Student Question

How is memory depicted in "My Last Duchess"?

Quick answer:

Memory is presented in "My Last Duchess" as biased, unreliable, and fragmented. Everything the reader learns about the late duchess is told by the Duke of Ferrara. He obviously found his wife of ill repute but offers no evidence. Instead, he recalls what he thinks he observed and what another person might have said. The duke actually undercuts the credibility of his memory by interrupting his narrative with sarcastic and resentful comments about the duchess.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

In “My Last Duchess,” the Duke of Ferrara shows a visitor the portrait of his most recent wife, who is deceased. Although admiring how beautiful and lifelike the painted subject is, he recalls her with anger and bitterness. Browning suggests, however, that the duke’s memory of the late duchess is subjective and not necessarily reliable.

First, the woman is introduced and described through the duke’s point of view only. The duke reveals his bias with comments like the following:

Sir, ’twas not
Her husband’s presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek,

and

she liked whate’er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

He implies that she was flirtatious and perhaps promiscuous, but he fails to provide any specific, concrete evidence.

Second, the duke admits that perhaps his memory might not be accurate. He cannot be sure exactly what the portrait artist said or...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

if the artist even stated words the duke professes to recall.

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.”

Words like “perhaps” and “chanced to say” hint that the visitor and reader need to take the duke’s words with a grain of salt. The duke may be putting words in the artist’s mouth. Already suspicious and jealous of the duchess, the duke implies that her wanton nature was obvious even to Fra Pandolf, but then the duke cannot be certain if the artist actually described the duchess as forward and coquettish.

Third, Browning presents the duke’s narration of his memories as fragmented; the duke skips from recollection to recollection and intersperses them with angry comments. He claims that the duchess had

a heart—how shall I say?— too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed.

His interjection implies that she was loose and that he is merely trying to soften his description for polite company. Later, he accuses her of being too accessible to and mingling with others:

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.

The duke keeps editorializing and interjecting bitter comments that break up his narrative. Words like “all and each,” and “good! But thanked somehow,” and “I know not how” sound accusatory and sarcastic. The duke also cannot “know how” the duchess failed to be impressed by the prestige of his name and looks at others (“anybody”) as well.

What is particularly sad is that the duke’s memory of the duchess shows no love or sadness; he does not miss or mourn her. Instead, he presents her painting as if she were an unworthy prize that he discarded.

Approved by eNotes Editorial