My Last Duchess

Poem My Last Duchess is commonly cited as a dramatic monologue example. It originally showed up in Brownings Dramatic Lyrics in 1842. The poem is composed of 28 iambic pentameter rhymed couplets. The poem takes place in late Italian Renaissance times. The speaker who is most likely the Duke of Ferrara is showing his potential wifes familys emissary (perhaps a third or fourth as Browning could have easily put second but chose not to do so) around his houses artwork. He pulls back a curtain to expose a photograph of a woman that he says is of his late wife and encourages his friend to sit and admire it.