What Flaw Does The Duke Identify In His Last Duchess?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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What flaw does the Duke identify in his last duchess? “Who’d stoop to blame This sort of

trifling

?” These lines identify his arrogance that he did not want to have a discussion with the duchess on the silly matters, but on the contrary, he had reared all these events in his mind which turned him into a heartless person who could kill his wife without a second thought.

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What flaw does the Duke identity in his last Duchess?

It is revealed that the Duke believes the biggest flaw of the Duchess was her

sociable presence

, which to him, was flirtatious. In fact, her flirtatious tendencies are described by the Duke as such, “’twas not/ Her husband’s presence only, called that spot/ Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek…” (13-15).

What does the Duke reveal about himself in My Last Duchess?

Through the use of symbols, the Duke reveals himself to be

a man who desires total and complete power and submission from those around him

.

How does the Duke described his last Duchess?

The Duke describes the last Duchess as

if she were wanton with her attention, inadequately class conscious and overly friendly

. As rowens says, his primary complaint is that she does not treat him with more reverance or favour than she does anyone else.

What is the last Duchess major character flaw?

Thus, the poem exhibits the

vicious, psychotic and controlling mind

of the duke, who hated his wife due to her positive nature. Major Themes in “My Last Duchess”: Jealousy, hatred, and power are the major themes of this poem.

How is identity shown in My Last Duchess?

In My Last Duchess,

the Duke attempts to construct his own narrative in an attempt to subsume the Duchess’ true identity

; we only know her anonymised title. This is much like in Checking Out Me History, as Agard is blinded to his identity due to the arrogance and abuse of power in society.

What is the duke’s most severe criticism of the duchess?

What is the Duke’s most severe criticism of the Duchess?

She did not appreciate enough his “gift” of heritage and a 900-year-old name

.

Why was the duke dissatisfied with his wife?

In the next few lines, the duke argues that

his wife was “too easily impressed” by the people around her

. Moreover, she seemed to find happiness everywhere and in everything: She liked whate’er she looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

What does the duke’s comment reveal about his own character?

What does the duke’s dialect reveal about his character? His informal language suggests that

he might not really be an upper-class duke

. Then at the bottom was the biggest line of all, which said: LADIES AND CHILDREN NOT ADMITTED.

How is the duke presented in My Last Duchess essay?

In “My Last Duchess”, by Robert Browning, the character of Duke is portrayed as having

controlling, jealous, and arrogant traits

. These traits are not all mentioned verbally, but mainly through his actions.

How was the Duke in My Last Duchess jealousy?

The Duke in “My Last Duchess” is pretty much the green-eyed monster incarnate. He’s

almost an allegorical figure for jealousy

. He’s jealous of the attention his wife shows to other people – even if all she does is thank them for bringing her some cherries.

Who killed the duchess in My Last Duchess?

In ‘My Last Duchess, the Duchess is killed by

the Duke

for her failure to recognise his status within society, and his ‘nine-hundred-years-old name’ (l. 33)[1] that she possesses because of him.

Was the Duchess unfaithful to duke in My Last Duchess?


The Duke infers that the Duchess may have been unfaithful

—once again showing his jealousy. There seems no proof that such was the case, but he is insecure (or smart) enough to believe that she did not look to him to get that “deep, passionate and earnest” look on her face.

What is the irony in My Last Duchess?

The irony in “My Last Duchess” is that

the last duchess was unaware of her failings in the eyes of the duke

, and the duke seems unaware of his cruelty towards the duchess and the failings of his own character. Further, the duchess’s quality that so displeased the duke is actually a really lovely and admirable one.

What is the meaning of My Last Duchess poem?

My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning is a well-known dramatic monologue.

It suggests that the speaker has killed his wife and will soon do the same to the next

. The poet’s inspiration for this poem came from the Duke and Duchess Ferarra. The Duchess died under very suspicious circumstances.

What kind of person is the duke in My Last Duchess?

The duke in “My Last Duchess” is

haughty, imperious, jealous, and autocratic

. He is also guilty, and feels the need for confession, since he fears the judgment of God.

What does the seahorse symbolize in My Last Duchess?

At the end of his speech, he invites the ambassador to go downstairs with him. As he does so, he points out another one of his favourite works of art from his collection: a bronze sculpture of the sea-god Neptune brutally taming a sea-horse. It is an image of

power and domination

.

What does the duke mean by her looks went everywhere?

This suggests that she was

someone who fully appreciate every aspect of life and that she herself was filled with love of life

. ” And her looks went everywhere ”

How is abuse of power presented in My Last Duchess?

In “My Last Duchess”

the Duke of Ferrara uses his power to control his subjects, and kills his wife because of the way she acts around other men

. From beginning to end “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning displays the corrupt power of the domestic tyrant, his arrogance, jealousy, and the ruthlessness.

Is the duke a reliable narrator in My Last Duchess?


The Duke is not a reliable narrator

. Anger and jealousy, which are reflected in exclamations such as “Sir, ’twas all one!” (line 25), influence his view of the Duchess. The Duke’s descriptions of the Duchess, like his claim that “her looks went everywhere” (line 24), are not what they at first appear to be.

Why didn’t the duke tell his late wife that she was offending him?


The duke felt that his wife was too appreciative of the attention that other men paid her

. He did not openly accuse her of adultery, but condemned her flirtatious behavior. He claimed, “all and each/Would draw from her alike the approving speech,/Or blush, at least” (lines 29-31).

Is the Duke in My Last Duchess a narcissist?

The dramatic monologue ‘My Last Duchess’ by the poet is a presentation of

an egoistic, narcissistic and self centered duke

. Throughout the poem there is a clear image of a psyche, overprotective, jealous and possessive personality who has executed his wife for his own narrow mentality.

What kind of fate did the last duchess meet at the end?

Finally, his jealousy causes him to “give commands,” after which “all smiles stopped together.” Thus, we can conclude that

the Duke’s jealousy caused him to have the Duchess killed

.

How Does My Last Duchess show conflict?

“My Last Duchess” dramatizes the internal conflict of the speaker, the Duke of Ferrara. He is

conflicted with the faults of his last wife, and the desire for change in the upcoming marriage to his new fiancee

. Ultimately, the struggle deals with power and jealousy.

What patriarchal features does the Duke represents in My Last Duchess?

Duke Ferrera’s toxic masculinity leads him to the problem of communication, language, and jealousy within his marriage. His power in his marriage comes from his position of authority, in which he is the Duke;

a powerful, patriarchal male

that ranks above the Duchess.

Why does the Duke disguise himself as a friar?

The Duke of Vienna pretends to leave the city on business and appoints Angelo to rule while he’s away. The duke then disguises himself as a friar

so he can spy on Angelo and the people of Vienna

. Angelo brings back some old strict laws which shock his colleagues and upset many of the citizens.

Why did the Duke leave in Measure for Measure?

His purpose in leaving Vienna to his deputy and returning in disguise is unclear. He explains his motive to Friar Thomas as

a wish to see long-ignored laws of morality enforced, without himself appearing as a tyrant

.

What are the main themes of My Last Duchess?

The main themes in “My Last Duchess” are

pride and jealousy, discernment and hierarchy, and art and truth

. Pride and jealousy: The poem presents a portrait of the duke’s pride and jealousy, which drive him to violent extremes.

What bothered the duke about the Duchess’s smile?

What bothered the Duke about the Duchess’s smile?

It was never reserved for him

. The poem does not have a regular rhyme scheme.

How is the duke presented as powerful and controlling in the poem My Last Duchess?

In “My Last Duchess,” the power held by the Duke over his late wife is presented as absolute.

His control of her is so extreme that even though she has died, he controls who may view her painting

. He also describes that through his “commands” alone, he was able to put an end to her smiles and, by implication, her life.

What do you understand of the character of duke of Ferrara?

Duke of Ferrara was

a selfish person

, as we see he executed his wife, but was preparing to remarry the Count’s daughter. The duke was actually a very shrewd person. He only loves himself and never cares about his wife’s emotions.

What caused the murder of the last duchess?

In the poem “My Last Duchess” the Duke of Ferrara has killed his wife because

he believes that she has been unfaithful to him

.

What happens at the end of My Last Duchess?

At the end of the poem,

the duke directs his guest’s attention toward this bronze statue by the famous Claus of Innsbruck

. Neptune is the Roman god of the sea, and the statue represents dominance.

What makes the Duchess happy and why?

Apparently the Duchess was easily pleased:

she smiled at everything, and seemed just as happy when someone brought her a branch of cherries as she did when the Duke decided to marry her

. She also blushed easily.

What about the last duchess most offended the duke?

2. In Robert Browning’s ‘My Last Duchess,’ how did the duchess offend the duke?

She never smiled for him

.

What kind of person was the Duchess?

The Duchess was, no doubt,

a lady of beauty and grace

. She was good-natured, simple, and frank. She had the depth of sincerity, and was accommodative and never rude or discourteous to anyone. On the other hand, she entertained favour and greetings from all who admired her.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.