At the time Browning's poem My Last Duchess was published, the concept of ownership in marriage was still very prevalent; Browning develops the central theme of her poem around these notions of inequality and male dominance in a direct attempt to explore the concept of sexism within marriage. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The poet conveys this through the use of possessive diction throughout the poem; at the beginning the Duke mentions in parentheses that “no one puts near the curtain I drew for you, but I,” symbolically indicating his control over the viewers of the painting which mimics his control over those who saw it in reality. The use of possessive diction continues throughout the play, as the Duke comments on how he “gave commands” and “then all the smiles stopped together.” These lines evoke catharsis from the audience, causing the reader to sympathize with the duchess. The last section reveals his plan to marry the Count's “beautiful daughter”, who is his “object”. Through the objectification of the girl by reducing her value to physical attributes alone, the Duke reveals his superficial and patriarchal views that were common among men in Victorian society. The Duke recalls the memory of his former duchess and her annoying qualities, accusing her of having a heart that was “too soon cheered” and “too easily impressionable”. The Duke continues to recount the Duchess's character flaws, claiming that she values ​​"the cherry branches that some pushy fool broke for her in the orchard" and her "white mule" as much as she values ​​his expensive gifts. . . Connotations with “cherries” in literature are typically associated with forbidden sexual acts, potentially alluding to the concept that the last duchess was not faithful to her husband. This sexual reference gives rise to gendered issues of sexuality during the Victorian area. The Duke addresses his difficulty in communicating with his wife, "Even you had skill /In speaking that I have not"; however, her use of enjambment presents the opposite, showing her inability to stop talking to the listener and the Duke's reluctance to develop communication with her. The brief use of the direct apostrophe, in reference to "Even if I had speaking skills - (which I do not have) - to make a will", illustrates the Duchess's lack of ability to respond to such accusations, which are coupled with the apostrophe lack of language that the female characters express within the work, to emulate the powerless view of women in Victorian society. The speaker alludes to “Neptune,” comparing his love to “taming a seahorse”; the evident degradation of the previous wife through the diction associated with animals further reiterates the dominant role assumed by men within the marriage. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Initially the Duke is portrayed as a trustworthy person, with well-mannered qualities, who repeatedly addresses his host as "sir" to gain the reader's trust and act as a representation of the common married man in Victorian society. It is soon discovered, however, that the poet employs an unreliable narrator who speaks openly of his wife's "crimes"; his belief that he committed a justifiable murder due to his inappropriate behavior conflicts with conventional social morality, so the Duke's perspective shapes the story according to his version and his prejudices,.