my last duchess Flashcards
Q: What is the main theme of My Last Duchess?
A: The poem explores themes of power, control, jealousy, pride, and the objectification of women.
Q: How is My Last Duchess structured?
A: The poem is a dramatic monologue written in iambic pentameter with rhymed couplets, creating a controlled, flowing speech that reflects the Duke’s dominance.
Q: What is the significance of the opening line “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall”?
A: The possessive “my” immediately establishes the Duke’s sense of ownership over his late wife, reducing her to an object.
Q: How does the Duke describe the Duchess’s behavior?
A: He criticizes her for being too kind and easily pleased, stating “She had / A heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad”, implying she did not reserve her affection solely for him.
Q: What is the significance of the phrase “as if she ranked / My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name / With anybody’s gift”?
A: The Duke believes his noble heritage should have been the most valuable thing to his wife, showing his arrogance and sense of superiority.
Q: How does the Duke reveal his controlling nature?
A: He states “I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together”, strongly suggesting he had the Duchess killed to maintain control over her.
Q: How does the poet use enjambment in the poem?
A: The Duke’s speech flows without pauses, reflecting his arrogance, lack of self-awareness, and unchecked power.
Q: How does Browning use irony in My Last Duchess?
A: The Duke believes he is presenting himself as a reasonable, powerful man, but the reader sees him as cruel, jealous, and dangerous.
Q: What is the significance of the line “Will’t please you sit and look at her?”?
A: The Duke speaks to an emissary negotiating his next marriage, showing how he treats women as possessions.
Q: How does the poem portray gender roles?
A: The Duke’s control over the Duchess reflects Victorian attitudes toward male dominance and female obedience.
Q: How does the poem end, and what does it suggest?
A: The Duke moves on to discussing a new wife, showing his lack of remorse and continued objectification of women.
Q: How does My Last Duchess compare to War Photographer?
A: Both explore power and control, but My Last Duchess focuses on personal dominance, while War Photographer critiques societal apathy towards suffering.
