Dover Beach And My Last Duchess Essay, Research Paper

My analysis of the setting in My Last Duchess and Dover Beach At first glance

the setting of a poem is the psychological and physiological environment in

which the story takes place. In some instances, the setting is used to develop

the characters. Robert Browning and Matthew Arnold use the setting to expose

their character traits. ?My Last Duchess? and ?Dover Beach,?

respectively, portray the weaknesses of the characters using elements from the

setting. The text, page 629 and 630, tells us that the setting in ?My Last

Duchess? displays a valuable art form that exposes his greed and cruelty.

?Dover Beach? demonstrates changeability and impermanence. The speaker?s

solution is to establish personal fidelity as a fixture against change,

dissolution, and brutality. Even though the text tells us the main use of

setting in these two poems, I believe that many individual words used in the

poems help describe the surroundings and the feelings that the speaker is trying

to get across. Robert Browning, the author of ?My Last Duchess?, uses the

setting to show the Dukes greed, cruelty, and jealousy. The development of the

setting begins with the Duke showing an agent for the Count of Tyrol the

curtained picture of his deceased Duchess. Count of Troy sent an agent in order

to see if the Duke is worthy to marry his daughter. The fact that he keeps the

picture behind closed curtains and deems it a privilege to view the Duke?s

last Duchess illustrates his possessiveness and greed. ?She thanked men–good!

But thanked somehow–I know not how–as if she ranked my gift of

nine-hundred-years-old name with anybody?s gift?. This line lends to the

setting by showing his greed and how he places himself above other men according

to his possessions and can not believe that she had the audacity to place ?the

Duke? in the same category as other men. The physical setting of this poem is

revealed by phrases such as ? That?s my Duchess painted on the wall? and

words like ?curtains? and ?Duke?. ?Duke? itself makes one think of a

beautiful castle with priceless furniture and art work. The use of curtains to

cover up the Duchess? picture implies that the Duke is hiding something. The

phrase mentioned above informs all that the Duke?s past wife is dead and that

by putting her picture on the wall shows the love and devotion that he had for

her and will have for his future wife. Where the words of the Duke imply that he

shows dedication and warm heart for the Duchess the setting reveals the true

character of the Duke. ?Dover Beach? is a poem written by Matthew Arnold and

was first published in 1849. The physical setting is described as a moon lit

night by a calm sea. In the distant background the speaker describes the cliffs

of England as he looks across a tranquil bay. The author is setting up a

romantic scene for two people in love. The waves give both a mental and physical

setting for the poem. ?Listen! You hear the grating roar of pebbles which the

waves draw back, and fling, at their return, up the high strand, begin, and

cease, and then again begin, with tremulous cadence slow, and bring the eternal

note of sadness in.? Here, Arnold begins using the setting to describe the

characters and their traits. The phrase ?begin, and cease, and then again

begin? is indicative of the characters changing state of mind; to like then

dislike, to love then hate then love again. The use of ebb, flow, and misery

makes the night and the relationship between the lovers appears dark and

chaotic. Through his depiction of the eroding shores of the earth, Arnold

describes the constant changes in the relationship and the continuous changes of

their feelings towards each other. Lines 20 and 21, ?the Sea of Faith, was

once, too, at the full, and round earth?s shore,? describe the erosion of

not only the land but the relationship of the couple, too. The wind, waves, and

sounds that you hear along the beach, obviously the physical aspects of the

setting represent the emotional ties of the lovers. The speakers description of

a land of dreams having, ?neither joy, nor love, nor light, nor certitude, nor

peace, nor help for pain:? is one were the relationship has nothing hidden and

the roar of the waves on the beach reflect relaxation instead of confusion and

controversy between the couple. Being confused the couple does not know if they

are fighting to keep the relationship going or fighting in order to end the

relationship. The setting described in the last three lines using words such as

struggle, flight, clash, and darkling plan allows the reader to understand the

confusion in the couples life Where Browning uses the setting to reveal the

characters greed and cruelty, Arnold uses the setting in ?Dover Beach? to

expose the lover?s struggle in their relationship. Both poems? settings

reveal the weaknesses of their characters and allow the reader to draw a mental

picture of the situations faced by the characters in the poems?. The use of

setting in a poem emphasizes the author words and character development. Setting

not only describes the physical surroundings; it also describes the mental

though of the characters in a poem.