The Victorian period extends from 1832-1901 during a time of great change and encompassing literature. The middle-class Victorians pride themselves on their ability to solve social problems. During this era, rapid urbanization and a lack of measures safeguarding young workers cause serious problems to surface such as economic depression, widespread unemployment, famine in Ireland, and deplorable living and working conditions. Victorian decorum places an emphasis on the conviction that life may improve if it steadily becomes more refined, rationally organized, better policed, and safer. Advances in science and technology convince nineteenth century intellectuals and reformers that human efforts can overcome all material problems. Writers wonder if their culture really advances by any measure. Over the century, the trust in the transcendental power becomes eroded, giving way to uncertainty and doubt. Late-Victorian writers then turn to a passionate exploration of the human struggle against indifferent natural forces. Victorian writings begin to reflect the dangers and benefits of rapid industrialization and themes of good and evil. For example, the Duke in "My Last Duchess" and the lover in "Porphyria's Lover" act boldly but for selfish and perverse motives.
"Browning, in spite of his extra ordinary gift for expressing emotion, has hardly produced works purely and unconditionally delightful," (Santanya 2T). In Browning's poem of "My Last Duchess", readers finally begin to understand what is virtuous and healthy, when love nourishes, and when and why it kills. Robert Browning's writings not only portray the good of passion, but also the evils of love. His imagery in general derives its force from its physiological truth, showing the depths to which Browning's imagination can pierce. In this dramatic monologue, the self-deceived hypocrite exposes his ugliness in the very midst of his self-esteem; humble, self-depreciating man or woman does not succeed in concealing the spark of divinity shining in his bosom. Her innocence and his arrogance and selfishness may represent the themes of good and evil. The Duchess, as a gracious and charming woman, remains misunderstood and unappreciated. Browning tells the story as the speaker and other characters directly. He allows the speaker to indirectly reveal himself, the other characters, and the situation by dropping clues that the readers must piece together. The poem begins as the duke refers to his duchess as "...my lady" and says, "That's my last duchess painted on the wall...the depth and passion of its earnest glance (the painting..." He shows affection towards her [good]. The tale of his wife's murder [evil] becomes apparent but only after Browning reveals his jealousy.
The diction of "My Last Duchess" gives example to the evils of the duke's intent. Thee narrator states, "...paint must never hope to reproduce the faint half flush that dies along her throat." In doing so, he foreshadows the evil of her death. He begins by speaking of her flaws that which in actuality, another may never consider. He speaks of her 'courtesy" and his "gift" of his name or how she may remain "trifling." His Jealousy really shines through as he tells of a "bough of cherries some officious fool brought in the orchard for her."
The duke claims that no previous actions of his does he consider unjust and without reason. He states his purpose remains for his "last duchess." As he writes of the "master's known magnificence," as good reveals itself once again. "I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together. There she stands as if alive." In the last line of the poem, the duke states, ". . . notice Neptune, though, taming a seahorse . . . which/cast in bronze for me." The taming of the seahorse indirectly symbolizes the duke "taming" his wife. Browning once again examines the evils of love.
Unlike the Romantic poets, as Browning writes "Porphyria's Lover", his subjects show neither a happiness nor an unhappiness, but love as an experience whose reality intertwines with its ideal or physical performance. Mary Ellis Gibson describes his writings as ". . . quite controversial." In the poem, the reader must determine if the speaker is lovesick or genuinely disturbed. With a tone of fondness, the speaker begins by saying, "I listened with heart." He goes on and continues to say, ". . . but passion sometimes would prevail . . . for love of her, and all in vein," as he creates a sense of regret.
Even so, at this moment, it becomes hard for the reader to determine an emotion for the speaker. After finishing it, an emotion lies questionable. Does he kill her out of hatred or a twisted sense of love?