Discussion Topic
Repetition and imagery in "My Last Duchess" and their significance to the speaker
Summary:
Repetition and imagery in "My Last Duchess" are used to reveal the Duke's controlling and possessive nature. He repeatedly mentions the Duchess's behavior and his displeasure with it, while vivid imagery of the painting and the Duchess's expressions emphasize his obsession with control and appearance.
What images does Browning repeat in “My Last Duchess”, and what does this reveal about the speaker?
Browning's poem is narrated by a Duke and addressed to an envoy. In the poem, the Duke complains that his last Duchess did not respect him as much as he thinks she should have. He implies to the envoy that he has, consequently, had the Duchess killed.
One image that is repeated in the poem is the image of "the spot of joy" in the Duchess' cheek. Indicating a painting of his last Duchess, the Duke points out this "spot of joy" in her face. The Duke seems to take umbrage with this "spot of joy." He interprets it as evidence that the Duchess was too flirtatious, or even just too free with her affections. There is no other evidence in the poem that the Duchess was flirtatious, and the fact that the Duke seems to think otherwise based on such evidence as a "spot of joy" in her face...
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indicates that the Duke is a very paranoid man.
Another image repeated in the poem is the image of the Duchess's smile. The Duke again takes this smile as an indication that the Duchess was too free with her affections. He complains to his envoy that every man enjoyed "Much the same smile" from the Duchess. The implication is that the Duchess flirted with all men. The Duke seems to be offended that his Duchess gave him the same smile that she gave to other men, and he says to his envoy, "I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together." The implication here is that he killed his last Duchess, or had her killed, because she did not show him any more affection than she showed other men. This indicates that the Duke is a very jealous man.
There are also images throughout the poem which indicate that the Duke is a very possessive and controlling man. For example, he tells the envoy that "none puts by / The curtain I have drawn for you, but I." This is a reference to the curtain which covers the Duchess's portrait. The fact that the Duke is the only person who decides when to draw the curtains suggests that he likes to have control over who can and can not see the Duchess. He also, of course, likes to have control over the impressions that people have of the Duchess. At the end of the poem, the Duke demonstrates again this predilection for control and dominance, when he points out to the envoy his statue of "Neptune ... Taming a sea-horse." This statue is very symbolic. Neptune is symbolic of the Duke, and the sea-horse is symbolic of his last Duchess. When he points out the statue to the envoy, he is gloating about the power that he was, and perhaps still is, able to exercise over women.
In "My Last Duchess," what repetition and imagery/symbolism occur?
My Last Duchess is a dramatic monologue. There's not as much symoblism in the poem as there is reading between the lines or inferences. As the Duke is speaking (he doesn't really repeat any words...there is no refrain or other repetitions like in other poetic formats), he lets us know that he is a man of power and owns many things--the statues, the art, the painting which now represents his late wife, the last Duchess. She is his prized possession, and now only smiles for him through her portrait which he keeps hidden behind a tapestry. Only those he allows to see it enjoy the privilege. However, there is a warning in his words as well. His last Duchess smiled too much on OTHER people and took pleasure in the simple things in life...she did not, in the Duke's opinion, respect the old and affluent name he gave her, nor did she enjoy him and love him as he thought she should have. So, he gave "commands" and her smiles stopped altogether. Basically, he had her killed. The next Duchess had better do better...or so is the message the envoy is to take back to the father of the new woman.
A dramatic monologue is a poem in which a character addresses one or more listeners who remain silent. The characters in theis one are the Duke and his last Duchess. The listener to this speech is an envoy representing a Count whose daughter is being considered as the next Duchess.