FREE ESSAY ON MY LAST DUCHESS AND DOVER BEACH

MY LAST DUCHESS AND DOVER BEACH

Intro to Literature
Paper II . 
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. 
. 
Bibliography
Book = Literature
an intro to reading and writting 5th edition
Authors = Edgar V. Roberts Henery E Jacobs