Gender Expectations and Power Constellations in Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess"

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The narrative centers around a Renaissance duke who engages in a seemingly benign conversation with a count's envoy regarding a marriage proposal. As he attempts to portray himself as cultured and benevolent, the atmosphere shifts dramatically when he comments on a portrait of his late wife, hinting at a dark secret—his possible involvement in her death. This tension between appearance and reality explores themes of power, jealousy, and the sinister undercurrents of noble life, revealing the complexities of human relationships.