"My Last Duchess" 

"My Last Duchess" is written in dramatic monologue: speaker refers the entire poem, as if to another person with him.

The speaker, the Duke of Ferrara, is introduced him as to be a lot of control, especially in conversation. For example, it seems jealous that he was not able to monopolize the smiles of the previous Duchess for himself. Also he seems to direct the actions of the person who is facing with comments like "Will't please you rise?" (line 47) and "Nay, we'll go / Together down, sir" (lines 53-54).

Browning uses various techniques, among which a simple rhyme scheme, the enjambment, and caesura to transmit the different characteristics and qualities about the speaker and the situation. Browning uses a rhyme scheme AA BB, that is very common in the ballads and the songs. Browning uses the irony of the speaker's next comment that he doesn't has the "skill / In speech" (lines 35-36). The lines indicate the control that the speaker is having on the conversation and give the feeling that the speaker is rushing through parts of the poem. When the Duke is talking about the death of his wife, for example, the lines suggest that he is nervous about the subject. The caesuras also suggest to the reader that he is hiding or is making a pause to think. In discussing the content of the poetry, there are many things that we know for sure and many others that are debatable. We know that the Duchess died suspiciously and that the duke is the process of search for a new wife. He is speaking to an embasser about a painting of his dead wife. The Duke, of course, presents his best side in a favourable light. He wants to make it appear as if his wife was cheating on him and was unfaithful to him. He controls a lot, and he could not control his smile. This smile was what the Duke most like about the painting of the Duchess - believes that the painter has captured exactly the smile and the liveliness of the Duchess. Now that Duke has this painting and placed behind a curtain, you can control who is now enriched by his smile. When the duchess was alive, the Duke could not control his smile and love for life and considered unfaithful. The reader may think that the poisoned because of these suspicions. Other aspects of the Duke that remain unclear include his true character. As already mentioned, presents his best side, but through his speech, the reader sees how he is very jealous and controlling, which leads one to believe that he may have many dishonourable qualities. Another ambiguous quality of the Duke is his historical character. The poem clearly refers to the historical Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara, whose first wife died suspiciously after two years of their marriage.

We know that the Duke has a 900-year-old name of which he is very proud, he owns his collection of paintings and sculptures, he was a patron.