Power and Control in "My Last Duchess"
The poem "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning explores the theme of power through the perspective of a controlling Duke. The Duke's anger and desire for control over his wife are central to the poem's narrative.
Highlight: The Duke's increasing anger throughout the poem stems from his inability to control his wife.
The Duke's frustration is evident in his description of the Duchess:
Quote: "She had a heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad, too easily impressed."
This quote reveals the Duke's displeasure with his wife's open and friendly nature, which he perceives as a threat to his authority.
The poem strongly implies that the Duke's need for control led to drastic actions:
Quote: "Then all smiles stopped together."
This ambiguous line suggests that the Duke may have had his wife killed to assert his ultimate control over her.
Vocabulary: Ambiguous - Open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning.
Even after her death, the Duke continues to exert power over his wife's memory:
Quote: "None puts by the curtain I have drawn for you, but I."
This line illustrates how the Duke now controls who can view his wife's portrait, treating her memory as another possession to be controlled and displayed at his discretion.
