"My Last Duchess" and "Ulysses"

Paper Summary:

This paper draws comparisons and notes differences between two poems, "Ulysses" (Alfred Lord Tennyson) and "My Last Duchess" (Robert Browning). The paper shows how both Robert Browning and Alfred Lord Tennyson chose to express their work in the form of a dramatic monologue. Browning writes about the Duke of Ferrara, who is speaking to a servant of his potential father in law. Tennyson's poem concerns the Greek epic hero Ulysses, who, in spite of his old age,speaks of his wish to embark on one last adventure.

From the Paper:

"Robert Browning writes from history, referring to the Duke of Ferrara, who was suspected of arranging the murder of his wife. In Browning's poem, the Duke is looking for another wife. His interlocutor is the servant of a Count, whose daughter the Duke wishes to marry. By contrast, Tennyson evokes the epic tale of the eponymous hero, but was not inspired by Homer. He instead writes in correlation with the version of Ulysses life told by the Italian poet Dante in his poem Inferno. Ulysses is speaking after his return to Ithaca, and he tells the reader of his dislike of his more sedate retired life as King of Ithaca. Ulysses passionately expresses his wish for one last adventure, explaining Tennyson's view that old age is not necessarily a time to wind down and reflect on past glories."

More papers on "My Last Duchess" and "Ulysses":

• Analytical Essay # 6785 : "Victorian Poets"
• Poem Review # 84929 : "My Last Duchess"
• Analytical Essay # 144084 : "Browning's "My Last Duchess"

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