Maymi 1

Enrique A. Maymi Donato

Ingl3104-087

Prof. Camila Aldebol Ruiz

March 3, 2022

Compare and Contrast Essay

The Victorian period occurred during the reign of Queen Victoria where it lasted from

1837 to 1901 where it offered vital poetry where its focus on sensory elements, recurring themes

of religion/science, and its interest in medieval fables and legends. Poets like Robert Browning

Jr. and Edgar Allan Poe penned poetry during the Victorian Age, both succeeded in convincing

readers that their writings explained the very psychological constitution of the protagonists,

which determined their behavioral maliciousness. They also shared writing qualities that include

historical settings, social commentary, dark humor, and irony. "The Raven" and "The Last

Duchess" at the time were the most significant poems of the Victorian era. These authors

implemented a dark humor and ironic style that formed the Victorian Period writings. Although

these authors shared similar styles, there are a few key differences in their writings that made

them standout.

“The Raven” is about a man, who is sitting in his room late one night, reading, falling in

and out of sleep, and trying to forget his one true love, Lenore that passed away. This short story

displays how the character in the poem is filled with insanity/madness. For example, the quote

"And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor shall be lifted - nevermore"

(Lines 107-108), explains that the character was feeling tormented by the bird he has let into his

home and now feels like its shadow is keeping his soul held hostage, like a prisoner. By
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emphasizing madness throughout the poem, this poem relates to “My Last Duchess” because it

focuses on the obsession and loss of love. In the poem "My Last Duchess," the narrator murders

his wife because she in his eye’s flirts with other guys by blushing and smiling even though she

cannot control blushing at other people and is simply smiling to be courteous. The narrators on

both short stories demonstrate qualities a dark, mad, and psychological breakdown between the

protagonists. Likewise, the two short stories are written under the assumption of who is telling

the story, since neither poem specifies who is speaking and the short stories are told in first

person point of view.

We learn in "The Duchess" that the narrator is jealous and controlling, punishing his

wife's innocent behavior with severe consequences such as death; however, in "The Raven," the

narrator is almost punishing himself by repeatedly asking the bird questions, knowing that the

only response he will get is "nevermore." Another notable difference that can be seen between

the two poems is that the narrator in "My Last Duchess" is moving on and looking for a new

love, whereas the narrator in "The Raven" has not been able to overcome his lost love's death.

"My Last Duchess" narrator wants readers to comprehend that he has power and that he will

utilize it. It is crucial to him that you understand that he is superior to you, as evidenced by his

bronze statue of Neptune taming a seahorse. It is evident from reading "The Raven" that the

narrator does not believe he is above everyone, especially his long-lost love. It's crucial to note

that, despite the many contrasts between Poe and Browning's poetry, their poems and writing

styles have a lot in common.

Poe and Browning's poems certainly show the madness of two men, whether or now not

love induced this insanity is up for debate. Throughout Poe's poem "The Raven", the narrator he

has gone from feeling nervous, to screaming at a bird, to turning into the prisoner of the bird.
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Within Browning's poem "My Last Duchess", the narrator murders his spouse due to the fact she

in his eyes flirts with others by using blushing and smiling, even though she can't manipulate

blushing and is smiling to be courteous. While there are many apparent differences between Poe

and Browning's poems, there are a few key similarities that can be found, one being that each

narrator are men who possess many characteristics of being "mad". A key difference between

these two poems is that the narrator in "My Last Duchess" used to be mad earlier than the poem

and continues to be mad after the poem, whereas in "The Raven" we watch the gradual

respectable of the narrator into a state of madness. Poe and Browning take two very one of a kind

yet similar approaches to telling a story of a man gone mad and the loss of a love.
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Works Cited

“Victorian Era Poetry Characteristics & Salient Features.” Victorian Era,

victorian-era.org/victorian-era-poetry-characteristics.html#:~:text=Victorian%20poetry

%20definition%20Poetry%20written%20during%20the%20reign,and%20its%20interest%20in

%20medieval%20fables%20and%20legends.

Poe, Edgar Allan. The Raven. New York: Grove, 2003. Print.

"The Raven - Poem by Edgar Allan Poe." Famous Poets and Poems - Read and Enjoy

Poetry. Web. 10 Apr. 2011.

<http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/edgar_allan_poe/poems/18848>.