What Victorian quality do you find in Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess”?
“My Last Duchess” is a masterpiece of Robert Browning in which he reflects some qualities of the Victorian era. Through this poem, Browning tries to show the contemporary social norms and conditions of England.
The first Victorian quality in this poem is women’s role in Victorian society. The men treat the women as lifeless objects. They are born to be slaves of men in the male dominating society. The duke of this poem objectifies women. He describes how he takes control over his former wife.
Another Victorian quality exhibited in the poem is lust for power and social status. The Duke repeatedly reminds the messenger of his power. He informs how much he is concerned about his social status. Whenever his former wife talks to the servants cheerfully, he feels dishonorable.
Passion for art is also a quality of the Victorian period. Paintings and sculptures are considered important elements in this poem. The duke makes his former wife’s painting that he shows to the messenger. He also admires the statue of Neptune several times which makes him feel proud. These qualities of the Victorian age are depicted in this poem.
