The Cruel and Unusual Duke

     
    The Duke is a person who saw much fault in his wife. There were many things he saw in her that displeased him. It often makes the reader wonder how they even got to the point of marriage. Line number 45 states "This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands as if alive." This statement by the speaker suggests that he did something to get rid of his wife, which can be assumed was a violent or cruel act. However, throughout the poem, the reader may observe that the Duchess annoyed in more subtle, peculiar ways. On line number 22, the author writes, "A heart - how shall I say? - too soon made glad, Too easily impressed;" This statement suggests an idea of annoyance from the speaker. A flaw of being "easily impressed," is one that is commonly thought of by people who are annoyed by the person they are criticizing. The fact that the speaker chose to classify his dead wife this way shows that he is not going to mourn her death, but instead enjoy the fact that he can point out her flaws freely. Secondly, the speaker says on line 32 "Somehow - I know not how- as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody's gift." This statement by the speaker shows that the Duke was angry with the Duchess because his gift was not valued over the gifts of other men. She did not show extra appreciation for the Duke's gift and that enraged the Duke. These two are great examples of how the Duchess angered the Duke.