My Last Duchess By Robert Browning And The Rape Of The Lock

Robert Browning wrote the two poems, "My Last Duchess" and "Porphyria's Lover." Both poems convey an thoughtful, examination profound commentary about the concept of love.

The short story, "My Last Duchess," by critically acclaimed, Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood, is an intriguing and thought-provoking work of prose. Though it ties considerably to the famous work by the same name, written by Robert Browning, it also brings its own ideas, and symbols to the table. The most prominent symbolic link within this story is the representation between the characterization of Miss Bessie--the high school english teacher--and the narrator 's ideas, thoughts, and fears about life. The term life -- for the purposes of this essay -- is defined as the existence of an individual person and their course through the world. In “My Last Duchess,” the narrator 's life is symbolically represented through Miss Bessie by the character traits of a positive reputation, overcoming obstacles, and the solitary nature of people.

In several countries tyrants abuse their power for their own benefit. Many people must obey these cruel rulers or be punished if they disobey. People must live in fear because of these tyrants, who use their power for their own satisfaction. In “My Last Duchess” the Duke of Ferrara uses his power to control his subjects, and kills his wife because of the way she acts around other men. From beginning to end “My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning displays the corrupt power of the domestic tyrant, his arrogance, jealousy, and the ruthlessness.

“My Last Duchess,” by Robert Browning, depicts powerful husbands attempting to control the actions of their wives as they are free to do as they please. In contrast, women are expected to be faithful and attentive only to their husbands. The power and control of the Duke is conveyed by a painting of the Duchess. It belongs to the Duke and is referred to as “my last Duchess” (1). The use of “my” demonstrates the possessive nature of the Duke and his claim of the Duchess as his own personal possession, much like the painting itself. As the Duke persists on forcing domination upon the Duchess, he is greatly displeased to find that she treats and considers him as the same value as nearly any other man.

In each of these poems, the female characters are constantly being drained of both their joy and their spirit by men whose priority is oppressing those inferior to them. The dame kept to herself and did no harm, yet the Lord of the castle still strived to make her feel his pain driving her to her deathbed “Three weeks did she languish, then died broken-hearted”(Robinson 82). After Stephen left Martha for another maid she is left with an aching heart, deprived of all happiness and left alone to deal with her sorrow “She was with child, and she was mad;

After reading My Last Duchess and My Ex- Husband, there were more similarities than there were differences. My Last Duchess was about a jealous Duke that ended up killing his wife because he thought she was cheating with the man who painted the portrait of her that is hanging on his wall for only him to see. In My Ex- Husband, the poem is about a woman who writes about how much she hates her ex, though cannot seem to move on from his mistakes of cheating. Both of these poems demonstrate poetic devices that are very similar to each other- rhyme scheme, themes, and the structure of the poem.

Thomas Blackburn describes the two Victorian poets, Robert Browning and Alfred, Lord Tennyson as being great contemporaries (47). As such it is apt that their works should muse upon and explore similar topics and themes. Their connection is especially evident in Browning’s “My Last Duchess” and Tennyson’s “The Lady of Shalott”. The themes of entrapment and incarceration feature heavily in both of these works. Specifically, it is the entrapment and incarceration of women which pervade their respective compositions. When taking into consideration the way in which women were viewed at this juncture in history- being nothing more than “beautiful objects” (Gilbert and Gubar 54), it is quite easy to see how the literary representations of the

“Art is an expression of human creative skill and imagination” (google) Paintings are works of art created to express or let out a person’s creativity or feelings towards a certain subject. In Robert Browning’s dramatic monologue, “The Last Duchess”, he uses the painting as a symbolism of the Duke’s relationship with his former wife. Therefore, as the Duke tries to impress people with his wealth through the painting of Fra Pandolf, he instead unintentionally displays his true personality to others. Initially, the painting is used to reveal Duke’s jealous nature as he mistakes his wife’s friendless as flirting which later reveals his controlling nature. Ultimately, the Duke’s selfishness and greed for power is slowly revealed through abusing art to control his wife and others.

Written by Robert Browning, “My Last Duchess” is a poem about an egocentric Duke who has a painting of his last wife upon the wall and is trying to impress an ambassador who is negotiating his next marriage. Although it is obvious that the Duke is trying to persuade this ambassador, however, this is where the first mystery is created. It is almost as if he is trying to persuade no one more than himself.

Both poems “My Last Duchess” by Robert browning and “My ex-Husband” by Gabriel Spera are focus on ended relationships; both poems start with one of the partners referring to a painting of their former lovers. Both the duke and the ex-wife are very similar, they both think very high of themselves. The Dukes is more open about with his personality “E,en then would be some stooping; and I choose never to stoop” (Browning 848) The ex-wife is a little more reserve when she talks about herself, but she makes sure to leave clear that she is too good to put up with her unfaithful husband “who’d lower herself to put up with shit like that?” (Spera 851) Or when she seems to criticized others whom had put with cheating “You’d still be on the short end

The two Browning poems, ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ and ‘My Last Duchess’ were written to convey to the reader how women were treated in that era; as possession, as assets. Both of these poems can be read from different points of view and they also both are what is

I compared and contrasted the attitudes the women give toward the speaker in the poems “To His Coy Mistress” and “My Last Duchess.” I was able to do this by using elements like speaker, figurative language, and tone. To show how the poets reveal the attitudes that the women give off. In the poems “My Last Duchess” and “To His Coy Mistress” the speaker expresses throughout their poem that they exclusively only want to use women for pleasure and convenience. This was inferred based on their tone and figurative language used in the poem. The speaker's used a different and unusual tone and style in order to get their message about women across to us.

The dramatic monologue “My Last Duchess” was penned down by Robert Browning. In this poem, the narrator is the Duke of Ferrara, and the listener is the count’s agent, through whom the Duke is arranging the proposed marriage to a second duchess. The poem is ironical and reveals its rhetorical sense, gradually. In the later part of the poem, the Duke claims that he does not have a skill in speech, but his monologue is a masterpiece of subtle rhetoric. While supposedly entertaining the listener by showing his wife’s portrait, he clearly reveals his character. Through his formalized tone of rhyme, he reveals his egoistic and jealous attitude.

Robert Browning was born May 7, 1812 in Camberwell, London. His father was a senior clerk in the Bank of England. His mother was a pianist. His love for writing dramatic monologues came from his father who gave him the love Browning had for art and literature. Browning attended the University of London for half a year before returning home to read in his father 's library. His first work, Pauline: A Fragment of a Confession, was first issued in 1833. It was his second work that brought about his talents in the literature world. Paracelsus was the second work that Browning published; however, he felt as though it was failure, even though he had received many reviews and important friendships. Browning later had a disastrous work, Sordello, which caused him to decide to move onto dramatic monologue. This began the beginning of his more mature poetry that included many different poems that received a large amount of positive reviews. “Browning described himself as “One who never turned his back but marched breast forward,/ Never doubted clouds would break” (“Robert Browning” np). Unfortunately, Browning passed away on Decemeber 12, 1889 in Venice, Italy. However, after his death, Browning continued to be acknowledged for his works. The Browning Society in London was created in 1969, which allowed individuals to remember Browning 's contributions to the literature world.

Alexander Pope's mock heroic epic The Rape of the Lock appears to be a light subject addressed with a satiric tone and structure. Pope often regards the unwanted cutting of a woman's hair as a trivial thing, but the fashionable world takes it seriously. Upon closer examination Pope has, perhaps unwittingly, broached issues worthy of earnest consideration. The Rape of the Lock at first glance is a commentary on human vanity and the ritual of courtship. The poem also discusses the relationship between men and women, which is the more substantial matter in particular. Pope examines the oppressed position of women. Infringement on a woman's personal space, her person and her pride by an aggressive male (the Baron)