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Comparison Essay


The initial impression of the Duke's invitation to his listener, "Will't you please sit and look at her?"(line 5) suggests he wants to share his memories of his last Duchess but in fact the invitation becomes a continuation of the warning. " since none puts by the curtain I have drawn for you, but I" (line 8-9) displays the Duke's command of drawing the curtain on the duchess limiting her scope to himself and a few privileged others. Ironically, by putting her on a pedestal in the portrait, he has given her more power than she had in life although his intention was to control her. His control extends to the listener by putting him in a subservient position of sitting to gaze upon the Duchess. The warning continues as the Duke's jealous streak seeps into the conversation. His inability to control the perceived wandering eye of his Duchess in life "She had a heart-how shall I say?-too soon made glad, too easily impressed; she like whate"er she looked on, and her looks went everywhere."(line 20-23) was a source of great humiliation for him. He considered each look to be an act of infidelity. His low opinion of her is emphasized when he equates "My favour at her breast-(line 24) with "the white mule-(line 27) as drawing the same " spot of joy into the Duchess" cheek;"(line 13-14) His posturing to the envoy persists with the Duke's anger at the Duchess" failure to recognize the worth of his "gift of a nine-hundred-years old name-(line 33) The warning takes on a sinister note "I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together."(line 45-46) as the Duke openly admits to ordering the execution of the Duchess. (Wilson Quarterly: Winter 99, Vol.23 Issue 1, p108, 79) In a business-like manner, the Duke, having made clear his expectations of his future Duchess, proceeds to the discussion of financial concerns. The fact that he is extremely wealthy has no bearing on the worth of the dowry he expects as it must be enough to reflect his status.


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