The narrative "My Last Duchess" written by Robert Browning focuses on the speakers domineering personality and his yearning for power which in turn causes the speaker to murder his "last duchess".
The dynamic characterization of the speaker plays a prominent role throughout the narrative. The speaker immediately begins accusing his duchess of having an affair. Questions begin to arise regarding the duchess. Did she really commit adultery? Is she dead? If the duchess is really dead, why would he kill her instead of simply divorcing or leaving her? As the poem progresses the speakers egotistic nature becomes clear and it is revealed that he is responsible for the death of his duchess.
A few symbols arise throughout the narrative. The painting of the duchess is a symbol for how the speaker wanted her to remain. The painting is described as being breathtakingly beautiful, the duchess looks perfect. The painting was proof that the duchess served one purpose for the speaker; she was an object. She was to do nothing but look pretty for him and him only. Now that she is dead, only the picture remains. The duchess is now the way that he had always intended, static and perfect.
The curtain which encloses the painting of the duchess is another symbol. It illustrates the power of the speaker. Only he decides who gets to look upon the painting of his duchess. Other men were not allowed to look at the painting unless given permission. This is very similar to the way that the speaker did not want any other men talking or looking at his duchess, but she seemed to invite such attention on her own. The speaker let his guard down in the case of the painter which resulted in an affair between his duchess and her painter, or so the speaker assumes. The duchess disgraced the speakers ego and his "900 year old name" which resulted in her death.
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