Poem Analysis
Examine at least three pre-1914 peoms from ‘Best words’ and show how they reflect earlier attitudes towards women and relationships.
Robert Browining, a great Victorian poet, wrote two pre-1940 poems, ‘My last Duchess’ and ‘Prophyrias lover’, they are both examples of domineering me or individuals who end up killing their former lovers.
The main theme which the poems are centred around is madness.
‘The Ballad’ on the other hand has an unknown poet, this could be as a result of it being passed down from one generation to another.
All the three poems deal with the distorted image and status of women, and how this had an impact on their relationships and the in way in which they were treated.
I will now analyse these three poems, to see the way In which they get this message, enabling me to answer the purposed above.
‘My last Duchess’
In this poem the narrator talks to a silent listener about a dramatic event or experience. The dramatic monologue is a way to delve deep into the narrators thoughts, and she the way they change.
‘My last duchess’ commences with the narrator revealing his thoughts while he draws a curtain to produce a portrait of his wife, “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall”, this indicated that the painting is a Fresco.
“I call her a piece of wonder, now”, this suggests that he liked her this way-existing only in the painting- as the portrait only projects her beautiful side and doesn’t include any of her annoying habits.
He was up of his wife as she devoted all her time to other matters and men. The duke implies that his wife was flirtatious and had several affairs, “I gave commands/then all of her smiles stopped together”.
In the poem we a transition in themes, first the duke introduced the portrait of his wife which symbolizes his possessive and controlling nature as he shows that he is now taken over what remains of the duchess. Then suddenly madness takes over in both of its senses; Anger and paranoia.
The reader can
Robert Browining, a great Victorian poet, wrote two pre-1940 poems, ‘My last Duchess’ and ‘Prophyrias lover’, they are both examples of domineering me or individuals who end up killing their former lovers.
The main theme which the poems are centred around is madness.
‘The Ballad’ on the other hand has an unknown poet, this could be as a result of it being passed down from one generation to another.
All the three poems deal with the distorted image and status of women, and how this had an impact on their relationships and the in way in which they were treated.
I will now analyse these three poems, to see the way In which they get this message, enabling me to answer the purposed above.
‘My last Duchess’
In this poem the narrator talks to a silent listener about a dramatic event or experience. The dramatic monologue is a way to delve deep into the narrators thoughts, and she the way they change.
‘My last duchess’ commences with the narrator revealing his thoughts while he draws a curtain to produce a portrait of his wife, “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall”, this indicated that the painting is a Fresco.
“I call her a piece of wonder, now”, this suggests that he liked her this way-existing only in the painting- as the portrait only projects her beautiful side and doesn’t include any of her annoying habits.
He was up of his wife as she devoted all her time to other matters and men. The duke implies that his wife was flirtatious and had several affairs, “I gave commands/then all of her smiles stopped together”.
In the poem we a transition in themes, first the duke introduced the portrait of his wife which symbolizes his possessive and controlling nature as he shows that he is now taken over what remains of the duchess. Then suddenly madness takes over in both of its senses; Anger and paranoia.
The reader can