A Comparison Of My Last Duchess And Porphyria's Lover

When we think of famous writers that emerged from Britain, most people first think of Shakespeare and perhaps Milton as well. A significant writer that is sometimes not always remembered in the spotlight is Robert Browning. Browning in irrefutably the best there ever was at writing and manipulating dramatic monologues. In fact, dramatic monologues can’t even really be brought up or studied without the mention of Browning. Two of Browning's most famous dramatic monologues are My Last Duchess and Porphyria’s Lover. On the surface these two texts may seem very much the same, on the contrary however, upon further study there are many clear differences. In Robert Browning's Last Duchess and Porphyria’s Lover, there are similarities such as the male …show more content…
Even though the woman in these dramatic monologues are polar opposites, the men show many similarities. Both male figures have a strong need for control, an aspect of the monologues that was intentional by Browning. In My Last Duchess, the duke responds to his wife's happiness in very negative way saying, “But thanked somehow - I know not how - as if she ranked my gift of nine-hundred-year-old name with anybody's gift.” (Lines 31-34) He believes that because he gave her the gift of his well respected name and wealth that he should be the only thing that makes her happy. When he’s not the only thing that makes her happy, he responds with, “This grew, I gave commands; then all the smiles stopped together” (Lines 45-46) He had her killed simply because she dared to smile at anything other than himself. He clearly wanted to maintain all control over her, even what she smiled at. A study on Victorian ideals by McKendree University describes, “Women in the Victorian society had one main role in life, which was to marry and take part in their husband's’ interests and business.” which fully supports that Browning is describing in his monologue. Porphyria’s lover in Porphyria’s Lover, acts the same way. When he strangles Porphyria to death, it is done solely for control. Porphyria’s lover describes, “I propped her head up as before, only. This time my shoulder bore her head, …show more content…
While both women end up dying at the hands of their lovers, Browning goes about writing these in a different way. In My Last Duchess it is clear that the speaker is the Duke, “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall, looking as if she were alive.” (Lines 1-2) However, we do not know who the speaker is conversing with until the end of the monologue which by then clarifies why he felt the need to tell this story. He is talking to a lawyer who is getting ready to set him up with another woman to be his Duchess. The story that the Duke tells is clearly to make it known to the lawyer that he wants a woman that will subdue to his desires. The fact that we find out who the Duke is speaking to at the end of the monologue makes the impact of how terrible this man is to him wives much more powerful. In Porphyria’s Lover, it is also clear who the speaker is. The speaker is, of course, Porphyria’s lover who describes, “I listened with heart fit to break. When glided in Porphyria… Murmuring how she loved me.” (Lines 5-6,21” However, in this monologue of Browning's, we are never quite certain who the speaker is speaking to. Some argue that, because he is a psychopath, he is simply talking to himself as crazy people do, trying to justify his actions killing her. On the other side, many believe that Browning never wrote a specific character for Porphyria’s