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Digvijay Pandya, Lovely Professional University Unit 29: Robert Browning: My Last Duchess and the Last Ride Together

Unit 29: Robert Browning: My Last Duchess and Notes

the Last Ride Together

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction

29.1 My Last Duchess

29.1.1 Text
29.1.2 Summary
29.1.3 Form

29.1.4 Commentary
29.1.5 Detailed Analysis

29.2 The Last Ride Together
29.2.1 Text

29.2.2 Summary
29.2.3 Detailed Analysis

29.2.4 Philosophy of Robert Browning
29.3 Summary
29.4 Keywords

29.5 Review Questions

29.6 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• Explain briefly the text, summary and commentary of the poem “My Last Duchess”
• Explain briefly the text, summary and philosophy of the poem “The Last Ride Together”
• Discuss the detailed analysis of both poems.

Introduction

First published in the collection Dramatic Lyrics in 1842, “My Last Duchess” is an excellent example
of Browning’s use of dramatic monologue. Browning’s psychological portrait of a powerful
Renaissance aristocrat is presented to the reader as if he or she were simply “eavesdropping” on a
slice of casual conversation. As the poem unfolds, the reader learns the speaker of the poem, Duke
Ferrara, is talking to a representative of his fiancee’s family. Standing in front of a portrait of the

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