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The use of dramatic monologue works to separate the speaker from the poet (Browning), which forces the reader (you) to work hard to understand the words of the speaker and thus, hopefully, get a grasp on what the poet is saying. We learn about the Duke by what he says and how he says it. Through him, we also learn about his wife, the last Duchess. We decipher something of how their relationship stood, what his expectations were, how she responded, etc. In short, we learn a great deal about his character by hearing how he thought and felt about her. The Duke is manipulative, filled with family pride, and a feeling of ownership over even the memory of his deceased wife. We even get the impression that he might have murdered her — perhaps when "all smiles stopped altogether"? Ultimately, we see what money and power can buy — not love. For this moral commentary in dramatic monologue, Browning draws from the traditions of Shakespeare's soliloquies, John Donne's poetry, and Hopkin's sonnets to offer readers that "truth broken into prismatic hues." The Haunting Aristocrat In his dramatic monologue, Robert Browning uses irony, diction, and imagery to achieve a haunting effect. Robert Browning frequently wrote dramatic monologues to enhance the dark and avaricious qualities in his works. Browning’s use of this particular style is to “evoke the unconstrained reaction of a person in a particular situation or crisis” (Napierkowski 170).
Approximate Word count = 913
Approximate Pages = 3.7
(250 words per page double spaced)
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