Essay Comparing My Last Duchess And Porphyria's Lover

Jose Vazquez
Professor Dorsey
English 2323
May 5, 2017
Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” & “Porphyria’s Lover” Browning lived in the Victorian age in which love was written from complexities in the mind. He became a master in the style of Dramatic Monologue producing his best works out of all his writings, “My Last Duchess” and “Porphyria’s Lover”. They both are extraordinary pieces of literature that project their words into a deeper meaning through their theme, perspective, and tone. The theme that resurfaces in each of the works, “My Last Duchess” and “Porphyria’s Lover,” is that of the man 's desire for complete possession and ownership of women. This is clear in both works though in “Porphyria’s Lover,” it couldn 't be clearer. The

The things that seems different about his perspective is that of his view. Although he is supposed to be speaking to the envoy that is representing the father of his fiancée, throughout most of the poem the duke seems to just be staring at the portrait of his last duchess instead. The portrait of his last duchess seems so lifelike to the duke that he seems to be treating as if it were the living last duchess in his presence. In the beginning of the poem he says, "...and there she stands," and around the end he says, "And there she stands, As if alive." This was an indication of his insensitive nature, he had considered the idea of showing the envoy the portrait of the duchess. The duke had even brought him up to the private room to talk about the dowry he was expecting to receive by the young woman he intended to marry next. This further indicates and develops the duke 's true lunatic nature, he kept a painting of his last duchess, and he is able to admire the portrait. He just admires the panting while not feeling anything for her other than he did the right thing for her, now he had complete control over her and she will not frustrate him anymore with her