Powerful Society

Powerful Society

The poem “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning is set in renaissance Italy and tells the story of an affluent Duke. The man seems well versed and also seems well respected in his community if not feared. He had his first wife killed because she did not meld to his will. He is obsessed with control and dominating those around him and expects an uncompromising level of obedience from all of whom he meets.

The first of these passages (lines seven through twelve) gives a brief description of the painting and also quickly reveal the Duke’s opinions. He begins by addressing those who view the painting as “strangers” thus alienating himself from them. By creating this distance between the viewer and himself, he is more able to affirm his dominance. They become something Other and are more easily dismissed. He continues on to tell how most of those who view the painting see “depth and passion” in her gaze. The portrait is of his last Duchess and the way he speaks makes it easy to assume that he in no way agrees with this interpretation of her and is very ready to point out to anyone why he feels this way. He then adds a side note, which is emphasized by a set of parenthesis, of how no one draws the curtain covering the painting but him. This underscores his possessiveness both of the portrait and previously of her.

Near the end of this section, he begins to hint at his obsession with appearances by noting the perception by the viewers. He uses such words as “pictured”, “glance”, and “seemed” prolifically in the beginning of the work and then the usage drops off. He brings the idea up again at the end of the poem to remind his audience of the importance of it. His obsession with appearances would factor highly in he wife because she is an extension of his home. How people view her reflects on him, and nothing less than perfection will do.

Many of the prior ideas, like his possessiveness and need for control, continue through the work, and can be noted very strongly from line thirty-one to forty-six. He begins this section by saying “She thanked men вЂ" good! But thanked somehow вЂ" I know not how.” He implies in earlier lines that it is through her smile or words that she thanks them, but admitting that he doesn’t actually know how reveals his distrust of her. This assertion hints at the beginning of his overpowering need to control her, and the fact that he could not must still bother him since it is brought up so obviously. He continues by telling how “she ranked my gift of a nine-hundred-year-old name with anybody’s gift.” By dating his name, he shows how important it is to him for everyone to know of his status and also his frustration that she did not seem impressed by the name or even, perhaps, by him. He uses the word “trifling” to describe her actions. This word implies immaturity because it is something tiny, insignificant, or petty. By implying that her actions were unimportant he assumes a condescending tone one would use with a child who knew no better. This is one more way for him to assert his superiority over her. He admits to lacking the skill to communicate his will to her, but maintains that even if he had the skill he would not use it. He is saying that he has no desire to instruct those around him to his will; he simply expects them to follow it unerringly. This is a show of his arrogance and also a clear depiction of his subjugation of those around him.

In this section he also begins a repetition of forms of the word smile. He uses the word in various ways merely lines apart which begs the question: why was it so important? He seems to fixate on her smile as that which he finds most offensive about her. She smiled at him but gives everyone the same smile, so he stops her smiles all together. Since the smile is not for him alone, he seems to interpret it as a form of rebellion which he must extinguish. He perceives this uncontrollable smile of hers as a revelation