gives clues that have the audience become more and more certain that the duke's dissatisfaction with his wife behavior had materialized in her death. Because of the stressful situation, the duke's speech is disorganized and full of anger, revealing the fact that "his" duchess had performed a great deal of actions that had come against the duke's principles.

According to the duke, Fra Pandolf had succeeded in capturing the exact expression that the duchess had at the time. In addition to that, he tells his listener that "twas not Her husband's presence only, called that spot of joy into the Duchess' cheek." (lines 13-15) Apparently, the duke believed that the duchess's joy had also been a product of other factors, such as the other men involved in her love-life. The duke's convictions became even more certain when he learnt that his wife's look had been so obvious that even the monk had observed "the faint half-flush that dies along her throat." (lines 18-19) the flush suggests that his wife had all the reasons to feel guilty because of her behavior.

Consequent to describing his wife expression from the painting, the duke continues with having the audience learn more of his wife's nature. "She had 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." (lines 21-24) it is clear until now that the duke had been certain of his wife cheating on him with other men. The duke tends to hesitate from time to time, as the phrase "how shall I say?" directly proves that he did not know exactly how to convey his words so that the audience would not become too familiar with the situation that the duke and his wife had been in. In spite of the fact that the duke wants to give limited information relating to his wife and to their relationship, he cannot resist mentioning the fact that he could no longer stand her immoral conduct.