A Comparison and Contrast of “Are You Digging on My Grave” and “My Last Duchess”, Essay Example

Victorian England produced some of the most remarkable verses in the history of English literature and Thomas Hardy’s Are You Digging on My Grave” and Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” are quintessential pieces of that era. They both rely on revelations of the narrator for their dramatic movement, but Hardy’s tone is far lighter than Browning’s in these verses.

The Victorian Wit

Both of these poems rely on narrative wit to bring across their meaning: the dialogue in “Are You Digging on My Grave” between the dead woman and her dog and the monologue in “My Last Duchess” are both marked by strong revelations – sometimes humorous, sometimes dark – of the personality and character of the speaker. The girl in the narrative, very concerned about her “loved one” and “nearest and dearest kin” (Greenblatt 801) is revealed to be somewhat shallow, while the Duke in “My Last Duchess” reveals the murder of his wife when he says “I gave commands/ then smiles ceased altogether” (823).

The Difference in Tone

The biggest difference between these two poems lies in the tone: Hardy’s poem is light, with the dog admitting “..I dug upon your grave/ to bury a bone” (801) while the murderous Duke, for all his suavity and humor, admits “I choose never to stoop” (823). There is a sort of understated darkness to Browning Duke, whereas Hardy’s dog is much more playful and light-hearted, even if, like much Victorian poetry, there is a certain sadness in the lines.

Work Cited

Greenblatt, Stephen. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. 2. New York and London: 2000