My last duchess (analysis)

My Last Duchess" is a dramatic monologue, which takes place in the Italian renaissance and the persona in this poem is Alfonso II, duke of Ferrera. The incidents take place at the staircase where the duke is addressing an agent about his late wife, duchess Lucrezia while looking at her portrait. The duke's agenda with the agent is his wish to marry the daughter of the count of Tyrol. The poem is written in iambic …

…certainly not to the degree of total seclusion from everyone but the husband. The fact that Browning loved and cherished his wife Elizabeth Barrett Browning tells us that the poem is not based on his own character, but maybe the father of his wife. He was very possessive of his children and it is also said that he forbade his children to ever get married and made it impossible for them to lead normal lives.