Robert Browning: Poems

Why did the Duke refer to Naptune ?

Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess"

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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.

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My Last Duchess