Analysis Of My Last Duchess

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My Last Duchess Robert Browning, a British poet, who was fascinated with poems at a young age. Most of Browning teaches came from his father, he was already proficient in reading and writing by the age of five. Browning was fluent in Spanish, Greek and French. He began writing poems after he dropped out of college, most of his work had dramatic monologue- especially the use of diction, rhymes, and symbols. In 1842 he published “ My Last Duchess” The speaker in the poem is believed to be Alfonso Il d’Este (1533-1598) who married fourteen year old Lucrezia di Cosimo de Medici at the age twenty five. When Lucrezia died at the age seventeen, it was suspected that her husband poison her. In the opening of the poem the speaker states “That’s my last duchess painted on the wall” the speaker is referring to his dead wife as he’s showing someone a portrait of her. The setting of the poem takes place in the duke’s palace. “will’t please sit and look at her ?” the speaker talks to his guest and ask them would like to look at the painting of her. It seem as if the painting is normally hidden and the speaker only unveil it when it feels the need to. He brags about the frames of the painting who was created by Fra’ Pandolf. “ sir ,’ twas not her husband’s presence only, called that spot of joy into the duchess’ cheek”. The speaker suggest that his wife …show more content…

(The last duchess 262)
. “A heart – how shall I say? – Too soon made glad. Too easily impressed: she liked whate’er she looked on, and her looks went everywhere. “(The last duchess 262)
” Browning’s inspiration for "My Last Duchess" was the history of a Renaissance duke, Alfonso II of Ferrara, whose young wife Lucrezia died in suspicious circumstances in 1561.” Shmoop.com Web. 14. June

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