My Last Duchess Flashcards
Structure
Title “My Last Duchess” evokes reader’s interest and shows the speaker of the Duke establishing control from the start
First person, present tense narrative - speaker controls what he tells the reader and has power over women/subjects too
Dramatic monologue - readers exclusively exposed to his perspective, biased account of narrative makes the reader is aware of need to read between the lines
Ends poem with “me”: everything must be done for only the Duke
Domineering single verse: Duke has no control over himself, so powerful he doesn’t need to cover up his mistreatment of past wife, only his view, this is overwhelming as the Duke tries to dominate, stream of consciousness
Enjambment: Poem flows like a natural conversation, rhyming couplets not obvious, lack of Duke’s control over what he’s saying
Form
Iambic pentameter - Duke holds traditional and conservative views of women, shows the Duke’s sense of pride and superiority, meter has a very tight control of rhythm and rhyme. Shakespeare also uses iambic pentameter to show nobilitu.
Language
Rhetorical question - “Will’t please you sit and look at her?”: Duke in sole control of who sees his wife, sets sinister tone for piece
“Who’d stoop to blame”- Duke’s male entitled pride means there’s no point explaining himself to a woman so far below him who should be obedient and submissive
Ominous line “I call that piece a wonder”- Duke views subject of his dead wife as piece of art rather than sentimentally as his wife
Simplistic language - “skill in speech-which I have not” Makes it seem a normal conversation, not decorated or rich in imagery, the Duke wants to give a clear message on not challenging his power, false modesty here tries to cover this
Symbolism
Duchess as a painting - complete objectification, man has control over her painting “none puts by the curtain I have drawn for you but I”
Statue of Neptune-
“Notice Neptune though taming a sea-horse”:
Speaker moves seamlessly from discussing his last wife to his new wife hich suggests she wasn’t special to him and was disposable, alwo creates parallels to Duke who’s attempted to use domestic power to “tame” a wife “too easilu impressed,” is a warning he expects his next wife to be tamed as easily
