Thursday, January 7, 2016

I need explanation of these lines from "My Last Duchess".She rode with round the terrace all and each Would draw from her alike the approving...

The Duke acknowledges that he lacks skill in expresssing
himself. He says, "Even had you skill in speech which I have not..." Therefore his
entire explanation of what he objected to in his wife's behavior is difficult to
understand. He did not complain to his wife about her democratic and friendly manners
for several different reasons. He couldn't express himself. He felt she might fail to
understand him if he did managed to express himself adequately. He was afraid she would
argue with him, which was something he couldn't tolerate. He was afraid she wouldn't
change even if she did understand him. And finally, he himself seems perfectly well
aware that his fault-finding is unjust. She is a better person than he is, by far, and
he wants to be a better person than her or than anybody. But there is nothing admirable
about this man. He tries to be cordial, but he is hopelessly arrogant. He thinks he is
noble, but he is ignorant and vulgar, as shown in the fact that he cannot even express
his thoughts clearly. He thinks of himself as a connoisseur of art, but all he knows is
how much things cost and the impression they make on other people. He had a beautiful
young wife who was nearly perfect in every respect, and he could not understand or
appreciate her--although everybody else loved and admired her. She was getting the
attention and adulation he wanted for himself.

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