My Last Duchess Flashcards
1
Q
Sounds as if he owns Duchess himself, not just the picture of her
A
“my last Duchess”
2
Q
Reference to death is out of place and suspicious - it hints at the Duchess’s fate
A
“half-flush that dies along her throat”
3
Q
He’s proud of his history, his important family and the titles of “Duke” and “Duchess”
A
“My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name”
4
Q
This seems to be a euphemism for his wife’s
murder. “I gave commands” is cold and cynical.
A
“I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together”
5
Q
He returns to the subject of his art collection, which emphasises his power and wealth.
A
“Notice Neptune…/Taming a sea-horse”
