Robert Browning's poem, "My Last Duchess" literally portrays a Duke speaking about his late wife, while showing her painting on the wall. While on the surface its intent may be innocent, most believe that the story has a much darker meaning. The Duke is believed to be a dominating male, who could have committed some atrocity against his wife. While this may be what Browning was attempting to capture in his writing, there may be other factors in the Duke's defense.

With his wife's painting on the wall behind a curtain, most would believe that his reluctance to look at her face is a sign of guilt. Right off the bat, there is evidence that something is wrong, a notion that is further proven as the Duke begins to tell a tale of his late wife, and how un-appreciative she was of him. Jealousy pours out o

Perhaps the Duke killed his wife and for that reason he couldn't bear to look at her picture. Or maybe she did die of natural causes, and the duke may feel that there is something wrong with himself, never having satisfied his own wife emotionally. In the final few lines, the Duke references a statue of Neptune, taming a seahorse. This is a blatant message that he will not stand for any non-appreciative wife again, meaning he is Neptune, and females to him are the seahorses. While this may be the bold, vicious statement that confirms that he is a controlling male, it is important to keep in mind who he is speaking with. He is speaking to another male, and considering that he is feeling insecure already because of his first wife, he may feel the need to prove to others his worth, or masculinity. In a sense, he is simply letting everyone know th

Some common words found in the essay are:
Robert Browning's, dominating male, late wife, painting wall,
Approximate Word count = 575
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)