“It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power.” This quote by David Brin is applicable to many people in positions of great power, both legitimate and fictional. “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning takes place in Ferrara, Italy and contains such a person: the Duke of Ferrara, who narrates in the form of a dramatic monologue. Browning uses form, tone, and symbolism to show how an uninhibited desire for power and material possessions can corrupt a person to their core.
Browning uses form to show the complete control the Duke holds over every aspect of his life. The poem is written in rhyming couplets of iambic pentameter, and the Duke’s
Browning uses form to show the complete control the Duke holds over every aspect of his life. The poem is written in rhyming couplets of iambic pentameter, and the Duke’s