My Last Duchess

A dramatic monologue differs from a soliloquy in that a listener is present on the stage. A monologue differs from a dialogue in that the listener never speaks. In a staged drama, however, the listener might respond to a monologue in all sorts of nonverbal ways that would communicate his or her feelings or even ideas and beliefs. “My Last Duchess” is a poem rather than a play; it takes place on the stage of the reader’s imagination. Who is the person spoken to in this poem and why is he there? In what ways does the Duke seem to modify his words to fit the status of his visitor? How do you imagine the visitor might be reacting to what he hears and why? Write a short essay in response to these questions.