My Last Duchess Flashcards
“That’s my last duchess painted on the wall” what does this show
Possessive pronoun “my” shows he owns her and has objectified her and has full control over her. “Last” suggests there has also been a line of them.
“The curtain I have drawn for you” what does this show
Further adds to the idea of his control over her. He controls who can see her and who she can see, before he had no control over her when she was alive
“That spot of joy” whats this show
It’s repeated in the poem, emphasising his frustration of not being able to control who makes her happy, he wanted to be the only one that saw that spot of joy.
“How shall I say?” What does this show
He struggles to express his irritation and finds it hard to justify his actions.
“Too soon made glad, too easily impressed” what dethis ishow
This would normally be seen as a compliment but he says this as a criticism. Adds to the fact he wanted to be the only one to make her happy
“She ranked my gift of a 900 year old name with anybody’s gift” what dos this show
He is proud of his history and being part of an important family. He believes she should’ve felt the same way but she was ungrateful and didn’t think it was anything especially special
“I choose never to stoop” what does this show
He is proud of himself and sees himself above others. He believes lowering himself to the disciplining his wife would wrong and that she shouldn’t need reminding on how to behave
“I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together” what does this show
This is a euphemism for getting his wife killed. “I gave commands” shows he didn’t do it, someone else did. Also warns the messenger, who has come to find him a duchess to make sure to find him someone good
What is my last duchess about
About a duke showing a visitor a portrait of his last duchess, that he had killed. He explains how he was angered by her behaviour of her treating him the same as everyone else, he uses this as his excuse of killing her. Once the duke and messenger walk away from the portrait, the reader learns the visitor has come to arrange a marriage for him
What is the form of the poem and what does it show
It is a dramatic monologue. It uses rhyming couplets which shows he has though through these thoughts and has prepared them. This also illustrates his desire for control but the enjambent suggests he is carried away and the words are just escaping his mouth. This makes him seem sort of unstable with an unsettling obsession with power
What is the structure and what does it show
It has no stanzas and is one block, this gives the poem a quick pace and makes it appear that the duke is letting his thoughts spill out
