We know that the Dramatic Monologue won in its category, but what will happen when we put 2 of the dramatic monologue's finest together and tell them to brawl? One's a duke, but one's a king, and a war hero, so who would win? The Duke of Ferrera, the speaker in Browning's My Last Duchess is powerful and wealthy, but also arrogant, with a twisted sense of justice, while Ulysses the speaker and title of Tennyson's poem (I think I'm docking points for the lack of creative title) was once mighty and powerful but is now aging, down but not out. Now while the Duke cannot deny that he has a violent streak a mile wide (He killed his wife-for smiling), it is implied that he is too good and proud and pompous to actually kill anyone himself. But Ulysses, he was in the Trojan war, so would have no qualms about killing, but hasn't had to do anything like that since the war, which was a long time ago. Ulysses is a king though, with an entire army to command, and how much power does a simple Duke of Italy have? How big is Ithaca anyways? I also wonder if Ulysses would actually make it to Italy, he is known for getting lost, and what's his status with the Grecian gods? That would easily determine his fate.
Who would win?
Ulysses
He might not be the youngest or strongest, but at least he isn't a slimy sociopath with a knack for taking people out, like he's the mob or something. Besides kings always beat dukes. It's like a cardinal rule of noblemen.
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