My Last Duchess And Porphyria's Lover

There are authors throughout history that write such unique pieces of literature, that their names are spoken of in all literature-based classes. One of these authors that gained fame by creating works that stand out, is Robert Browning. There are many attributes that brought fame to the Browning name, but his mastery of the dramatic monologue is what defines his style of writing. “Browning exploited the dramatic mode at every period of his career, and is the most ambitious and successful writer of the dramatic monologue in English.” (Drew) Two of his more famous works have gained renown because they are controversial in nature are titled My Last Duchess and Porphyria's Lover. My Last Duchess is a monologue spoken by a rich man to the agent of the father of the woman he wishes to marry. This monologue is unique in that it is heavily implied that the speaker murdered his previous wife. Porphyria’s Lover is a monologue spoken by a man who was so madly in love with one Porphyria, that he strangled her with her own hair. It is a bit confusing and leaves the …show more content…
“And thus we sit together now, and all night long we have not stirred, and yet God has not said a word!”(Porphyria’s Lover, 58-60) The ending lines offer no sense of conclusion, stating nothing of what may come next for the speaker. While this leaves the reader wanting more, a great skill for a writer such as Browning, it differs greatly from the ending of his other monologue, My Last Duchess. Which ends with the duke admitting to the murder of his last duchess and carrying on swiftly with his life. “He brings up the large dowry that she will bring, smugly adding that the Count’s fair daughter is of course his ‘object.’”(Guthrie) Truly the endings of these two monologues contrast