My Last Duchess by Robert Browning.....Malayalam Summary

Описание: My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

English Summary :

Browning is the greatest writer of dramatic monologue. It was Browning who carried the form to perfection. Browning's My Last Duchess in English is one of the greatest dramatic monologues in English.
A dramatic monologue is a poem in which a single character speaks and his inner personality is revealed through his speech, The character usually speaks about an episode of his life which is of prime dramatic significance. Though a single character speaks, the readers feel the presence of a silent listener or listeners. Soliloquy is a speech by a character when he is alone. It is a method employed by dramatists to reveal the innermost thoughts of the characters.

In Browning's 'My Last Duchess', the protagonist is the Duke of Ferrara, who is a widower. The Duke addresses the envoy of a Count whose daughter he proposes to marry. Showing the life-like portrait of his late Duchess to the envoy, the Duke says that it is a wonderful piece. It is the result of a day's busy work by the great artist, Fra Pandolf. It has been so skilfully designed that it seems to be life-like. The Duke now asks the envoy whether he likes to sit down and enjoy the artistic perfection of the work. The Duke says that all those who look at the painting are usually struck-by the depth and passion of the pictured face of the Duchess. Then he explains how such a profound expression has come on the face of the Duchess. According to the Duke, it was not the presence of her husband that caused the blush of joy in her cheek. Perhaps, the artist might have made a comment on her mantle which laps over her wrist or he must have expressed his incompetence to depict her charm and loveliness in his portrait. The Duke contemptuously remarks that such a cheap comment was sufficient cause to call up the spark of joy on her cheek. To him, the Duchess had a heart that was too easily pleased. The Duchess liked whatever she looked on and her looks went everywhere. A favour at her breast by the duke, the sunset, a branch of cherries offered to her by some foolish official, the mule on which she rode-all these easily made her happy. She thanked everyone with the same smile without making any discrimination. She considered the ordinary gifts of other men on par with the great and precious gift of the Duke's nine hundred years old tradition.

The Duke goes on to describe how she roused his displeasure with her attitude to him. He could have easily corrected her by giving instructions. But he never did, thinking that it would lower his dignity. He says, of course she smiled whenever he passed her, but it was the same smile she gave everybody. Finally, he lost his temper and gave orders to kill her. Thus all her smiles stopped and now she stands only in the portrait.

Now the Duke asks the envoy to get up and to go downstairs to meet others who are waiting there. Casually he refers to the munificence of his would-be father-inlaw and hopes to get a huge dowry from him. At the same time, he does not forget to add that the chief object is not the dowry but the fair princess herself. On the way down stairs,he calls the attention of the envoy to a bronze statue of Neptune, the sea god, taming a horse. He considers it a rare work of art made by the famous sculptor, Claus of Innsbruck.

Browning beautifully presents the character of the Duke. Infact, he uses the dramatic monologue for character studies, giving insight into human nature.
In 'My Last Duchess', Browning reveals the real character of the Duke. He is really proud and vain. He claims that he has a tradition of more than nine hundred years. Naturally he looks down upon his gentle wife with a patronising attitude. He has also an exaggerated sense of dignity which forbids him from stooping to correct his wife. He is a jealous husband who does not tolerate his wife's ordinary ways. He is a tyrannous and hard-hearted man who finally gives commands to stop all the smiles of the Duchess.

Another trait in the Duke's character is greed for wealth. The Duke indirectly hints his hope to get a huge dowry from the Count whose daughter he proposes to marry. But, inspite of all these, the Duke has a redeeming quality that he is a great lover of art. He considers the portrait of his Duchess a wonderful piece. He is a true patron of art and sculpture.

The poem is based on an incident in the life of Alphonso II who was the fifth Duke of Ferrara during the sixteenth century. A patron of arts, he was ruthless, arrogant, vindictive and jealous. At the age of twentyfive (1558) he married Lucrezia de Medici, the fourteen year old daughter of the Duke of Florence, Cosimo de Medici. She brought him a fortune as dowry. She died three years after her marriage and it was suspected that the Duke had poisoned her because he wished to marry the niece of the Count of Tyrol.

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