My Last Duchess Flashcards
‘This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together’
blasé attitude
he abuses his power and implies he has had her killed for dishonouring him - builds tension
3 short clauses show how it only took a few words for him to get his way
sibilance - sinister tone - evil
determiner ‘all’ shows his power
set in 1564 about Duke Alfonso 2nd who ruled Ferrara in Italy in the 16th century and discusses first wife Lucrezia de Medici who died 3 years after marrying the Duke under mysterious circumstances
Dramatic monologue, first-person narrative and one long stanza reflect his arrogance and his self-importance and can be read as a long speech
‘Notice Neptune, though, Taming a sea horse’
‘Neptune’ - implies he sees himself as a God-like figure (this is a final warning) and is all-powerful - he is boasting
he discusses another picture and it implies that he cannot love a woman as he only loves himself
hints to the duchess and how she actually has the power not him as she could charm other men and ‘tame’ them, although he wanted to be in control of her
link to themes of power and control
enjambment creates a conversational and relaxed tone and this contrasts with the horror of what he has done and it shows his lack of remorse and has no pause for reflection
written during Industrial Revolution - beginning of Suffrage movement - no female perspective as she was silenced
iambic pentameter - traditional views on women - she is a painting and is objectified
‘Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!’
name of a famous sculptor who has commissioned a work for him which shows his arrogance and he shows off
the exclamation mark emphasises his pride and how boastful he is
bronze is an expensive metal
