Examining the Unconscious in Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess"

Sigmund Freud's lecture on "Fixation to Traumas – the Unconscious" explores the

psychological aspects of trauma and how it impacts individuals. Through the analogy of two

women, Freud demonstrates how traumatic experiences are hinged on past traumas, even though

in the cases of the women, most of them could not identify the cause of their trauma. In this

presentation, Freud seeks to present the argument that mental predeterminants may be in action

in such traumatic events, but they are not brought to the conscious. In essence, Freud believes

that some actions may result from unconscious aspects (Freud 3354). For instance, the two

women are traumatized but cannot identify the cause of their trauma. This demonstrates that

some processes in the human mind are unconscious. Robert Browning's poem "My Last

Duchess" can be examined as a literal work that supports the Freudian argument of the

unconscious. A close examination of the speaker's use of language demonstrates that the

duke may be a victim of unconscious processes, causing the trauma he may be

experiencing.

The duke resists psychic knowledge in the first place by presenting himself as a self-

possessed and controlled man. As he describes the painting to the envoy, he tries to demonstrate

his sophistication and wealth by mentioning the artist who painted the Duchess's portrait and

focusing on the artist's artistry. In the third and fourth lines of the poem, the duke refers to the

painting as a wonder and extolls the painter's work. He says, "That piece a wonder, now; Fra

Pandolf's hands/ Worked busily a day, and there she stands" (Browning 3-4). In a sustained

repetition of the artist's prowess and excellent skills, the duke constantly refers to the artist as a

way of resisting the psychic knowledge of the traumatic events troubling him. He tries to draw
his attention away from the face of his former Duchess to the skillfulness of the painter, but even

though he cannot resist the unconscious's mental processes.

The duke’s language in the poem suggests some aspects of trauma. He borders on some

hurtful experiences, which can only be detected in his choice of words and use of language. The

duke reveals his jealous character when he describes the signs of happiness in the portrait. He

assumes that the painter might have complimented her so that she evoked the blush of happiness

captured in the painting. The calm and controlled nature of the duke seen in the first place is

slowly deteriorating, especially when he begins to show his jealousy. He says, "Sir, 'twas not/

Her husband's presence only, called that spot/ Of joy into the Duchess' cheek; perhaps/ Fra

Pandolf chanced to say, "Her mantle laps/ Over my lady's wrist too much," or "Paint" (Browning

13-17). In these lines, he describes the Duchess's flirtatious nature, claiming that she did it in the

presence of everyone and, perhaps, the painter's presence.

The gap exhibited in the duke’s use of language indicates psychic disturbances. He

harbors jealousy, mainly because his wife is flirtatious with everybody. The fact that he is

concerned with a "spot of joy" in the Duchess's portrait reveals that he is a disturbed man. It

seems like he was obsessed with the Duchess and thus the obsessional behavior he exhibits.

From the Freudian assessment, it is arguable that mental processes were in place when the duke

was examining the painting; it is only that it was not brought to his consciousness. As exhibited

in the lecture, concerning the woman's analogy, Freud states, "Mental processes had therefore

been at work in her, and the obsessional action was the effect of them; she had been aware of this

effect in a normal mental fashion, but none of the mental predeterminants of this effect came to

the knowledge of her consciousness" (Freud 3354). The fact that the speaker is talking to an
invisible interlocutor demonstrates that he is a mentally disturbed person. He reveals that his

insecurities and jealousy might be his deeper motivations.

In conclusion, it is evident that Robert Browning's poem "My Last Duchess" lends some

credibility to the Freudian argument that the motivations for an individual's traumas may be from

their unconscious. In his analogy, Freud demonstrated that the women in his experiment could

not note the cause of their trauma, but most of them occurred when their unconscious was

triggered. Similarly, the agitation of the duke is a result of his jealousy, particularly of his former

Duchess's social or flirtatious nature. He complains that he smiles at everyone, which seems to

trouble him. He is particularly concerned about the painter who brought a spark to the Duchess's

face, stating that he might have complimented him on evoking such a reaction. Through such

presentations, it is evident that the speaker is mentally troubled.

Works Cited

Browning, Robert. “My Last Duchess.”

Freud, Sigmund. “Lecture XVIII: Fixation to Traumas - the Unconscious.” Introductory

Lectures on Psycho-Analysis, 1920, pp. 3351–3374.