structure and form

• Who walks away from the painting?

  The Duke and his guest
• What has the Duke's visitor come to arrange?

  The Duke's next marriage
• What is the form of the poem?

  • Dramatic monologue
  • Written in iambic pentameter
• How does the form of the poem affect the impression of the Duke?

  It reinforces the Duke's conversation with his visitor
• What do the rhyming couplets in the poem suggest about the Duke?

  His desire for control
• What do the enjambments in the poem imply about the Duke's emotions?

  They suggest his anger and passions
• What character does the Duke represent in the poem?

  • An unstable character
  • Obsessed with power
  • His obsession is unsettling
• What frames the poem's structure?

  The visit to the Duke's gallery
• What does the Duke discuss instead of the art?

  The Duchess
• What does the poem build towards regarding the Duke's identity?

  Revealing the visitor's identity
• What does the Duke do after discussing the Duchess?

  Moves on to another artwork
• Who is mentioned as being filmed in the poem?

  The Duchess
• What does the term "ghosts" refer to in the context of the poem?

  Past memories of the Duchess
• What is the tone of the poem?

  Reflective and controlling
• How does the Duke's character affect the poem's overall theme?

  It emphasizes themes of power and control