Use of language and Word Choice in My Last Duchess Essay -- Robert Bro

My bear Duchess by Robert Browning is a dramatic monologue in whichthe Duke of Ferrara is discussing the matter of a dowry with an scout sent by a Count. The enjoyment of dramatic monologue allows thepoet to subtly fracture the personality of the persona to the reader.The language used by the verbalizer allows the poet to evoke strongemotions in the reader.The reader is given an early sharpness into the personality of the Dukein the very first line of the monologueThats my last Duchess varicolored on the wallThis early impression portrays the Duke as a very sophisticated manwith a wealth of intimacy in art. This impression is continued whenhe mentions the very artist who painted the Duchess, Fra Pandolf.However, even at this early stage t present are many hints that the Dukemay not be all that he claims to be- the use of the explicate My is verypossessive, perhaps suggesting that the duke sees the Duchess as nomore than an object. Furthermore the use of the word Last implies that there have been many Duchesses and that the eponymous psycheis just the most recent, suggesting that the Duke may be dishonest.This aspect of the personas character is confirmed later in themonologue, when the Duke saysShe liked whateer she looked onAnd her looks went everywhereHere the Duke is challenging the morality of the Duchess, clearlysuggesting that she has been unfaithful to him, screening his jealousy.This jealousy is aimed principally at Fra Pandolf, who he thinks istrying to seduce his fiance. This seems sooner absurd to the reader asFra Pandolf is a religious man and so this suggests that the Duke is adeeply insecure and extremely jealous persona. Of course thisdanger even... ...Then all smiles stopped togetherThe use of the word commands here yet again shows the possessivenature of the Duke and the alliteration in the artistic style smiles stoppedemphasises it, which makes the awfulness of the Dukes actions clearto the reader. Even the use of the personal pron oun I, somethingwhich is used repeatedly towards the end of the poem, emphasises thesuperficiality of the Duke and this leaves the reader timbre nothingless than hatred for him.In his dramatic monologue My Last Duchess, Robert Browningsuccessfully uses language, particularly word choice to graduallyreveal the character of the Duke of Ferrara. The reader starts offbeing slightly unsure intimately the Duke but this quickly turns to hatredas he describes the murder of the Duchess. This divine revelation ofcharacter make the poem exciting and very enjoyable to read.