How does Browning convey the different voices of the speakers in “The laboratory” and “My last duchess”
Browning conveys the different voices of the speakers in two of his monologues by presenting them differently but as having certain shared qualities. In “The Laboratory” the woman is presented as the wife of a man with many mistresses “Pauline” and “Elise” yet she is not given a name; this shows that she is not in full power or control of her situation unlike the voice in “My last duchess” who is presented as “the duke of Ferrara”. He is in control because his title “duke” conveys power and so does his use of “my” and”me” throughout the poem such as in “they would ask me” this communicates to the reader that the dukes opinion is highly valued by everyone around him and that he considers it worth hearing .The duke is far less aware of the listener than the woman in “The Laboratory” for example “”.
Browning conveys the woman in “the laboratory” as mysterious because she creates mystifying visual imagery as when she describes the “faint smoke curling whitely”, she speaks with passionate hatred such as when she says “devil’s smithy” this hatred is directed towards a unknown person at first , “which is the poison to poison her , prithee?”. Browning creates an image of a woman full of life rejoicing in death of the one “who laughs at me [her-the voice]” and so the loathed one is still unknown. The passion in the voice is conveyed through visual imagery of “tears [that] flow” which shows the voice is full of emotion and comments such as “fled to the drear empty church” this adds to the mystery since religion and devoutness are entangled in a deadly concoction.
This is a preview of the whole essay
Teacher Reviews
Here's what a teacher thought of this essay
When looking at two poems in the same essay you must try to link them throughout the essay; look at the use of structure, language and form and how they are used in similar and different ways to create certain effects. 4 Stars