An Analysis Of The Persona Of My Last Duchess

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As an educated scholar, it is important to come to light with the fact that every well-known and reliable author, skillfully crafts his words manipulatively mainly by using figurative language, aiming to have a meaning, hidden behind the text. Beginning to read Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess", the reader might not fully grasp what's happening in the poem, or what rhetorical and hidden meanings the poem might possess; until reading it thoroughly and repetitively. In order to comprehend poetry, a reader must first analyze the poem and its poetic tools, understand the persona, and what it can reveal through the dramatic monologue. Browning has been able to transfer a strong message and experience to the reader, by rendering and putting in motion different poetic tools that reflect the purpose he is trying to achieve skillfully, which will be further discussed in this essay. First, for every poetic work the reader must thoroughly analyze every aspect of the poem being read and pinpoint the poetic tools utilized in the poem, as every small detail reflects on the overall meaning of the poem. Skimming through the poem, one can notice that this piece is rich in poetic tools. First, it involves a voice that is labeled as the speaker which, in turn, creates a dramatic monologue. The speaker is the duke, who is addressing the count or a messenger about the painting of his previous dead Duchess. Second, the tone of the poem gives the reader a feeling of royalty, high hierarchy, and education through the word choice, interest of the duke in art, and royal labels, such as the "Duke", "Duchess", and "Count". Third, the poem involves a number of conflicts that can be either directly seen or interpreted. The first one being an internal confl... ... middle of paper ... ... poetic tools, the persona, and what characteristics it revealed, the reader can connect the dots and draw a conclusion based on that. The persona is the Duke of Ferrara, which is a city where art is highly appreciated; however, the art has taken his appreciation into the next level and turned it into obsession, where he can no longer see beauty in reality, but rather in art only. Furthermore, he has become too possessive of his art pieces to the point where he even considers his wives as objects. Also, he has tried to attain dominance but failed to do so with his first wife and so he killed her. However, the persona was able to get away with his murder because, neither the audience in the poem, nor his creator, Browning, was able to criticize him. Rather, Browning skillfully channeled evil to his character in a subliminal manner and left the judgment to the reader.

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