My Last Duchess

• Who is the poet of "My Last Duchess"?


  Robert Browning
• What historical figure is "My Last Duchess" based on?

  Duke Alfonso II of Ferrara
• What themes does Browning explore in "My Last Duchess"?

  Renaissance corruption, power, and psychology
• What structure does "My Last Duchess" use?

  Dramatic monologue
• How do the rhyming couplets in "My Last Duchess" suggest control?

  They suggest control, but enjambment reveals instability
• What does the euphemism “I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together” hint at?

  Hints at murder of the Duchess
• What does “My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name” signify?

  Pride in heritage and superiority
• How is the Duchess objectified in "My Last Duchess"?

  She becomes art, not a person
• What are the main themes of "My Last Duchess"?

  • Patriarchal control and jealousy
  • Power, pride, and objectification
  • Art as a tool of dominance
  • Status and reputation over morality