my last duchess

• Lucrezia de 'Medici married duke Alfonso II of Modena and Ferrara when she was 14, in 1558. He abandoned her for two years before she died on 21 April 1561, age 17, of pulmonary tuberculosis, however there were rumours that he poisoned her. the duke then married Barbara.
• written in 1842 when Victoria was on the throne
• it is a circular narrative as it starts and ends talking about the duchess
• 'my last duchess' is possessive and shows the objectification of women, as if she is his property.
• 'looking as if she were alive' is praising the painting. also provides a backstory as we now know she is dead.
• 'last' makes the reader wonder how many wives he has had, and whether he's intending to have more. also has two meanings, as it could mean previous or final duchess.
• Browning presents the duke as someone who could mistreat or even kill women, but Browning uses irony to make sure the reader picked up on the hidden meaning.
• the duke talks in well expressed, articulated speech.
• written in iambic pentameter
• 'will't please you sit and look at her?' is a command, not a question. he uses controlling, imperative words as he is a very high status and is aware of it, so takes advantage of this.
• the rhyming couplet of 'since none puts by/the curtain I have drawn for you, but I' emphasises possession.
• 'the curtain I have drawn' shows how only he can move the curtain - she is trapped. he still controls her in her death, showing his jealousy.
• 'if they durst' hints at the rumours surrounding his wife's death, the emissary is reluctant to ask about the portrait, as he is intimidated by the duke.
• In the poem, the Duke is speaking to an emissary who is negotiating the Duke's next marriage to the daughter of another powerful family.
• 'twas not her husband's presence only, that called that spot of joy into the lady's cheek' shows that the duke is annoyed that other people can make her happy too. suggests ideas of patriarchy and how he sees himself as 'man of the house'. shows him as jealous and self-righteous.
• 'fra pandolf' is most likely a monk, however the duke suggests he was flirting with the duchess which only reinforces ideas about him being overcontrolling and possessive.
• 'dies along her throat' hints at her later death and possible poisoning.
• the reader understands that the duchess' behaviour was courtesy, however the duke thought it was signs of sexual attraction.
• 'too soon made glad' shows how he thought he behaviour was excessive and wanted to rein her in.
• long, extended sentences show his anger and emotions bursting out due to pace of speech
• 'her looks went everywhere' shows her as naive and innocent, however the duke portrays her as indiscriminate, looking at other men.
• the 'dropping of the daylight in the west' suggests a drop in innocence once the sun went down. conveys his general jealous madness.
• 'some officious fool' is threatening as it suggests he is flirting with the duchess.
• 'white' has connotations of innocence or rarity
• a 'mule' is less prestigious than a horse
• 'the approving speech' shows her pleasant nature is taken for a flirtatious manner - the duke is prone to jealous imagination.
• he feels undermined and taken advantage of by the duchess
• 'I know not how' shows how he expects everyone to agree with him
• a 'nine-hundred-years-old name' shows how he gifted her title and status, something old and valuable, and expects obedience in return.
• 'who'd stoop to blame' is ironic as he insults and berates her even after her death, shows how he thinks he had the right to stop unnecessary gratitude towards men.
• 'she smiled, no doubt' shows how her smile was too easily given out. also suggests she was afraid of him so felt obliged to smile.
• 'i gave commands' is a vague statement, hinting that he murdered her, or gave the command, to show his power. also shows how her freedom was stripped from her once they were married.
• 'i repeat' suggests he is a persistent, intimidating and obsessive character
• 'is my object' is suggesting a 'goal', as the count's daughter will become another possession, possibly subject to the same fate as Lucrezia.
• 'notice Neptune' is a metaphor of a dominant figure who takes control over nature and beauty. he is a God-like figure with unlimited power. also hints at the Duke's madness - a symbolic image of domination.