london and my last duchess comparison essay

What Would Iago Do?

Aqa power and conflict- ‘my last duchess’ and ‘london’.

This series of blogs is based around the incredible tweets posted by Macbeth Insights (@Gcse_macbeth) on poems to compare with ‘My Last Duchess’. I don’t intend to go into the minutiae of structure and language analysis but intend to focus on the higher order comparative ideas that I want my Year 11s to use to enhance their analysis. Any mistakes are my own (as are any brilliant sparks of analytical genius. Just saying.)

Both poems show how inequalities in power always seem to victimise women . It is women who suffer in the transaction of power with men who want ownership over their bodies — whether aristocracy or street prostitutes .

• In ‘MLD’, the Duke portrays his misogynistic tendencies through his biased depiction of his hapless “last duchess”.
• He tells us “[t]hat’s my last duchess”, immediately evoking his sense of ownership through the possessive pronoun “my”. He believes she belongs to him and his tone presents how his victimisation of her is a result of him being a product of a patriarchal society where his authority over his wife would have been absolute.
• The pronoun “that” implies the Duke sees her as an object, which she now literally is, having been reduced to a piece of art that viewers can admire. Arguably, she has become subject to the male gaze, a feminist concept presenting the dehumanisation of the female as she no longer has agency and must be viewed through the lens of the male and admired for her beauty, physique, aesthetic or other narrative that allows the male to control the viewer’s perception of her. Here, the Duke presents her as unfaithful, even unmanageable to the viewer thereby justifying his “commands” that resulted in her “smiles” being “stopped altogether.”
• The adjective “last” implies she’s one of a number: we notice that it makes a sham of his “as long as we both shall live” marriage vows and indicates the life and death power he has over the woman in his life.

Whilst the Duke exerts his power over a ristocratic women signifying that even the wealthy and well-born women are not exempt from the power and victimisation of the patriarchy , Blake depicts the plight of the more obvious victims of society.

• In Blake’s ‘London’, his reference to the “youthful harlot” is almost grotesquely despairing as it implies her lack of a future before she has even had a chance for one. Her youth should represent her on the cusp of womanhood, making choices that lead to a socially acceptable future involving marriage and motherhood. Instead, Blake criticises the poverty, desperation and lack of opportunity due to the rising unemployment caused by the industrial revolution that have colluded to lead her into a life of early prostitution; a hard life and one usually foreshortened by disease, violence or childbirth.
• The “harlot’s curse” reflects her anger at her fate. A “curse” could mean she is swearing- a rather ‘unladylike’ attribute indicating her outcast status: what need does she have of ladylike attributes when the doors to a lady’s future are closed to her? Alternatively, it could foreshadow a blight on future generations as she “[b]lasts the new-born infant’s ear” indicating Blake’s criticism of the vicious cycle of prostitution young women were forced into as what hope would a “new-born” have bred in such circumstances?
• Both the “harlot” and the “Duchess” are victims of inequalities between men and women in terms of circumstance and society. In both cases, the patriarchy has the absolute power to manipulate perceptions of them so that viewed through the lens of the male gaze, they are simply receptacles of male desire to be outcast or even killed when they no longer conform to the ideals desired by society. Despite the Duke’s attempt to manipulate the audience, it becomes evident that the duchess is a victim of an abuse of power and a result of the inequality in society, just as the “harlot” is.
• Their lack of names further dehumanises them, referencing only the roles they occupy from the highest in the land to the lowest. They should be world’s apart yet their fates unite them as victims.

Both poems show how power that is gained through title or heritage typically ends up in the hands of the wrong people — the monarchy behind their “palace walls” in ‘London’ and the Duke in his castle.

• In ‘MLD’, the Duke mounts his “last Duchess”, she is “painted on the wall”, as a trophy and symbolic of the power he wields over his wife. By positioning her there, he directs and controls those who see her and controls the narrative his chosen audience is fed. Being “painted” could be the Duke’s belief that his wife was a harlot too- paint being a reference to make-up, worn more often by whores- not in the literal sense where she sold her body for money, but in his belief that she was unfaithful to him. Perhaps Browning is criticising the blatant abuses of power in the wrong hands as the Duke’s evidently are. His “nine-hundred-years-old name” is symbolic of the family’s long-standing wealth and status but being born into power clearly does not equate to being good with power and this lack of goodness results in the victimisation of women- those most vulnerable to the vicissitudes of patriarchal power.
• In contrast, in ‘London’, Blake’s criticism of the monarchy is more pointed but equally symbolic of the power and responsibility it holds. He states that the monarchy’s responsibility “[r]uns in blood down palace walls”, suggesting its culpability, in his view, for the state of the city that he loves. However, whilst the Duke proudly displays his “painted” trophy, the monarchy hunkers down and hides behind its walls but its guilt is painted on those outer walls nonetheless. Whilst the Duke accepts and even flaunts his power over his dependent, the monarchy holds its silence but the “blood”, symbolic of its failings, represents its accountability regardless.
• The walls of the buildings both the Duke and the monarchy occupy are symbols of their power, therefore, anything represented on each, becomes a symbol of the abuses of their power and the victimisation they enact upon those who depend upon them for their very lives.

That’s it for this time, let me know your thoughts. Next up will be ‘My Last Duchess’ with ‘Ozymandias’.

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4 thoughts on “aqa power and conflict- ‘my last duchess’ and ‘london’”.

what grade is the writing above written at? I’m in year 10 and doing my GCSEs next year and wanted to get the higher marks, so I was wondering.

Hi, I’m an English teacher and have written it to extend the knowledge of Y11 students. This blog would be very useful to help reach for the top grades.

can anyone help on writting how the poems london and my last duchess present the abuse of power i am really stuck

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London and My Last Duchess: GCSE Poetry Comparison and Sample Essay

London by William Blake and My Last Duchess by Robert Browning both feature in the AQA Power and Conflict anthology for GCSE English literature. They are fascinating poems containing some difficult themes, not least poverty, corruption, murder, gender-based violence… and the conflict that arises from the misuse of power.

London is often seen as one of the most difficult poems to analyse and compare in the entire anthology. While it certainly can be challenging, there are loads of links you can make with the other poems. To help kickstart your thinking, I’ve written a sample essay comparing London with My Last Duchess .

If you’re feeling uncertain about either of these poems, it’s helpful to listen to a reading first (there’s plenty on YouTube ). After you’ve listened to the poems, there’s a great guide to My Last Duchess available on SparkNotes as well as a fab discussion of London and it’s themes by the rapper Akala.

Here it is:

Once you’ve familiarised yourself with the poems, come back to this essay. Have a read through and think about how you’d improve it. Does it meet the AQA assessment objectives ? And if not, why not?

Ready? Let’s go.

In London , William Blake explores ideas about the abuse of power. Compare this with one other poem of your choice ( My Last Duchess ).

In London by William Blake and My Last Duchess by Robert Browning, both poets delve into the theme of the abuse of power. While Blake focuses on the misuse of power by individuals in “palaces” and “churches” through his depiction of London, Browning presents a personal exploration of a wealthy Duke’s potential involvement in the murder of his wife.

In London , as the narrator walks through the “chartered” streets, he observes “marks of weakness, marks of woe” on every face he encounters. This powerful statement suggests the people of London are trapped in a perpetual state of misery. The word “mark” can also be interpreted metaphorically as a brand, symbolising how people are forcibly marked and confined to their societal positions. Instead of a powerful capital, London becomes a backdrop for widespread suffering with people held-back by their own “mind-forged manacles” as well as those in power. The repetition of words like “every” emphasizes the scale of this affliction, while auditory imagery captures the cries and fears of every individual, regardless of age or social standing.

Similarly, My Last Duchess explores the misuse of power, but from a gender-based violence perspective. The poem begins with the possessive pronoun “my” in reference to the Duke’s deceased wife. This indicates his desire to claim her as a possession, much like the artwork adorning his walls showcasing his wealth and control. The Duke’s focus on the reputation of artists, such as “Fra Pandolf” and “Claus of Innsbruck, reveals his prioritisation of their fame over the woman in the painting. While Blake presents the abuse of power in terms of economic and social divisions, Browning portrays it through gender dynamics. The Duke’s description of the “faint half-flush that dies along her throat” creates a sinister tone, employing fricative alliteration and words (such as “dies” and “throat”) semantically associated with murder.

Blake’s narrator expresses shame over the stark contrast between the powerful and the impoverished within the city. In contrast, the speaker in My Last Duchess exudes pride and arrogance about his own power. Browning skilfully reveals the Duke’s underlying insecurities with his long monologue, however, leaving readers questioning the extent of his true power. He ironically states that even if he had “skill in speech”, he wouldn’t stoop to say “just this or that in you disgusts me; here you miss, or there exceed the mark”. His inability to express his emotional needs suggests the woman held true power in their relationship. Sadly, this conflict culminates in the ultimate abuse of power, when the Duke recalls “then all smiles stopped together”. This short, declarative statement implies the Duchess was killed at his behest.

In Blake’s poem, short declarative sentences also highlight the abuse of power. When he describes how “the hapless Soldier’s sigh / runs in blood down Palace walls,” the vivid metaphor of dripping blood symbolises the sacrifices of the poor to safeguard privileged palace residents. The additional juxtaposition between the “cries” of child chimney sweepers and the ringing of church bells further reinforces the image of the powerful (in this case, religious elites), suppressing the populace.

Both poets also use structural devices to reinforce themes of power and its misuse. Blake’s meticulous observations of London are heightened by the regular alternate rhyme scheme and carefully constructed quatrains. The ABAB rhythm mirrors his fastidious steps as he observes each street and its inhabitants. Moreover, each stanza builds on the previous one. The first stanza focuses on misery, the second on people’s inability to challenge power, the third on the sacrifices made by the poor, and the final stanza presenting a bleak view of the destructive power of corruption (“How the youthful Harlots curse / Blasts the new-born Infants tear / And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse”). Similarly to London’s strong narrative voice, in My Last Duchess , Browning uses caesura and enjambment to create a dramatic monologue that vividly mimics the flow of the Duke’s thoughts. Despite his apparent lack of self-control (ranting at length), the poem maintains a regular rhyming structure with rhyming couplets and iambic pentameter. This adds another layer of facade to the Duke’s character. Like the poem itself, he appears carefully-composed on the surface but harbours more sinister intentions and abuses of power beneath.

Over to you…

This essay is missing a conclusion and context about each poem. How would you finish it off?

Here are some notes on context to help… good luck!

My Last Duchess: Context

Robert Browning was a poet in the Victorian period. His family were very wealthy, but he never felt comfortable with elite London society. Despite the disapproval of both sets of parents, Browning travelled to Italy to marry his love and fellow poet Elizabeth Barrett. They were unable to marry in England because of Elizabeth’s overprotective father in particular.

• Can you link controlling male figures with the events in My Last Duchess?

My Last Duchess is loosely based on the real Duke of Ferrara (Alfonso II d’Este). In 1558 (at the age of 24), he married Lucrezia di Cosimo de’ Medici, the 13-year-old daughter of Cosimo I de’ Medici. Lucrezia was well-educated, and the Medicis were considered “nouveau riche” in comparison to the venerable Este family.

• How does this deepen your understanding of the poem? Hint – Alfonso II d’Este’s remark regarding his gift of a “nine-hundred-years-old name” clearly indicates he considered his bride beneath him socially.

Lucrezia came with a sizeable dowry . Despite this, the Duke of Ferrara abandoned her two years before she died on 21 April 1561, at age 16. Although there was a strong suspicion of poisoning, it’s likely the cause of death was tuberculosis. The poem is written from the Duke’s perspective, spoken to an unknown messenger about his next marriage.

• What does this reveal about the conflicts in the Duke’s character and how much he really cared for his wife?

London: Context

William Blake was a Romantic poet in the Victorian/Georgian period. He wrote many poems in two anthologies titled Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience . The Songs of Innocence poems were often simple, naive and positive. Conversely, the Songs of Experience poems were often cynical, bitter and pessimistic.

• Can you guess which anthology London featured in? Why do you think this?

London was published in 1794, when child labour, poverty, death, disease and malnutrition were all high in English industrial cities. Women also had very little rights and the poorest in society were often forced into prostitution to earn a small living. The industrial revolution resulted in many people moving from the countryside into cities, to work in large factories for low wages. William Blake’s poetry often angrily argued against this capitalist corruption and exploitation.

• What references to exploitation, corruption and problems in society do you see in the poem?

This period witnessed the French Revolutionary Wars: a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802, resulting from the French Revolution. During this revolution, the French people overthrew and executed their king. The revolution was meant to ensure equality and freedom for all in society. This contrasted with Britain, a country with an established monarchy and aristocratic classes firmly in power. The wars pitted France against Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and several other monarchies.

• Do you think William Blake is encouraging people in England to throw off their “mind forged manacles”, just like the French?

More  Power and Conflict  sample poetry essays:

• A comparison of  Exposure  and  Charge of the Light Brigade
• A comparison of  Storm on the Island  and  The Prelude
• A comparison of  Ozymandias  and  Kamikaze
• A comparison of Tissue and The Émigrée

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My Last Duchess Summary & Analysis by Robert Browning

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

“My Last Duchess” is a dramatic monologue written by Victorian poet Robert Browning in 1842. In the poem, the Duke of Ferrara uses a painting of his former wife as a conversation piece. The Duke speaks about his former wife's perceived inadequacies to a representative of the family of his bride-to-be, revealing his obsession with controlling others in the process. Browning uses this compelling psychological portrait of a despicable character to critique the objectification of women and abuses of power.

• Read the full text of “My Last Duchess”

The Full Text of “My Last Duchess”

      FERRARA

1 That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall, 

2 Looking as if she were alive. I call 

3 That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands 

4 Worked busily a day, and there she stands. 

5 Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said 

6 “Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read 

7 Strangers like you that pictured countenance, 

8 The depth and passion of its earnest glance, 

9 But to myself they turned (since none puts by 

10 The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) 

11 And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, 

12 How such a glance came there; so, not the first 

13 Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not 

14 Her husband’s presence only, called that spot 

15 Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps 

16 Fra Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps 

17 Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint 

18 Must never hope to reproduce the faint 

19 Half-flush that dies along her throat.” Such stuff 

20 Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough 

21 For calling up that spot of joy. She had 

22 A heart—how shall I say?— too soon made glad, 

23 Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er 

24 She looked on, and her looks went everywhere. 

25 Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast, 

26 The dropping of the daylight in the West, 

27 The bough of cherries some officious fool 

28 Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule 

29 She rode with round the terrace—all and each 

30 Would draw from her alike the approving speech, 

31 Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked 

32 Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked 

33 My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name 

34 With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame 

35 This sort of trifling? Even had you skill 

36 In speech—which I have not—to make your will 

37 Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this 

38 Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss, 

39 Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let 

40 Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set 

41 Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse— 

42 E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose 

43 Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt, 

44 Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without 

45 Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; 

46 Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands 

47 As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet 

48 The company below, then. I repeat, 

49 The Count your master’s known munificence 

50 Is ample warrant that no just pretense 

51 Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; 

52 Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed 

53 At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go 

54 Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though, 

55 Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, 

56 Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

“My Last Duchess” Summary

“my last duchess” themes.

The Objectification of Women

• See where this theme is active in the poem.

Social Status, Art, and Elitism

Control and Manipulation

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “my last duchess”.

That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,  Looking as if she were alive. I call  That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands  Worked busily a day, and there she stands.  Will’t please you sit and look at her?

I said  “Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read  Strangers like you that pictured countenance,  The depth and passion of its earnest glance,  But to myself they turned (since none puts by  The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)  And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,  How such a glance came there; so, not the first  Are you to turn and ask thus.

Lines 13-19

Sir, ’twas not  Her husband’s presence only, called that spot  Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps  Fra Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps  Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint  Must never hope to reproduce the faint  Half-flush that dies along her throat.”

Lines 19-24

Such stuff  Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough  For calling up that spot of joy. She had  A heart—how shall I say?— too soon made glad,  Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er  She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

Lines 25-31

Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,  The dropping of the daylight in the West,  The bough of cherries some officious fool  Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule  She rode with round the terrace—all and each  Would draw from her alike the approving speech,  Or blush, at least.

Lines 31-34

She thanked men—good! but thanked  Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked  My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name  With anybody’s gift.

Lines 34-43

Who’d stoop to blame  This sort of trifling? Even had you skill  In speech—which I have not—to make your will  Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this  Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,  Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let  Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set  Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse—  E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose  Never to stoop.

Lines 43-47

Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,  Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without  Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;  Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands  As if alive.

Lines 47-53

Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet  The company below, then. I repeat,  The Count your master’s known munificence  Is ample warrant that no just pretense  Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;  Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed  At starting, is my object.

Lines 53-56

Nay, we’ll go  Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,  Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,  Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

“My Last Duchess” Symbols

The Painting

• See where this symbol appears in the poem.

The Statue of Neptune

“my last duchess” poetic devices & figurative language.

• See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

Personification

“my last duchess” vocabulary.

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Fra Pandolf
• Countenance
• Munificence
• See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “My Last Duchess”

Rhyme scheme, “my last duchess” speaker, “my last duchess” setting, literary and historical context of “my last duchess”, more “my last duchess” resources, external resources.

Robert Browning's Answers to Some Questions, 1914 — In March of 1914, Cornhill Magazine interviewed Robert Browning about some of his poems, including "My Last Duchess." He briefly explains his thoughts on the duchess.

Chris de Burgh, "The Painter" (1976) — Chris de Burgh (a Northern Irish singer-songwriter, best known for "Lady in Red") wrote a song from the perspective of the Duke of Ferrara about his former wife, in which the duchess was having an affair with Fra Pandolf.

My Last Duchess Glass Window — The Armstrong Browning Library and Museum at Baylor University has a stained glass window inspired by "My Last Duchess."

Julian Glover performs "My Last Duchess" — Actor Julian Glover performs "My Last Duchess" with a suitably dramatic tone of voice. Note how he emphasizes the conversational quality of the poem.

Nikolaus Mardruz to his Master Ferdinand, Count of Tyrol, 1565 by Richard Howard, 1929 — This poem by American poet Richard Howard provides the Ferrara's guest's perspective on the meeting between himself and the duke.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Robert Browning

A Light Woman

Among the Rocks

A Toccata of Galuppi's

A Woman's Last Word

Confessions

Home-Thoughts, from Abroad

How they Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix

Life in a Love

Love Among the Ruins

Love in a Life

Meeting at Night

Pictor Ignotus

Porphyria's Lover

Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister

The Bishop Orders His Tomb at Saint Praxed's Church

The Laboratory

The Last Ride Together

The Lost Leader

The Lost Mistress

The Patriot

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Women and Roses

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Rethinking ‘My Last Duchess’

• Article contents
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• Supplementary Data

Stefan Hawlin, Rethinking ‘My Last Duchess’, Essays in Criticism , Volume 62, Issue 2, April 2012, Pages 139–159, https://doi.org/10.1093/escrit/cgs006

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THERE IS NO KNOWN SURVIVING AUTOGRAPH of ‘My Last Duchess’ so we cannot confirm what seems highly likely: that it was composed without any arresting title at the top of the page. When first published in the sixteen-poem pamphlet Dramatic Lyrics (1842) it was called simply ‘I. – Italy’ and paired with another poem ‘II. – France’, under the collective heading ‘Italy and France’. 1 It was part of a poem-pair, in other words, a favourite device of Browning's, especially in the 1840s, by which the interaction between two poems sets up a ‘dialectical argument… a progression of understanding, a creation of knowledge or awareness, which happens as a result of reading them together’. 2 Curiously, just at the point where they acquired their familiar titles, ‘My Last Duchess’ and ‘Count Gismond’, in Poems (1849), Browning broke their explicit bond. These new titles, and indeed the subtitles ‘Ferrara’ and ‘Aix in Provence’ (which replaced plain ‘Italy’ and ‘France’), were signposts to the so far unresponsive reading public, hints designed to close up the original gaps between the titles and the poems. Yet the decision not to maintain the linkage seems to anticipate the ways in which, in general terms, each poem has been treated separately from the other in twentieth century criticism.

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AQA Poetry - London and My Last Duchess Comparison

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

29 February 2024

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AQA Power and Conflict Poetry:

• A slide describing London and My Last Duchess
• Quote explosions for 3 main quotes per poem
• Clear comparison between the 2 poems - 6 paragraph essay plan

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Ozymandias and London Essay

Q. Compare how the writers present ideas about power in London and one other poem from the anthology.

Both London and Ozymandias explore cruelty. In Ozymandias, Shelley tells the story of a traveller who comes across a statue of an ancient ruler. Shelley makes clear the ancient ruler looked down on his people by writing ‘sneer of cold command’. This imagery helps the reader to imagine the facial expression of the statue, which gives the reader an indication of the kind of ruler Ozymandias was. Shelley’s use of the word ‘sneer’ implies that Ozymandias looked down on his people. Shelley’s use of the words ‘cold command’ suggest that he was a heartless, unkind ruler who did not show any warmth towards his people. Shelley uses Ozymandias as an example of other cruel leaders, such as King George, King of England at the time Shelley was writing, who did not use their power to look after their people. In London, Blake demonstrates that the poor people suffer from the cruelty of their leaders by writing that they are in ‘mind-forged manacles’. This imagery helps the reader to imagine that the poor people are in chains and are trapped. The chains in this image symbolise how trapped the poor people feel as a result of having no money or opportunities. Blake uses his poem to criticise people in power for allowing this cruelty to continue.

Both poems explore misuse of power. In Ozymandias, Shelley makes clear the ruler was arrogant by writing that he had the words ‘king of kings’ written on the base of his statue. Not only did Ozymandias misuse his power and his country’s money to have a statue erected for himself, but he also chose to describe himself as the best king on the base of the statue, which indicates how arrogant he was. Shelley criticises Ozymandias for being arrogant, as this is not a good quality in a leader. Leaders should use their power to help others, not to put up statues that celebrate how powerful they are. Shelley uses the arrogance of Ozymandias to criticise other leaders, such as King George, who was king of England at the time Shelley was writing. In London, Blake criticises the church’s misuse of power by describing it as ‘blackening’. Blake’s use of the word ‘blackening’ associates churches with funerals because black is the colour many people wear when they attend funerals in churches. Perhaps Blake does this in order to criticise the church for not doing enough to help poor people, and poor children especially, who worked in terrible conditions in factories and up chimneys. Many of these people died as a result of the terrible and unsafe working conditions. The colour black could symbolise the church’s responsibility for their deaths. Although he was a religious man, Blake was angry with the church for not doing more to stop poor people from being exploited in this way.

Both poems explore nature and humankind . Shelley makes clear Ozymandias no longer has power by describing his statue as a ‘colossal wreck’. This imagery helps the reader to imagine that the statue has been destroyed and lies in pieces on the sand. Shelley’s use of the word ‘colossal’ represents how huge Ozymandias’s power was when he was still alive. Shelley’s use of the word ‘wreck’ not only helps the reader to imagine the destroyed statue but also refers to how little power Ozymandias still has. Shelley gives the reader a very clear message about the power of nature versus the power of humankind.Through the fact that the statue has been destroyed by nature, Shelley clearly indicates that nature is far more powerful. In contrast, humans are more powerful than nature in London. In the opening stanza, Blake describes the River Thames as ‘chartered’, which indicates that even the river, which is something natural and should be owned by everyone, is owned by the wealthiest people in London. Blake’s repetition of the word ‘chartered’ emphasises the anger he feels about the charter system, which resulted in large parts of the city, including the river, being owned and managed by the wealthy people, leaving nothing for the poor. Blake uses his poem to challenge inequality in London at the time.

Both Blake and Shelley use their poems, ‘London’ and ‘Ozymandias’, to expose the ways that power has been abused by leaders of Empires new and old.

Both writers highlight how the populace suffer under cruel leaders. In ‘Ozymandias’, Shelley tells the story of a traveller who comes across a statue of the ancient ruler, Ozymandias (better known as Rameses II). Shelley conveys a sense of the pharoah’s superiority over his people when he describes the statue with a ‘sneer of cold command’. This vivid imagery helps the reader to imagine the disdainful facial expression of the statue, and therefore the supercilious attitude of the ruler himself. Shelley’s choice of the word ‘sneer’ implies that Ozymandias looked down on his people. Furthermore, the 'sharp 'C' sound in the alliterative phrase ‘cold command’ actually makes the words sound cruel, reflecting the idea of a heartless, unkind ruler who showed no warmth or compassion towards his own people. Shelley cleverly highlights the cruelty of Ozymandias’ rule through his pondering of the ancient statue; arguably though, he also uses the image of ‘Ozymandias’ to reflect on the cruelty of contemporary leaders, such as King George. George III was King of England at the time Shelley (and Blake) was writing; King George was criticised for his reckless spending and failure to look after his people. Unlike Shelley however, Blake does not focus on the cruelty of one ruler but instead highlights the numerous ways that people suffer because of an imbalance of power with the monarchy, church and financial institutions. In the opening stanza of ‘London’ Blake describes the River Thames as ‘chartered’, which indicates that even the river, which is something natural and should be owned by everyone, is owned by the wealthiest people in London. Blake’s repetition of ‘chartered’ emphasises the anger he feels about the charter system, which resulted in large parts of the city, including the river, being owned and managed by the wealthy people, leaving nothing for the poor.

Like Shelley, Blake uses his poem to criticise the people in power who cause or allow this cruel inequality to continue.

Both Shelley and Blake explore the misuse of power in their poems. In Ozymandias, Shelley emphasises the pharaoh's pride and arrogance through the declaration ‘My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings’ written on the base of his statue. Not only did Ozymandias misuse his power and his country’s money to have a statue erected for himself, but the blasphemous boast ‘King of Kings’ suggests that he saw himself as a god-like figure of irreproachable power and status. Perhaps Shelley draws attention to Ozymandias’ self-consumed arrogance in order to emphasise the traits of a tyrant. Good leaders use their power to help others, yet history is full of tyrants who erect great monuments but abuse their power and people. In London, Blake shows that he is appalled by the church’s misuse of power by describing it as ‘blackening’. Blake’s choice of the word ‘blackening’ connotes.death, despair and corruption, in sharp contrast to the light, goodness and hope that Christianity is supposed to represent. Perhaps Blake does this in order to criticise the church for not doing enough to help the poor people (and children) who worked, suffered and sometimes died in terrible conditions in factories and up chimneys. Interpreted this way, the colour black could also symbolise the church’s responsibility for their deaths. Although he was a religious man, Blake’s damning imagery makes it clear that he was angry with the church for not doing more to stop poor people from being exploited in this way.

Whereas Shelley shows that Ozymandias’ power was in the past, Blake’s poem emphasises the ongoing oppression of the poor. For all the pride and arrogance conveyed through Shelley’s portrayal of the great ruler, the bitter irony is that Ozymandias no longer has power. The ancient statue is a ‘colossal wreck’. This oxymoronic imagery perfectly conveys both the ‘colossal’ scale of Ozymandias’s power when alive, and the desolate ‘wreck’ of his statue’s (and Empire’s) remnants. Shelley gives the reader a very clear message that the power of nature and time is more powerful than humankind, and even the most powerful leaders and Empires (Eygptian or British) will fade eventually. This idea of time and nature breaking down man’s power and pride is also reflected in the structure of the poem, as Shelley’s choice of a sonnet with tight rhymes could be seen to reflect Ozmandias’ tight control; however Shelley subverts the conventional rhyme scheme at points perhaps to show that nature and time are beyond humankind’s control. In contrast, Blake’s ‘London’ is very much in the present. He uses four regular quatrains and a tight ABAB rhyme scheme to reinforce the sense of oppression and to show how people feel that the control in London is neverending. Furthermore, Blake demonstrates how the poor are oppressed by the ongoing cruelty of the rich and powerful through the metaphor of ‘mind-forged manacles’. This emotive imagery helps the reader to imagine and pity the poor people in chains. Because Blake describes the chains as ‘mind-forged’ he draws attention to the mental anguish of a multitude who suffer due to social and financial constraints. Unlike physical chains, these bonds cannot be easily removed; the poor are so accustomed to hardship and poverty that they see no possibility of change. Perhaps Blake creates this sense of control and ongoing oppression to expose the imbalance of power in late 18th century London and maybe to provoke the reader’s sense of injustice. Unquestionably, the two poems show that the abuse of power has always been an issue, as those in power continue to oppress the poor for their own gain.

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My Last Duchess and La Belle Dame Sans Merci Comparison

Coursework        Power Dynamics In The Two Love Poems        Due 05 February, 2009

My Last Duchess and La Belle Dame Sans Merci are two poems that explore a wide range of power dynamics that result from love. Patriarchal power is a key theme that is explored in these two poems, with conflicting views on each. La Belle Dame sans Merci tells of a sorry tale of how a knight, a typically powerful figure, is cast away by a woman who had no love for him. This theme is almost mirrored in the other poem; however the other poem, My Last Duchess seems to exert a more male perspective, focusing more on patriarchal power. A women to Her Lover, seems to be a blend of the two poetic styles of the previous two poems, as it both states the various patriarchal powers, and then proceeds to tear down these beliefs, and also tear down the conventions which were typically seen as the norm of the day.

The title of the poem is typically an indicator of what to expect from the poem, and in what vein it will be written. My Last Duchess is no exception as it immediately gives the reader a sense that the narrator, The Duke, see’s his late wife as a possession. He refers to her with the possessive pronoun ‘My’ to try, it appears; to regain a certain degree of control over her. This wanting of control is further explored when he says that ‘The curtain I have drawn for you,’ which portrays the sense that he feels he is the one who is giving others the right to see his wife. During the Renaissance (a period which Browning based his characters society as) was a time that was largely seen as patriarchal, and so the duke would typically want to conform to this norm. Furthermore, it may be this possessiveness that leads to his jealousy when she is seen as accepting a ‘bough of cherries’ from someone who he regarded as an ‘officious fool’. He also felt that she had a heart which was ‘too soon made glad’ and that it wasn’t only her ‘husband’s presence’ that she appeared to crave. These lines seem to be the Duke commenting on how her rather flirtatious and outgoing nature, not typical of women in that period, displeased him greatly. Furthermore, it seemed that he wanted her to end this affiliation with the other people, and this gave rise to the suspicion that he killed her, to end the constant barrage of seeming embarrassment and discomfort from his wife’s various exploits.  

In those days there were always certain classed that would always be prejudiced against. Therefore, this incidence could have been regarded as his wife trying to exert some egalitarian power, by making the ‘officious fool’ feel like an equal, and also by riding round on a ‘white mule’, something which was often seen as a past time of the poor, as they could not afford to buy a proper horse. This form of power did not seem to go down well within the constraints of the love relationship. The duke seemed particularly afraid of this form of power as he proceeded to mention the fact that he thought that she felt that she ‘ranked’ his ‘nine-hundred year old name’ with anyone’s ‘gift’. This shows that he feels that the social classes should stand as they are. This is quite ironic, as this is set in the Renaissance period where it was said that people were becoming more scientific and were ready to embrace new ideas. This is at odds with what actually happens in the poem, with the man defecting to the typical view of women being ‘slaves’ to the men, but during a very socially obligated period.

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As well as this, the poem also manages to explore the power of love itself. This is shown with the infatuation of the widowed husband over the picture, as is demonstrated when the Duke believe that there is ‘depth’ in the painting, and that the women portrayed in the painting still holds some ‘passion’ for him. This could either be the power of the love, or, in fact, the power of the painting. This could, however, represent the actual mentality of the Duke, as he falls in ‘love’ with a painting of a woman who is deceased. This displays the underlying power of the love that had blossomed between these two individuals, and how the power of the painting was so influential that up to this point (in the poem), he still feels the attraction of the painting. However, this is at odds with what he says later on in the poem, written using enjambment to make it a more conversational style, when he talks about how he ‘tamed’ her, and rather uncharacteristically he uses a metaphor, perhaps to inject some frivolity into the proceeding so as to avert any fear of being caught. However, he also mention ‘I gave commands’, perhaps referring to getting her killed, and then he goes on to say that ‘all smiles stopped together’. This form of power could also be regarded as patriarchal power or perhaps more accurately as sheer male strength over the opposite gender.

The poetic techniques used are also pivotal to understanding what types of power are being explored. A key feature used in the poem is the iambic pentameter, which is a meter typically associated with a more male poem, due to the stressed single syllable at the end of a line. This is often attributed to the fiercer and fierier poems, which are to be said with an earnest, thus it being seen as a more masculine form of rhyme. As well as this enjambment is used, meaning that all of the lines follow on from each other, giving the poem a more conversational tone. This is quite odd, as the Duke himself comes across as a very contrite kind of person, but this could be due to the Duke trying to appear more powerful in his own home, or estate, meaning hierarchal power is something that is quite high up on his agenda, probably because he feels that hierarchal power is the only way he could have got this relationship.

Overall, this poem is mainly based on patriarchal power, and despite the fact that it does include a few instances of other forms of power, such as egalitarian power, patriarchal power seems to take an overbearing role. It is written from the perspective of someone very high up on the social ladder, and thus would include references to this form of power, inherited, or hierarchal power. La Belle Dame sans Merci on the other hand is a poem which almost admits to a person of rather high importance, the knight, being led astray by a woman. This poem is set in the medieval period. Various power dynamics are explored throughout the poem, mainly the various struggles between the desire of the man, and the simple want of pleasure for the woman.

The atmosphere is largely controlled by the weather displayed in the poem. This poem first begins by thinking of the power of nature and how this seems to coincide with the mood of the narrator, creating a pathetic fallacy. He is described by the visitor as ‘alone’ and ‘palely loitering’, and to add to the rather sombre starting, the atmosphere is seen as in the winter, where the ‘sedge’ has ‘withered’ away ‘from the lake’. This displays how the rather somber natural world seems to effect on his recovery from his painful loss of his girl. The weather seems to dampen his spirits and this is almost confirmed when it says that ‘no birds sing’, or that there is no sign of happiness. This power is quite strong as it is unavoidable, and can have an effect on his love for the woman as he may ponder on the relationship more. However, this is only one power dynamic that may have an effect on his love for the woman, and his overall love outlook. This power is far less prominent in ‘My Last Duchess’ with the atmosphere merely created through the dramatic monologue. Also, the main atmosphere is created through the ranting of the Duke.

A woman’s power over a man is not often accredited, however it is brought to light in this poem with the woman who he (the knight) see’s as a ‘faery’s child’, or in essence a woman with an abundance of beauty. This power of the woman over him may have resulted in him becoming quite ‘haggard’ and ‘woe-begone’ meaning his gradual degrading of state, because of his insistence that ‘she did love’ him, even though he believes she does, although she never explicitly stated those words, and this is backed up later in the poem when he admits she said it in a ‘strange’ ‘language’, which he believed said that she ‘love[d]’ him, even though it was quite plain to see that she did not in fact love him, but was there to be pleasured. This shows that the woman used her power to manipulate what was the result. However, another power that is used to some extent, is matriarchal power, on a more philosophical sense, as the knight imagines the lady wearing a ‘garland’ that could be seen as him trying to believe that the ‘sacred’ woman is still angelic, however, this is contradicted when he describes her as ‘wild’ and that he could only ‘shut her eyes with kisses four’. This shows that he had such an infatuation  with his prospective wife that he looked past these slight niggles, as he was blinded by the power of love, which is essentially what under lied all of the events that occurred in the whole poem. The first poem on the other hand instead looks at the woman as someone who should be at the hand of the man to answer to his every need, not someone who should be able to have fun when she wants, and in this poem the woman is allowed to freely go, whereas in the first poem, she comes to an arguably, sinister end. Furthermore, in ‘My Last Duchess’ the woman is not given much power except those that come with the name, and of course her egalitarian power. Apart from this, ‘My Last Duchess’ has few similarities with this poem with regards to the way women are treated; aside from the fact that the knight believes she should be obedient to him.

Strangely, it seemed that hierarchal power was of not much importance to the two, as despite the promise of power, the woman still left him ‘alone and palely loitering’. This was also unconventional, rather like most of the events that occurred in this narrative, where the woman didn’t jump at the option of gaining some power, but instead just left him. It seems that the woman was just there for the power of the promise of being made love to, but not hierarchal power. Instead this poem seems to focus only on the aspects of love, unlike the first poem which makes sure that the reader is aware of the hierarchal integrity that is needed. This is at odds with ‘My Last Duchess’ which focuses heavily on how the status brings power to the family, and it is essentially this that makes the Duke so incensed by the bad behavior of his wife.

However, this poem doesn’t use the masculine pentameter, instead it has the last two syllables unstressed, which gives the impression of having a much softer, and morose feel to the poem, which is quite suited to the overall theme of the poem. This is in stark contrast to the more conversational, but still fiercer style of the first poem.

Conclusively, the power dynamics explored in the first poem are far more diverse, and it appears that there are much more powerful components involved in the rather complex relationship, and it showed the power of the relationship that the man was ready to kill, or silence his wife. This is contrary to the second poem where the knight seems to be rather constrained and polite at all times, and in this case it is the woman who has control over the man, unlike the trends of the time. Overall, the power dynamics behind love in the first poem varies greatly; largely going down to hierarchal power, but the second poem is a relationship of courtly love, which is not based on true unabated love.

The third poem is a strange mix of the previous two poems, with both patriarchal and matriarchal poems being discussed. A woman to her lover offers a refreshing insight into the inner workings of a woman’s mind. It begins by listing all the conventions, particularly how males usually dominate society. She openly attacks these conventions, by saying that if he wants to ‘make of [her] a bond slave’ then she simply ‘refuse[s]’ him. This is quite odd, as the poem was written at a time, when everything that she is trying to repress was actually the norm of the day, so it is seen as quite unconventional that a woman is being able to exert so much power of a man, by actively refusing to follow the current conventions of the time. This matriarchal power trying to quell the patriarchal power is evident. This is in stark contrast to ‘My Last Duchess’, where the main forms of power explored are those which are typically more to do with patriarchal powers, in a male dominated society. For example, the Duke feels that she should respect his ‘name’. However, this poem does bear some resemblance to the second poem, in the way that both seem to respect that women do have some power over men, however limited and unconventional it may be.

However, this poem is largely egalitarian power, as it largely displays how men and women should be treated as equals, and this is demonstrated when she pleads to her lover, that she wants to be treated as a ‘comrade’, and a ‘friend’. This shows that this woman firmly believed that she was in an equal position to the man, and, despite it being said otherwise in the unwritten law of the land; the woman feels that she should be at the same level as the man. The narrator uses phrases such as ‘o husband’, and ‘I am yours forever’ to try and show that she has submitted to him, and to try and restore some order, with the male again being the more dominant one. This is surprisingly similar to ‘My Last Duchess’ as both women in the poems try to make them equal with the opposite gender, seemingly oblivious to the opposite gender.

Another key aspect of this poem is the way in which it is written, such as organization, and poetic techniques. Firstly, it is written using enjambment, creating a more conversational style to the poem. This means that the woman does not appear to be dominating too much, and is, as a result, courting him on equal terms, emphasizing the fact that she feels that it should be a ‘level playing field’ for them. It is also quite clever in the way it manages to make the things that it is trying to crack down on come first and then it brings them down by saying what she would actually like. This is clever because it sticks in the person’s mind, and creates a stronger argument. The technique of enjambment is similar to the first poem, where it manages to create a conversational style so as to appear to converse with the other messenger, while realistically the Duke isn’t very sociable. However, none of these literary techniques are echoed in the second poem, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, which is probably due to the problem of both being written in completely different styles, with one being a more sorrowful poem, and the other being a more commanding and endearing poem.

Conclusively, the three poems all share a variety of power dynamics that are all explored. The most common theme was that of which gender was more dominant and which gender was controlled. This was mostly explored in ‘My Last Duchess’ and ‘A woman to her lover’. Inevitably this led on to the topic of equality, and it is in this way that egalitarian power was brought to light. Even ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ explored how the woman and the man were both equal as they could both enter and leave the relationship as they did please. However, poetic techniques were used to further enhance the message of the poem; with all the poems using a different poetic technique to enhance and improve it’s delivery of different love and power dynamics. In the end, the power of love seemed to encompass all the poems, as all three showed how love took control of the.

Document Details

• Word Count 2849
• Page Count 7
• Subject English

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