Robert Browning uses dramatic monologue in "My Last Duchess" to reveal the character of the Duke through his own words and perspective. This technique allows for an exploration of the Duke's personality, motivations, and relationships with others through his speech.
In "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning, the reader can tell when the speaker and the listener interact when the speaker reveals jealousy and possessiveness towards his deceased wife, the Duchess. The listener's responses are subtle or implied through the speaker's monologue, creating a sense of tension and unease in their interaction.
The Duchess displeased the Duke by being too easily impressed and showing appreciation for simple things, such as gifts from others and friendly gestures. This made the Duke feel like she did not value his noble title and status as much as she should have.
Browning uses run-on lines in "My Last Duchess" to create a sense of natural speech and to convey the Duke's controlling and manipulative nature through his long-winded explanation of his wife's behavior. This stylistic choice enhances the dramatic monologue form and allows the Duke's character to be fully realized through his own words.
In "My Last Duchess," the listener is silent and passive, while in "Life in a Love," the listener is portrayed as more actively engaged in the speaker's emotions. The listener in "My Last Duchess" serves mainly as a receptacle for the speaker's thoughts, while the listener in "Life in a Love" is shown to have a reciprocal relationship with the speaker.
In "My Brother Paul" by Theodore Dreiser, two elements of narrative nonfiction that can be identified are storytelling techniques such as vivid descriptions and character development. Dreiser uses detailed descriptions and dialogue to bring the characters to life and to engage the reader in the personal story being told.