My last duchess Flashcards
What is the Quote when the Duke tells visitor who painted the Duchess?
‘Fro pandolf’
What is the to suggest that he feels insecure about his wife?
‘Her looks went everywhere.
What does ‘Fro Pandolf suggest?
Fra means brother, suggesting the artist was a Monk or certianily a religious figure, so this suggests that Browning wanted it to make clear that the Artist was not at all romantically involved or even flirtinh with the duchess, showing how vain the Duke is. He is self obessed and controlling, he is pointing out how there is no change of anyone making her happy. This backs up the innonce of the Duke, she is unlikely to be suspicious if a religious figure painting her.
What does the Quote ‘her looks went everywhere suggest’
He is angry that his wife is happy and smiles at everything., he is jealous at what his wife is looking at, he is worried at her looking at another man, there is ambiguity here because we don’t know but he seems to be paranoid. The Duke’s desire to control women can be seen as a metaphor for Victorian society obsession of the behavior and reputation of women. There is insecurity in the line suggesting that men are weakened by trying to overpower women. The fact that there is no speech from women or friar shows power of Duke.
What is form and structure of the Poem?
It is written in a dramatic monologue, the rhyme scheme is very tight and strict rigid amount of syllables per line, reflecting the tight control of the Duke, how he is extremely controlling. The poem contains Enjambment suggesting the poet doesn’t have complete power, he is uncontrollable and wild in his anger, he cannot stop blirting out emotion. The poem is one long verse reflecting how the poet doesn’t stop yo reflect his own words, he doesn’t care about listener.
