my last duchess

• The poem adopts the dramatic monologue form and uses a poetic voice as the speaker is Duke Alfonso II who ruled Ferrara,and he speaks about the Duchess who died
• 'that's my last duchess' this takes off with a conversational tone, the personal pronoun 'my' shows that he is showing her off. This also shows that she is the most recent and will have more in the future
• 'looking as if she were alive' this highlights how he is glorifying her, but he is glorifying the painter not her.
• 'i call that piece a wonder' he is objectifying her, showing she is better as a painting than her being alive, glorifying the painter
• • form and structure : -unobtrusive rhyming couplets show intelligence/ language capacity- broken syntax betrays emotions -circular structure (begin and end with art) -dramatic monologue (gradual revelation)
• 'that piece a wonder' objectifies yet glorifies her, shows that she is better as a painting than her being alive.
• 'will't please you sit and look at her?' Duke is in sole control of who sees her. People haave to look up to her and he is obsessed with her
• themes: martial conflict, political and social power, the corrupting elements of power
• this poem shows that power can be used to oppress anyone
• 'if they durst' shows that he has power over others and people are scared oh him, so as a consequence wouldn't dare as him about the painting
• 'since none puts by the curtain i have drawn for you' shows he has complete control of who sees her, only wants the painting to himself
• 'her husbands presence only, called that spot of joy into the duchess' cheek' highlights that she is only able to gain joy from her husband, showing he has complete domination of her life
• 'her looks went everywhere' he has power over who she looked at, has control of her movements, she is being oppressed and controlled over
• the painting allows the Duke it have power over her even in death
• 'my gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name' shows he holds staus and power within society, boastful about it. He also believes he is better than everyone she looked at, his name being a gift to her
• 'who'd stoop to blame' shows that he is always thinking about how he could have controlled her, he tries to remove the possible guilt her has. This line shows that he wont lower himself to talk to his wife, as e believe that she is far below him and incapable of rational thinking.
• 'i gave commands; then all smiles stopped together' uses an euphemism for her murder, shows the power he has- being able to kill without consequenc. This line changes the focus back to the painting, trying to divert the subject. This also shows the power he has over her being able to control her every move
• 'Notice Neptune' the metaphor shows he views himself as God-like, being able to control all things due to the power he holds. It shows his pride and status
• 'broze for me!' ending the poem with the phrase 'for me' shows that everything is in his ownership and that everything is for him.
• 'taming a sea horse' shows that he is taming her
• Poems to compare with

  Ozymandias- shows the corruption that comes with power

  London- how power has control over so many things- lack of power produces suffering

  Checking out me history- both show how power is used as oppressive
• 'she had a heart - how gladly' shows that he was happy when they first got married but now he wants rid of her because she didnt fit into his life anymore