Robert Browning: Poems
Why did the Duke refer to Naptune ?
Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess"
Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess"
Like Neptune, god of the sea, the Duke saw his role with the Duchess as one of a god. The statue he refers to depicts Neptune taming a sea horse, which is exactly what he believed his role had been with the Duchess. He'd intended to tame or break her.
My Last Duchess