My Last Dutchess by Robert Browning

"My Last Duchess"

"My last duchess" by Robert Browning is a poem dated from the 1840's.His poems come from a collection which were all written during the Victorian time period. Covering some controversial topics that are hinting towards two themes of jealousy and power. Also showing how relationships are tricky subject matters where innocent actions and behaviors can be seen in a devastating way that sometimes ends up resulting in fatal outcomes.

"That's my last duchess painted on the wall, looking as if she were alive."(Browning, 1, 2) This opening statement brings curiosity to the reader, about whom and what happened to the girl in the painting on the wall. The speaker of the poem, is a man of higher class, and believes to be very important: "E'en then would be some stopping; and I choose Never to stoop."(Browning, 42, 43) He believes that he shouldn't have to tell his wife what he is feeling on what upsets him. That if is she is intelligent she would just know and change her actions.

After a few lines the reader quickly can see how the relationship between the two was full of misunderstandings and miss communication; and how the speaker quickly becomes very jealousy of his wife. Thinking that she was being too friendly and cheating on him with the many grounds men they had on the manor: "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." (Browning, 21-24); "She smiled, no doubt, Whene'er I passed her; but who passes without much the same smile?"(Browning 43, 45) On top of being very suspicious of an infidelity on his wife behave, the speaker thought that she was taking for granted everything he had given her, especially that of his name. "Somehow- - I know not how- - as if she ranked my gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name with anybody's gift."(Browning 32, 34)

The speaker now, becoming enraged with all of the behaviors of his wife decides to make a choice with a grim outcome. "This grew; I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together. There she stands as if alive." (Browning 45, 47) This shows that if the speaker is not in control or has the power in the relationship where his ego has been hit. With feelings of a hurt ego he then goes and does something that may not be necessary to prove to him that he has the power. Showing that he is still in power he talks about the painting and how now only he is allowed to reveal the beauty which he keeps behind a curtain: "but to myself they turned (since none puts by the curtain I have drawn for you, but I)" (Browning 9, 10)

At the ending of the poem it is revealed to the reader to whom the speaker is talking to. That all the events that happened in his previous marriage was that of actual events, but used as a