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Analyze the use of metaphor in Robert Browning’s My Last Duchess

Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” is a dramatic monologue that explores the theme of power, control, and jealousy. The poem is written in the voice of a Duke who is showing a portrait of his late wife to a visitor. Through the use of metaphor, Browning portrays the Duke’s character and his attitude towards his wife, revealing his possessiveness and cruelty. This essay will analyze the use of metaphor in “My Last Duchess” and its significance in the portrayal of the Duke’s character.

Analyze the use of metaphor in My Last Duchess:-The poem opens with the Duke showing his visitor a portrait of his last duchess, which he keeps behind a curtain. He describes the painting in detail, commenting on the artist’s skill and the beauty of the image. However, his description of the painting quickly turns to a criticism of his late wife’s behavior. He reveals that he was jealous of her affection towards others, and that he believed she did not appreciate his high status and power. This is where the metaphorical language of the poem begins to reveal the Duke’s true nature.

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Analyze the use of metaphor in My Last Duchess:-The first metaphor used in the poem is the phrase “My Last Duchess” itself. The Duke’s use of the possessive pronoun “my” suggests that he saw his wife as an object that he owned, rather than a human being with her own thoughts and feelings. The metaphor of a “duchess” implies that the Duke sees his wife solely in terms of her social status, rather than as a person with individual worth.

The Duke goes on to describe his wife’s behavior towards others, which he considers inappropriate. He mentions that she “smiled” at everyone, including “the bough of cherries” and “the white mule.” These objects are used metaphorically to represent people who the Duchess was friendly with. The bough of cherries suggests a group of people who are enjoying themselves together, while the white mule represents someone who is innocent and vulnerable. The Duke’s use of these metaphors suggests that he saw his wife’s behavior towards others as flirtatious and inappropriate, and that he resented her for it.

Analyze the use of metaphor in My Last Duchess:-The Duke’s jealousy is further revealed through his description of the Duchess’s portrait. He mentions that the artist captured her “depth and passion” in the painting, but he is quick to point out that she “liked whate’er she looked on, and her looks went everywhere.” This metaphor implies that the Duchess’s gaze was wandering, and that she was not focused solely on the Duke. He suggests that she was easily distracted by other men, and that she did not appreciate his attention or his status. The Duke’s use of the metaphor of the gaze also suggests that he sees his wife’s attention as something that should belong to him, and that her looking at others is a betrayal of his power and control.

Analyze the use of metaphor in My Last Duchess:The Duke’s possessiveness is further revealed through his description of the Duchess’s smile. He says that “her mantle laps / Over my lady’s wrist too much,” implying that he felt that she was wearing his gift, the mantle, too freely. The metaphor of the mantle represents the Duke’s power and control over his wife, and his expectation that she should wear his gifts as a sign of her loyalty to him. The use of the word “laps” suggests that the Duke sees his wife as being consumed by his power, and that he is pleased when she conforms to his expectations.

Analyze the use of metaphor in My Last Duchess:-Finally, the Duke’s cruelty towards his wife is revealed through his description of her death. He says that he gave commands to “her heart” to stop beating, and that he “gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together.” This metaphor suggests that the Duke saw his wife’s heart as something that he controlled, and that he was able to make her stop living with a single command.

My Last Duchess “Summary”

Robert Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess” is a dramatic monologue told from the perspective of a Duke who is showing a portrait of his late wife to a visitor. The poem explores themes of power, control, and jealousy through the Duke’s possessiveness and his desire for dominance over his wife. The Duke is a character who is controlling and cruel, and the metaphorical language used throughout the poem reveals the Duke’s true nature.

Analyze the use of metaphor in My Last Duchess:-The poem begins with the Duke introducing the portrait of his late wife to the visitor. The Duke speaks with pride about the portrait, which is painted by Fra Pandolf. He then begins to talk about his late wife, describing her as a beautiful woman who was easily pleased. However, he also suggests that she was unfaithful to him and did not show him the loyalty he expected from his wife.

The Duke then describes the portrait in detail, focusing on the expressions on his wife’s face and the clothes she is wearing. He talks about how she would look at him with the same expression she would have for everyone, implying that she was not loyal to him alone. He also mentions how she would blush easily, suggesting that she was easily flattered by others.

Analyze the use of metaphor in My Last Duchess:-The Duke then begins to describe a specific incident where his wife smiled at a man who was there to negotiate a dowry for her. The Duke suggests that this was an act of disloyalty towards him, and that he did not approve of her behavior. He goes on to say that he chose to have her killed because of this perceived disloyalty.

Throughout the poem, the Duke uses metaphorical language to emphasize his power and control over his wife. One of the key metaphors used in the poem is that of the mantle. The Duke describes how he gave his wife a mantle to wear, which he describes as a gift of his “nine-hundred-years-old name.” The use of the mantle as a metaphor suggests that the Duke sees his wife as being consumed by his power and that she is merely an object that he owns.

Analyze the use of metaphor in My Last Duchess:-Another metaphor used in the poem is that of the gaze. The Duke describes how his wife would look at him with the same expression she would have for everyone, suggesting that she did not value his presence. The Duke then goes on to suggest that his wife’s looking at others was a betrayal of his power and control over her, implying that she was unfaithful to him.

Analyze the use of metaphor in My Last Duchess:-Finally, the Duke uses the metaphor of the heart to describe his wife’s death. He suggests that he was able to make her stop living with a single command, and that he was able to take control of her life and death with ease. The metaphor of the heart suggests that the Duke saw his wife’s life as something he controlled, and that he was able to dispose of her when she no longer conformed to his expectations.

Conclusion

My Last Duchess” is a powerful poem that uses metaphor to convey the Duke’s possessiveness and cruelty towards his late wife. The metaphorical language of the poem reveals the Duke’s true nature, and his attitudes towards his wife’s behavior towards others. The poem suggests that the Duke saw his wife as an object that he owned, rather than as a human being with her own thoughts and feelings. The use of metaphor also reveals the Duke’s jealousy and his need for power and control. Through the metaphor of the mantle and the gaze, Browning portrays the Duke’s expectation that his wife should conform to his expectations and his anger when she does not. Finally, the metaphor of the heart reveals the Duke’s ultimate cruelty towards his wife, suggesting that he saw her as something he could control and dispose of at will.

Analyze the use of metaphor in My Last Duchess:Overall, “My Last Duchess” is a powerful poem that continues to resonate with readers today. Its use of metaphor highlights the dangers of possessiveness, jealousy, and the need for power and control. By portraying the Duke’s character in such a negative light, Browning challenges readers to question their own attitudes towards relationships and the treatment of others. Ultimately, the poem serves as a warning against the dangers of toxic masculinity and the need for empathy, understanding, and mutual respect in all relationships.

FAQ.

Q. What is the theme of “My Last Duchess”?

Ans. The theme of “My Last Duchess” is power, control, and jealousy. The poem explores the Duke’s possessiveness and his need for power and control over his late wife.

Q. What is the setting of “My Last Duchess”?

Ans. The setting of “My Last Duchess” is a Renaissance-era Italian court.

Q. Who is the speaker of “My Last Duchess”?

Ans. The speaker of “My Last Duchess” is the Duke, who is showing a portrait of his late wife to a visitor.

Q. What is the significance of the title “My Last Duchess”?

Ans. The use of the possessive pronoun “my” in the title suggests that the Duke saw his wife as an object that he owned, rather than as a human being with her own thoughts and feelings. The use of the word “last” implies that the Duke has had multiple wives, and that he sees his relationships with women as disposable.