Analyse the character of Duchess from the poem "My Last Duchess"-

Though the poem, My Last Duchess by Robert Browningis an unfogettable dramatic monologue of the Duke of Ferrara, but by his conversation with he Envoy of the Count, we get a fair idea of the character of Duchess also. She appears to have been a frank, good-natured, lovable woman. What the Duke thought to be her vulgarity was infact her amiability; what he looked upon as silly in her was her simplicity; and what appeared to him childish in her nature was really child like innocence. As Phelps observes - "She was really a frank, charming girl, who came from a happy home; a bright and eager bride, who was one of those lovely women whose kindness and responsiveness are as natural as the sunlight......"

             The Duchess was completely ignorant about the Duke's unscrupulousness and pride. She seemed to have been naturally kind and responsive. She did not differ the common people from her husband. She had smiled and blushes ready for every one. She liked everything she saw and was readily pleased:
                    "She had
      A heart - how shall I say? - too soon made glad,
      Too easily impressed; she liked whatever
       She looked on, and her looks want everywhere."

              It was quite natural for her to love the beauties of nature, to accept simple gifts from others and to thank them, and if course to be made love to her by  her husband. It was only the Duke's own wrong and exaggerated sense of stuff dignity which made him regard the simplicity of her nature as childish. His jealousy blinded him of her frank open nature:
         "She thanked men, - good;but thanked
    Somehow - I know not his - as if she ranked
     My gift of mine hundred years'old name
     With anybody's gift."

           We can well imagine how beautiful lovable woman bearing such an admirable nature must have felt crushed by her dictatorial and unscrupulous husband who knows only to patronize everybody round him and who is incapable of understanding a different nature from him.

              We can also well imagine how she was bewildered and disheartened into death. All her smiles frozen altogether by the cold disapproving and domineering conduct of the Duke:
        " .......she smiled, no doubt,
    Whenever I passed her; but who passed without
    Much the same smile? This grew; I gavecomments
     Then all smiles stopped together."

             Though the Duchess was very much tender, gentle, amicable and obliging to everyone, but the wrong judgement of the Duke snatched away the life from her.