How does Robert Browning reveal the character of the Duke in the poem my last duchess?
In Robert Browning’s poem ‘my last duchess’, the Duke speaks to an agent representing the count. The duke begins by referring to “my last Duchess,” his first wife, as he draws open a curtain to display a portrait of her which is hanging on the wall. The duke is conveyed as quite a possessive person “that’s my duchess” This conveys that the duke feels he has authority over his presumably dead duchess. This is again displayed later on in the poem when the duke says “the curtain have drawn for you” this suggest the duke is of the believe he has achieved the loyal control. She looks “alive,” and the duke attributes this to the skill of the painter, Fra Pandolf. After saying that he alone opens the curtain, the duke promptly begins a catalog of complaints about the way his wife had acted.
We can tell by the way the duke describes Fra Pandolf’s painting that the duke is show a fair bit of jealousy. The joyous blush on her cheek that can be seen in the portrait was a result, the duke says “half flush that dies along her throat” this conveys the duchess is modest and embarrassed by Fra Pandolf’s compliments about her beauty. The duke blames his late wife for smiling back at Fra Pandolf “liked whate’er she looked on, and her looks went everywhere” this conveys that the duchess is being courteous to everyone she encountered ,not just fra pandolf and for enjoying life too much. The duke would not