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Powerful Society. Powerful Society The poem “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning
is set in renaissance Italy and tells the story of an affluent Duke. ...
"Powerful anti-intellectual society". Today's society is a very "powerful
anti-intellectual society". As Northrop Frye has stated ...
... is morally correct; because that is the only way to cope with the “inescapable dilemma
of Democracy.” Huck fights the power of the all-powerful society. ...
... This original contract was deeply flawed as the wealthiest and most powerful members
of society tricked the general population, and thus instituted inequality ...
... technologies. These things are what caused the ancient Greek culture to be
such a powerful influence on western society today. Ancient ...
Submitted by lemoore8 on May 2, 2008
Category: English
Words: 1228 | Pages: 5
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Powerful Society
The poem “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning is set in renaissance Italy and tells the story of an affluent Duke. The man seems well versed and also seems well respected in his community if not feared. He had his first wife killed because she did not meld to his will. He is obsessed with control and dominating those around him and expects an uncompromising level of obedience from all of whom he meets.
The first of these passages (lines seven through twelve) gives a brief description of the painting and also quickly reveal the Duke’s opinions. He begins by addressing those who view the painting as “strangers” thus alienating himself from them. By creating this distance between the viewer and himself, he is more able to affirm his dominance. They become something Other and are more easily dismissed. He continues on to tell how most of those who view the painting see “depth and passion” in her gaze. The portrait is of his last Duchess and the way he speaks makes it easy to assume that he in no way agrees with this interpretation of her and is very ready to point out to anyone why he feels this way. He then adds a side note, which is emphasized by a set of parenthesis, of how no one draws the curtain covering the painting but him. This underscores his possessiveness both of the portrait and previously of her.
Near the end of this section, he begins to hint at his obsession with appearances by noting the perception by the viewers. He uses such words as “pictured”, “glance”, and “seemed” prolifically in the beginning of the work and then the usage drops off. He brings the idea up again at the end of the poem to remind his audience of the importance of it. His obsession with appearances would factor highly in he wife because she is an extension of his home. How people view her reflects on him, and nothing less than perfection will do.
Many of the prior ideas, like his...
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