Question

How does Browning describe the Duke to make him more appealing to the reader despite his unlikable personality? What literary elements does Browning employ to get the reader to identify with the Duke? Use evidence from the text to support your response.

Answer 1

The direct speech of the dramatic monologue is used to involve the reader in the scene. The Duke's candidness and lack of self-consciousness in his description of his wife make the reader interested in his speech. The aura of power and opulence and the Duke's ancient family seem to make him attractive. The poet also uses the technique of enjambment to create a sense of anticipation in the reader.

Answer 2

All Robert Browning's dramatic monologues, the speaker reveals his character and personality both consciously and unconsciously by what he says. By the time the reader has finished "My Last Duchess" he or she will have acquired a vivid impression of this Duke of Ferrara with the nine-hundred-year-old name.