My Last Duchess

Question 1

What is the narrative

Answer 1

My Last Duchess’ is written in the form of a first person narration, of an arrogant and callous Duke who tours an unknown guest around his gallery. The tone of the narration is aristocratic and detached

Question 2

What is the context

Answer 2

The poem is set in Renaissance Italy and is narrated by the Duke of Ferrara, who is showing a painting of his late wife, the Duchess, to a visitor. Through the Duke’s speech, the reader learns about the Duchess’s personality and behaviour, as well as the Duke’s own character flaws

Question 3

What is the structure

Answer 3

Structure. ‘My Last Duchess’ is a dramatic monologue which is structured as one lengthy stanza (continuous form). This one stanza is 56 lines long. The poem consists of the Duke’s dramatic monologue addressed to an unnamed envoy

Question 4

What is the form

Answer 4

Form and structure The poem is a dramatic monologue. The Duke dominants the conversation and the messenger does not speak. The poet has used iambic pentameter to mimic the style of speech/ conversational tone

Question 5

What is are the language techniques

Answer 5

Allusion, enjambment, rhyming couplets, and rhetorical questions, Ominous, threatening, arrogant, jealous, and possessive