Final answer:
Marliss Desens may refer to different figures depending on context, suggesting that a duchess tries to attract and hold someone's attention, negotiate with enemies, or reflect wealth through fashion and portraiture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Marliss Desens's 2001 interpretation could refer to different historical women portrayed in literature or arts, namely a fictional duchess from a novel, Blanche of Castile from history, or Marie-Antoinette as represented in a painting.
For the fictional duchess, Desens might say she tries to attract and hold the attention of someone presumably a man, using her charm. If referring to Blanche of Castile, Desens would likely state that the duchess persuaded, cajoled, negotiated, and fought against enemies.
In the context of Marie-Antoinette, she may be portrayed as trying to reflect the wealth of her royal position through fashion and the commissioning of portraits.
In Marliss Desens' 2001 analysis, the Duchess seems to be trying to attract and hold the attention of the person she is speaking to. Desens describes how the Duchess deliberately puts on a spoiled child air, which had once been successful in getting the desired response from others.