Behind the Curtain: Reclaiming the Duchess in Browning’s Monologue

This article offers a feminist re-reading of Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess,” traditionally studied as a masterful dramatic monologue. Drawing on feminist theories by Toril Moi, Laura Mulvey, Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar, and Adrienne Rich, the study interrogates the patriarchal power structures embedded in the Duke’s narrative. Through close textual analysis, the article reveals how the poem silences and objectifies the Duchess and frames her within a male gaze that reduces her to a visual and narrative possession. However, feminist theory allows for the reclamation of her agency by reading her silences as acts of quiet resistance. The study further reflects on the pedagogical value of feminist interpretations in re-centring marginalized voices in literary texts. It concludes by identifying directions for future research, including speculative feminist rewritings, intersectional readings, and classroom applications. Ultimately, the article calls for an ethical, inclusive engagement with canonical literature that challenges inherited hierarchies of voice and authority.