There are many questions that arise when reading poetry. Its complexity and sometimes, even its simplicity can puzzle the minds of the elect. How does the poet do it? How does the poet take a simple subject and shape it in such a way that it has never been thought of before? For some it is a question of reality, for others the question is one of fantasy. As for me I do not only question the poetry, but the poet himself. What makes a poet write the way he does? How does he come up with characters, points of view, uniqueness, and the situations that take place in his poems? Ideas and worldviews held by the poet, events in history, life experiences "which of these influence the poet most? What situations spark his interest and leads him to create everlasting works of literature? After much thought and research, I have concluded that historical background, personal experience, and family life, all come out in a poet's writing.
Poetry, as well as poets, is influenced by a plethora of ideas and events. Many poets take historical events and create their masterpieces. One of those poets is Robert Browning. Browning is known across college campuses for many of his writings, but one of his most popular poems is My Last Duchess. Has one ever considered what sparked such a dramatic dialogue? What event influenced Browning and held his interest long enough for him to create the poetic conversation of My Last Duchess? My Last Duchess was based on an incident in the life of Alfonso d'Este, the duke of Ferrara in Italy. Alfonso and his wife, Lucrezia had a marriage filled with distrust. Because of unsubstantiated claims of her unfaithfulness, and the duke's controlling nature, Alfonso became suspicious of Lucrezia. When she treated him with the same respect as everyone else, he became resentful, believing that he should be treated better than others because of his noble birth.
