1. Social Status:
- "My Last Duchess": The listener is the Duke's confidant, a less powerful individual who appears to be attentive and deferential to the Duke.
- "Life in a Love": The listener is the speaker's beloved, someone on an equal footing with the speaker in terms of social status.
2. Engagement with the Speaker:
- "My Last Duchess": The listener is largely silent, serving as a passive recipient of the Duke's monologue about his deceased wife.
- "Life in a Love": The listener is actively engaged in the conversation, responding to the speaker's questions and making observations.
3. Emotional Response:
- "My Last Duchess": The listener's emotional response to the Duke's story is not explicitly mentioned.
- "Life in a Love": The listener displays emotions throughout the poem, expressing concern, empathy, and a deep connection with the speaker.
4. Function within the Poem:
- "My Last Duchess": The listener acts as a device for the Duke to share his perspective and reveal his character.
- "Life in a Love": The listener is an integral part of the poem, representing a shared experience and contributing to the emotional depth of the conversation.
These differences in the listeners shape the tone and dynamics of each poem. "My Last Duchess" presents a monologue with a power imbalance between the speaker and the listener, while "Life in a Love" conveys a more intimate and reciprocal exchange between two individuals.