Robert Browning’s Monologue “The Last Duchess” Brief Essay

Robert Browning’s monologue “The Last Duchess” starts in a middle of a conversation between two interlocutors, the duke and a servant. They are looking at the portrait of a woman, painted by Fra Pandolf. The monologue highlights little by little the character of the speaker. The story of the last duchess is cloaked in mystery. From the lines of the monologue we can guess that the duke was very jealous and despotic towards his beloved wife.

In the poem “The Last Duchess” Robert Browning shows duke’s jealousy in the lines, \”Sir, ’twas not/ Her husband’s presence only, called that spot\ Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek/” (13-15).

Another example of duke’s jealousy in Robert Browning’s “The Last Duchess” is:

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.  Who’d stoop to blame

This sort of trifling? (31-35)

It is also obvious that the duchess suffered a lot and the end was sad: she either pined away without any “joie de vivre” or she was killed by her husband or according to his order.

In his poem “The Last Duchess” Robert Browning says that, \”This grew; I gave commands;/ Then all smiles stopped together\” (45-46).

The fact that only the duke has a right to raise the curtain hiding a beautiful portrait, suggests an idea that he values the memories about his wife.

In the poem “The Last Duchess” Robert Browning accents that \”since none puts by/ The curtain I have drawn for you, but I\”(9-10).

Moreover, we can think that there is remorse and torments of loss of his beloved spouse. Though, the duchess turns out to be “the last” not because the duke’s hope for love and happiness disappeared with her, but because he was going to marry again.

In the poem “The Last Duchess” Robert Browning expresses duke’s feelings about his future marriage in these lines:

The Count your master’s known munificence

Is ample warrant that no just pretence

Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;

Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed

At starting, is my object. (49-53)

Considering this fact, we can see the story of the last duchess in a new way. Thus, the duchess is only a victim of the duke. In this way he assumes demonic character.

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]
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