My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning and "The Colonel" by Carolyn Force are two poems written a century apart, but are alike and different in several ways. Both of these men are wealthy, proud, and controlling, but these characteristics come about through different events and lifestyles.
One of the traits the Colonel and the Duke share is they are both wealthy men. The Duke has a sense of wealth in his nine hundred year old name that he inherits through royalty in his family. This alone shows his wealth right away. He also receives money through his previous marriage to the Duchess. In this period, the woman's father would give a dowry to the husband to help them start their new lives. Similarly, the Colonel also appears to be wealthy. There is a gold bell that sits on the kitchen table, which they use to call the maid. The colonel and his family are eating rack of lamb and drinking good wine for dinner. The writer also mentions the Colonel having a parrot, which is an exotic and expensive pet. On the other .
hand, they have gained their wealth in two very different ways. The Colonel appears to have worked hard and earned the wealth he has. The Duke does not seem to have earned the wealth he has. He believes that he should be respected because of his family, money, and power.
Both the Duke and the Colonel are also very proud of themselves and everything they have. Yet their pride comes from two different aspects. The Duke carries a high-ranking position. He shows the portrait of his late wife to his future son-in-law and seems to enjoy telling the story of how he ordered his wife's death. The Duke takes great pride in his accomplishments regarding his dead wife. He also states that his wife should feel privileged to share his nine hundred year old name of which he is very proud. He is also very arrogant of his collection of paintings and sculptures. On the other hand, the Colonel is an established and probably a very well respected military leader.
