Language

• • Use of possessive pronouns used to assert dominance over her
• "pained on the wall. Lookin as if she were alive"

  • She becomes an actual possession rather than human
  • Paintings are valued for aesthetic value, her status hasn't really changed in becoming just a painting to him
  • Enjambment adds to eerie tone
  • Informal tone shows its something regular and may hint he has done this before
• "Fra Pandolf"

  • Repition of this is used to assert wealth and status
  • Values portrait for display, rather than for his love
• "called that spot of joy into the Duchess' cheek"

  • Spot of joy = blush
  • Blushing was typically associated with virtue - is hinting that Duchess was unfaithful
  • Metaphor for her flirtatious nature - suggests she is thinking about another man
• "half-flush that dies along her throat"

  • May allude to means of death - poisoning/running blade along throat
• • Repition of "too" reinforces his insecurity and inferiority
• "My favour at her breast"

  • Sexual imagery shows she was valued purely for her appearance to him
  • His attempts to assert his dominance over her with gifts - tokens of his wealth
  • He my only have power as he tries to assert it over her using his status
• "the bough of cherries some officious fool"

  • Sexual innuendo - fruit often symbolises indulgence - suggests her affair
  • Broken bough may symbolise Duke's broken manhood - suggesting fragility of male power
• • Constant reference to her blush present his paranoia
  • He has no evidence but a look she gives - showing his masculinity as fragile - he can only have power by showing it in vengeful and unfounded ways