My Last Duchess (Complete Edition) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A Renaissance Duke's dramatic monologue of power, jealousy, and art—portraiture, irony, and dark humor in iambic coupletsBy Robert Browning
Length7h 56m
About this audiobook
My Last Duchess (Complete Edition) presents one of Robert Browning's most accomplished dramatic monologues, a compact psychological portrait set in Renaissance Ferrara. Through the Duke's urbane conversation with an envoy arranging his next marriage, Browning reveals jealousy, aristocratic entitlement, and murderous possessiveness without direct confession. Its polished iambic pentameter, rhymed couplets, and conversational enjambment create a chilling contrast between courtly refinement and moral corruption, placing the poem at the center of Victorian experiments with voice, irony, and historical imagination. Robert Browning, a major Victorian poet, was fascinated by the hidden motives of speakers and by the expressive possibilities of persona. His wide reading in history, art, and Italian culture—deepened by travels and by his lifelong engagement with Renaissance subjects—helped shape the poem's setting and texture. Browning's interest was less in narrative event than in consciousness: the way language inadvertently exposes character, power, and guilt. This edition is highly recommended for readers interested in poetry, literary form, and the psychology of authority. Brief yet inexhaustible, My Last Duchess rewards close reading and remains essential for students of Victorian literature, dramatic monologue, and the darker arts of self-revelation.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.3 (18)
Includes Amazon, Goodreads
GenrePoetry
Length7 hrs 56 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMay 7, 2015
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1My Last Duchess (Complete Edition) (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5Author Biography
Show all chaptersShow less
6Introduction
7Robert Browning by G.K. Chesterton (pt. 1)
8Robert Browning by G.K. Chesterton (pt. 2)
9Robert Browning by G.K. Chesterton (pt. 3)
10My Last Duchess
11Analysis
12Reflection
13Memorable Quotes
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