My Last Duchess Analysis

Robert Browning loosely based his poem My Last Duchess on the story of Duke Alfonso and the Duchess Lucrezia de Medici, who lived in the 16th century. The Duke is the narrator in this poem, and he talks of his bear Duchess portrait, which in turn slowly reveals his arrogant and selfish nature as her reminisces about her. When you first start reading the poem, you can see that the Duke thinks the Duchess is very beautiful- blusher could not hope to reproduce.She was also kind-hearted and easy to please, but as you read on you realise the Duke thinks of these qualities as faults because she doesnt reserve her attention for him he believes he is better than everyone else due to his rank and power. He misinterprets the fact that everyone is fond of her and accuses the Duchess for having multiple affairs when actually she was just responding with her natural kindness. This shows that the Duke was very selfish, and you could say he besides liked the Duchess because of her beauty.The Duk e Alfonso and Lucrezia de Medici were only married for two years before Lucrezia died under suspicious circumstances. Many say the Duke poisoned her, which shows how the Duke was only in love with her looks and how selfish he was. In the poem the Duchess death is caused by the Duke, as shown in the line He gave commands Then all smiles stopped together. Her death was caused when the Duke realised he couldnt carry her she still had her faults and the Duke hated them.Even after death he tries to control her by trapping her in a painting, where the spot of joy on her cheek is frigid in time, leaving the Duchess constantly smiling at those who look at her, if the Duke allows. Even though it is the Duke narrating the poem and he is the one complaining about the office the Duchess acted, it is not him that you pity- its the Duchess who you empathise with for having such a horrible husband.