Essay Database

My Last Duchess, by Robert Browning, is an example of a dramatic monologue. A dramatic monologue is a kind of narrative poem in which one character speaks to one or more listeners whose replies are not given in the poem. The Duke is speaking to an envoy about his fisrt wife who is apparently dead. From what he is telling him, one can conclude that he is arrogant, domineering, and very insecure about his relationship. …

…inner self by explaining the 'vices' of his wife. A feeling of pathos occurs when the reader finally understands that the wife died innocently through no fault of her own, ultimately leaving the Duke the villain of the story. My Last Duchess is a pure testimonial to the fact that the main character in a story does not have to be a good person in order for it to be an enjoyable piece of art.