1. Robert Browning “My Favorite Duchess”

2. Dramatic Monologue  Contain 3 formal elements 1.An occasion 2.a speaker 3.a listener  All words are heard by an implied auditor  hear only one voice – typical pre- twentieth century verse –voice male

3. Dramatic Monologue  The character’s words create: 1.a dramatic scene 2.a question or problem 3.a listener the speaker addresses The speaker is attempting to achieve something by talking: not to state the truth but to persuade

4. Dramatic Monologue  a gap exists between what a speaker says and what is actually the case. It is only the girl herself he seeks (lines 52-53)……or is it?  Can the truth exist, independent from any individual point of view?

5. Voice or Persona  enables poet to synthesize two types of verse, the lyric and the drama.  talks about and describes a woman, never actually quotes that woman.  presents the character directly and ironically, without comment by the poet  creates a text which serves to reveal the inner working of a single character’s psychology, values, tastes, and motivations

6. Browning’s Duke  modeled on Alfonso II fifth Duke of Ferrara the last of the Este family; born in 1533, married Lucrezia de Medici (14) in 1558. Four years after her death (poison?) in 1561 Alfonso married the daughter of Ferdinand I count of Tyrol

7. Browning’s Duke  souless  product of corrupt class system  proud, arrogant  manipulating and controlling  wealthy (enables him to purchase…)  Devil incarnate, murderer [archetypal]

8. Browning’s Duchess  young  beautiful  gracious  sensitive nature  delights in the simple pleasures of life

9. Browning’s theme ?  the historical tyranny of man over woman  subtle condemnation of the nobility for their poor character

10. Dramatic Irony  manifested in the overall tone of the poem  Duke seeks to give a favorable impression of himself and unfavorable impression of the Duchess. Browning conveys the opposite