How do Brownings poems - Porphyria's Lover and My Last Duchess - tell us about the position of women in previous centuries? Was this a reflection of Browning's personal view?
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Robert Browning's poems give us an insight into the way men considered women in previous centuries; and the conclusions are actually quite shocking.
From 'My Last Duchess', it is made perfectly clear that the Duke considers his wives as little more than possessions that are able to be disposed of if less than perfect. He says at the beginning of the poem; 'That's my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive'. He shows not a trace of remorse for his act and it is even as if the painting means more to him and is more valuable than his real wife when she were alive.
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Robert Browning's poems give us an insight into the way men considered women in previous centuries; and the conclusions are actually quite shocking.
From 'My Last Duchess', it is made perfectly clear that the Duke considers his wives as little more than possessions that are able to be disposed of if less than perfect. He says at the beginning of the poem; 'That's my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive'. He shows not a trace of remorse for his act and it is even as if the painting means more to him and is more valuable than his real wife when she were alive.