My Last Duchess Flashcards
“The curtain I have drawn for you, but I”
Browning implies that the Duke had a very controlling and obsessive nature as he has a “curtain” to shield others from seeing her.
“She looked on, and her looks went everywhere”
Browning invokes a sense of jealousy, through “her looks went everywhere”, which suggesting a highly possessive attitude concerning the Duchess, implying that if he can’t have her, no one can, presenting his destructive love for her.
“This grew; I gave commands”
Browning uses the imperative phrase “ I gave commands”, to create an ominous tone and suggesting that the Duchess was forced into submission, maybe even killed.
“Notice Neptune”
Browning uses imagery to symbolise the Duke and his Duchesses as the ancient god, Neptune is depicted riding a sea horse, in which Neptune is symbolic of the Duke and the sea horse is symbolic of any of his Duchesses, in the Duke’s perspective.
