My last duchess

• Author


  Robert browning
• countenance


  Face
• Durst


  Dare
• Mantle


  Cloak
• Bough


  Branch
• officious


  intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
• forsooth


  indeed
• munificence


  generosity in giving
• Dowry


  property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage
• Avowed


  Said
• Neptune


  God of the sea and earthquakes
• Duke Alfonso 2nd of Ferrara


  Ferrara is a region in Italy

  In 1561 his wife Lucrezia died in a suspicious way there were rumours that she was poisoned and it was the dukes doing

  
  

  said to Inspire browning to write this poem
• What the poem is about

  Duke points out the portrait to a visitor

  Duke was angered by the duchess' behaviour - she was friendly to everyone

  He acted to stop the duchess' behaviour strong hints that he had her murdered

  Reader has discovered that the visitor had came to arrange the dukes next marriage
• Form


  Dramatic monologue

  Iambic pentameter - reinforces the impression that the duke is in conversation with is visitor

  Rhyming couplets - shows the dukes desire for control

  Enjambment - he gets carried awaywith his anger and passion
• Structure


  Builds towards a kind of confessions

  Duke talking about the duchess
• Power and objectification


  Duke felt need of power and control over the duchess

  He saw her as a possession to be admired
• dramatic irony


  Duchess seemed innocent

  Allows the reader to read between the lines
• Status


  Important to the duke

  He cares about how others see him
• Pride


  Duke is prod if his possessions and status
• jelousy


  He can't stand how the duchess treated him as everyone else
• Power


  Duke enjoys the control he has over the painting

  He didn't have power when the duchess was alive
• narcissism


  excessive self-love and self-absorption
• Ideas themes and issues

  Violence power and control

  Lack of remorse at having his wife murdered

  He is so obsessed with controlling his wife that he uses his power to have her killed

  The duke boasts about the beautiful duchess
• Robert Browning


  Was born in England but lived in Italy for many years

  He was fascinated by the Italian renací scarce 14-15 century a period in which the arts flourished
• " that's my last duchess painted on the wall

  Looking as if she were alive "


  Sounds as if he owns her

  Sets a sinister tone
• Frà Pandolf


  Name of the painter
• " Will't please you sit and look at her ?"


  Sounds polite but forceful
• " since none puts by the curtain I have drawn for you but I "

  He controls who looks at the painting

  Couldn't control her when she was alive
• " if they durst "


  Suggest people were scared of his temper
• " the spot of joy "

  Blush

  Repeating this shows that his wife's blushes bothers him
• " dies along her throat "

  Reference to death is out of place and suspicious hits at duchess fate
• " how shall I say?-too soon made glad

  Too easily impressed she liked whate'er

  She looked on and her looks went everywhere

  Sir 'twas all one! "


  The duke struggles to express his irritation she was cheery friendly-but the duke means this as a criticism the duke thinks she flirts a lot

  Implies that she is unfaithful

  
  

  This sounds as if he was justifying himself he is defensive
• " the bough of cherries some officious fool

  Broke in the orchard for her the white mule "


  Enjambment makes it sound as if he's getting carried away by his anger
• " she thanked men - good! But thanked

  Somehow - I know not how - as if she ranked

  My gift of nine hundred years old name "


  The punctuation add repetition here creates a stuttering effect which underlines his expression with her behaviour

  Proud of name
• " stoop "


  Repetition of stoop hints how the duke felt his wife was beneath him
• " even had you skill in speech which I have not "


  False modesty he clearly likes speaking
• " disgusts "


  This word suggests he was more bothered about the duchess behaviour than he is letting on
• "-e'en then would be some stooping and I choose never to stoop "


  The duke is so proud that even criticising his wife is beneath him he believes he shouldn't be needed to be reminded on how to behave
• " but who passed without

  much the same smile? This grew I gave commands "


  Suspicious of her maybe he gave orders for his wife's murder

  It's cold and cynical
• cynical


  doubtful or distrustful of the goodness or sincerity of human motives