My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

That's my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now: Fra Pandolf’s hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said
“Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not
Her husband’s presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek: perhaps
Fra Pandolf chanced to say “Her mantle laps
Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
Half-flush that dies along her throat”: such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough
For calling up that spot of joy. 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.
Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace—all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked men,—good! but thanked
Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
In speech—(which I have not)—to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,
—E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,
Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without
Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet
The company below, then. I repeat,
The Count your master’s known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretence
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;
Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed
At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go
Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,
Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

An analysis of My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

“My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning is a powerful dramatic monologue dealing with the exploits of the Duke of Ferrara. The poet uses this form along with characterisation to provoke the reader into feeling angry towards the Duke. Throughout the poem, a theme of relationship is revealed which contributes to the successful portrayal of a horrible man.

The dramatic monologue form is effective in provoking the reader into feeling anger as the Duke reveals more about himself than he realises. Through his constant speech the Duke’s real personality is made clear:

“That’s my last duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive.”

The fact that the Duke refers to the lady as “my” and not her real name shows that he believed he owned the woman and that she was his to control. The word “last” is ambiguous in that it could mean the lady was the Duke’s final Duchess, which would be ignorant of the Duke as he is entertaining a representative of what he hopes is his next wife’s father. It could also mean that the woman was literally his most recent wife which suggests there has been more than one. This in turn reveals the Duke’s weakness for women and that he has to have a wife at all times. Further anger is felt by the reader through the Duke’s striking arrogance which he reveals unwittingly:

“Somehow – I know not how – as if she ranked My gift of a nine hundred-years-old name With anybody’s gift.”

This exemplifies the Duke’s inflated ego as he believes that making the woman a Duchess was the best thing that ever happened to her. He resents her casual attitude to this and feels she did not show enough appreciation for him choosing her. He refers to the title as a “gift” which shows he thought of it as a present which possibly won her heart.

Browning also uses characterisation to make the reader angry towards the Duke. The Duke shows his bizarre controlling angle on the subject of the duchess through the curtain. He keeps the picture of her behind a curtain which he can control. This symbolises how he wishes the marriage was; him having complete power over whom the Duchess saw and who saw her; and what she could see also.

“But to myself they turned (since none puts by The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)”

He is delighted at having authority over her which reveals his whole attitude towards women in that he feels men are superior. At this point the main theme is declared which sets up the rest of the poem as the reader is now fully aware of the Duke’s attributes. The following lines are a gradual build up towards the climax.

The Duke has a distorted way of looking at the woman’s attractive aspects. He sees her positive features as not acceptable which leads up to her consequent murder:

“…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.”

Her charming nature is a problem to him as he feels she will be pleased by anyone she meets. This reinforces the Duke’s jealousy which he cannot seem to grasp. It ends up in eventual death of the woman which makes the Duke feel happier but leaves the reader even more inflamed.

The climax of the poem is apparent when the Duke announces that he ordered the lady’s death. His attitude shortly after this is so shocking that the reader is forced to feel annoyance:

“…This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands…”

The use of the two semi-colons is very effective as it creates suspense filled pauses while the reader contemplates what actually happened. The result is so atrocious that this is where the reader feels the most exasperation for the Duke; this is conveyed by the use of the synecdoche “smiles” which sums up the Duchess’s personality in a word; and also the shortness of the phrase, to create a powerful impact. The Duke’s progression into “There she stands” carries on his remorseless attitude as he acts as though there is nothing strange about his actions. The Duke’s greed is then explored as he leads the envoy away from the painting:

“…No just pretence Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed”

This underlines the Duke’s need for a wife, money. With a wife comes a dowry. The Duke has recognized this and therefore wishes to seize the opportunity to make himself better off. The fact that he does not mention his possible forthcoming wife is used to the same effect as the first line. He believes he has the right to own women and that post marriage, they will belong to him.

In conclusion, through the dramatic monologue form which reveals the Duke’s true character, the reader is forced to feel anger towards him which in turn creates a successful portrayal of a detestable man. The theme of relationships between men and woman is also made aware through this realistic depiction to establish an altogether controversial yet enjoyable poem.