However, in Salome there is a suggestion that the main character knows they are doing something wrong, but are lacking to act upon it. During stanza three Salome considers that she “need to clean up her act”. Although the main character is not seen to change her behaviour she considers what needs to be done, and admits that she is doing wrong. On the contrary in Hitcher the main character is never seen to admit that they did wrong, or that they consider changing their ways. They are also seen to remain anonymous, suggesting that they feel some guilt, but are not willing to show it. Within both poems the victim of the violence is unknown to the main character, suggesting slight cowardliness in the main character.
In My Last Duchess however, the victim is known to the main character, suggesting that the man is bolder, or more likely to gain reputation from his acts. The vocabulary that Browning uses in the poem is often figurative and fancy language that can sometimes shadow the meaning underneath.
On the other hand Hitcher is a direct poem and doesn't like to hide behind figurative language, as if the world the events happened in was an uncommon fairyland. The differ in the two poems suggests that the Duke in My Last Duchess wants to appear courageous and bold but is feeling slight remorse for the Duchess who he killed, as he often uses phrases such as “then the smiles stopped altogether” which, although tells the reader what happens, tells them so in a roundabout way, and is not precise on the details. Hitcher uses direct language such as “I let him have it – once with the head”. This gives the reader more detail and makes it seem as if the main character is not wanting to cover up the truths beneath figurative language.
Salome seems quite similar to My Last Duchess. Although the language is different, the context achieved is closely the same, and tells that the violent act is a repeat event. Although Salome seems quite remorseless, the Duke seems to be feeling guilty. His character seems happy but the vocabulary he uses suggests that he is not telling the whole truth, or that he doesn't want to face up to the whole truth. Whereas in Salome the vocabulary used is quite straight forward, direct and to the point. This tells the reader that Salome is very open about it, and not ashamed of the acts she has done, nor feels any remorse for the men.
The Man He Killed is very contrasting to all three of the other poems. Whilst the main characters in these show little or no remorse, the soldier depicted seems plagued with guilt.
“Had he and I but met
By some old ancient inn,
We should have sat us down to wet
Right many a nipperkin!”
The soldier feels that due to the war he has killed many a man. He tells that if the circumstances were different then they would still be alive, and maybe they would be friends. Whilst the soldier contemplates that in a different situation, the actions would have been different, the other three main characters are more willing to commit the act, and move on without a backwards glance.
In both Hitcher and My Last Duchess the language is very relaxed and casual. The main characters are laid back and seem unplagued by a conscience. Although the two situations are different the characters both seem to have the same attitude towards what has happened and seem casual about the whole idea. The poets use phrases such as “I dropped it into third” to make the events in the poem seem normal, and not out of the ordinary.
However it can be thought that both characters feel guilt for what has happened. Whilst the Duke seems shadowed behind his figurative language the main character in Hitcher remains anonymous and never fully reflects on what he has done.
Although all poems are based upon the theme of violence/violent individuals each poem tackles the poem in their own way. Whilst one poem looks on a character who is openly full of remorse, the others seem to be unwilling to show the remorse, or just don't feel sympathetic at all. Even amongst these the vocabulary changes portraying difference in inner feeling between the characters.
