ANALYSIS OF MY LAST DUCHESS

The text is a dramatic monologue by R. Browing. The poet chose a Renaissance duke of Ferrara as the persona and developed the monologue while he is in front of his dead duchess’ portrait together with a messenger.  

In the dramatic monologue the listener, as well as the reader become closer to the persona. As a result, Browing’s dramatic monologue focuses the attention on the duke’s controversial and tormented interiority by presenting his speech on his wife. The great aspect of the monologue is that the reader knows much more about the duke that about the duchess, even if he never speaks about himself. 

The duke seems interesting in presenting the beauty of the painting. Indeed, the title refers to the duchess and the scene is set in her portrait’s room.  Despite that, the duke himself comes at the centre because he reveals his weaknesses and his ideas. Therefore, the duke’s psychology comes at the forefront, without his awareness. 

Such an effect is creating by particular linguistic devices. 

To begin with the dramatis persona uses a language very near to the everyday speaking and the rhythm is discontinue. That means that he is natural and sincere; he is not following any linguistic convention. In juxtaposing scenes, the dramatis persona structures a subjective discourse, in which meanings are mainly revealed by language. As result an authentic image of the character is provided. 

In addition, he usually adopts expressions such as how shall I say? Or I know not how, which show the hidden part of the character’s mind. He is not aware but he is revealing is inner nature through language.

Thirdly, lexis used is highly connotative:

a) the duchess’ personality is presented underlining a natural excess in any aspect:

- a heart too soon made glad, 

- too easily impressed

- she liker whatever she looked on

- her looks were everywhere

- scene of the bough of cherries

- she tanked as if she ranked my gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name with anybody’s gift

b) the duchess’ characterization:

- beautiful and attractive: the depth and passion 

- cheerful: spot of joy

- easy-going, frivolous: ‘twas not her husband’s presence only, called that spot of joy into the Duchess’ cheek, such staff was courtesy 

- stubborn and self-confident (she does not obey to his husband):if she let herself be lessoned so 

c) reference to the ambiguity between death and life:

- as if she were alive x2

- faint half-flush that dies along the throat

- stoop repeated several times

As a result it is clear that the dramatis persona is filtering the duchess’ personality through his personal perspective. In that, the reader feels the divergence between the two characters’ nature: the duchess appears much more frivolous than his husband. Anyway, the reader can also advance the hypothesis that the duke was extremely jealous and possessive, as the adjective My at the beginning of the title may anticipate. In addition, several allusions to her unfaith are present to support the duke’s idea. However, since no alternative perspective is given, the reader could also think that he could misunderstand his wife’s behaviours and overstress her negative aspects.

In addition, life and death are ambiguously related. 

Thanks to linguistic devices adopted by the poet to make the dramatis persona express, I believe that it is reasonable to think that the duke killed his wife for an excess of jealousy.

Other interpretations are possible, it is clear that Browning’s dramatic monologue requires the reader’s cooperation with the text in the sense that he/she has to provide an interpretation to give sense to what is said.