Theme of Marriage in Poetry Essay Example

Marriage can be both a blessing and a condemnation. It can come with many pros including parties, presents, and fun. Marriage can increase income while extending life, and children will have better educational opportunities and economic well-being. Marriage can also be a deception, it can create false interpretations including failure. Society makes us believe that being married is a big achievement and it pushes teenagers to believe that they are failures if they don't get married. It can also create many arguments and as you get older, your marriage can go south and take a turn for the worse. The speakers in both poems, “To My Dear and Loving Husband” and “My Last Duchess,” demonstrate that they have significant differences in their attitudes towards marriage

The speaker's view of marriage in “To My Dear and Loving Husband” is that love is the most valuable and precious thing there is. Throughout the poem, she expresses that love is worth more than possessions and wealth. She also regards that her love will be eternal and endure. “I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, Or all the riches that the East doth hold” (Bradstreet 5-6). This idea suggests that she is very passionate about her love for her husband. Annie emphasized that she loves her husband more than any gold or precious wealth in the orient. Anne also emphasizes that she appreciates her loving husband and that she prizes her eternal life over her temporary life on earth. “The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.

Then while we live, in love let’s so persevere, That when we live no more, we may live ever ” (Bradstreet 10-12).  This idea suggests that they want to love each other faithfully while they are alive, so that they can live and love forever in heaven.

The speaker's view of marriage in “My Last Duchess” is that love is not worth the selflessness that is compulsory. The Dutch in the poem, display that he values his family's name over the love for his wife. He also shows that he does not value love. “ Or blush, at least. She thanked men,-- good! But thanked Somehow -- I know not how -- as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody’s gift ” (Browning 25-34). His dignity does not allow him to obtain the duchess contempt towards his name. He also doesn't know how the Duchess thanked these other men for these simple gifts. Throughout the poem, the Dutch further display that wealth, dignity, and power are more important than marriage. “--E’en then would be some stooping: and I choose Never to stoop ” (Browning 35-44). The Dutchman displayed that he would not lower his status because of forgiving his wife's very friendly behavior. He further believes that he is above every one.

Both poems, "To My Dear and Loving Husband" and "My Last Duchess" show that the speakers have opposing views on marriage. In the poem “To My Dear and Loving Husband” the narrator views marriage as something that is blissful and like nothing else. Anne believes that love makes you consolidated as if you are one person. Contrasting, The narrator in “My Last Duchess” regards marriage with no value but instead values things as possessions. The Dutch values his wife as a possession and values materialistic stuff and wealth over her. He believes that the material world is more important than spiritual life.