My Last Duchess

Cards (14)

  • 'That piece a wonder'
    Suggestive of beauty
    Potentially wondering we he wasn't enough
    Wondering why she was how she was
  • 'At starting is my object'
    Idea of possession and objectification
  • 'Looking as if she were alive'
    Confirmation of her death
    She is still always looking
  • 'twas not her husband's presence only'
    Not only her husband that prompted passion
    Promiscuity
  • 'my gift of a nine hundred year old name'
    'who'd stoop to blame this sort of trifling?'

    Quote 1 shows that he is egotistical and believes that his status should've made her satisfied with him
    Quote 2 shows him questioning her behaviour
    Link together to show that he can't believe she would do this and that he doesn't know why she would
  • 'You disgusts me'

    She repulses him due to her actions
    He can't stand her
  • 'Depth and passion of its earnest glance'

    Describes her look in the painting
    Reaction caused by painter
    Proves her promiscuity
  • 'Will't please you sit and look at her?'

    Granted permission to look
    He has complete control as he has always wanted
  • 'I gave commands and all smiles stopped together'
    He controls the situation
    Obligation to kill
    Potential abuse of his power as duke?
  • 'bough of cherries some officious fool broke in the orchard for her'

    Lost virginity in orchard
    Proving impurity
    'fool' has negative connotations and is seen throughout the whole poem
  • 'white mule'
    Becomes oxymoronic as 'white' is heavily symbolic with purity and a 'mule' is deemed impure due to it being a crossbreed between a horse and a donkey making it literally impure
  • 'such stuff was courtesy she thought'
    She supposedly believed she was just being normal and kind
    Provoked a jealous reaction in the Duke
  • 'She looked on and her looks went everywhere'
    Not fussy
    Keen eye for so called window shopping
    Potential for her to cheat making the Duke jealous
  • 'I choose not to steep'
    Doesn't want to be anywhere near her level and remain loyal to her however he gets her killed