My Last Duchess

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

Set in Italian Renaissance 14th - 16th century
Published in 1842 Victorian Era where there were changes such as the attitudes to women : suffragettes, battle of equality.
Women viewed as their husbands property

Question 2

Meaning behind poem

Answer 2

Criticism of Victorian attitudes towards women

The duke is weakened by his obsession with controlling his wife: paranoia, insecurity… this links to Victorian society’s obsession with women being perfect and how Victorian men are weakened by dependency on power over women.

Question 3

Dukes power

Answer 3

Political power ‘I gave commands’ - shows he’s in a position of power.

Domestic power: asserts political power over his wife (by getting her killed)

Question 4

Duchess

Symbolism

Answer 4

Only the dukes side of the story (dramatic monologue) so the duchess is silenced/ voiceless which represents women in Victorian society. She makes duke insecure/ weak which represents Victorian men weakened by dependency on power over women.

Question 5

Duchess is pleased by

Answer 5

‘Dropping of the daylight’ showing child- like innocence

She’s therefore weak + undeserving of the amazing husband she has in the duke.

Question 6

‘My’ last duchess

Answer 6

‘My’ possessive- an object that he owns

Question 7

Frà Pandolf

Answer 7

Name drops ‘frà pandolf’ Duke is vain- showing off

‘Frà’- ‘brother’
So he’s a monk/ religious figure
Browning makes it clear that Frà wasn’t flirting and it’s just the DUKES PARANOIA.

Question 8

‘Sir’

Answer 8

Formal
Clarify dukes superiority over the envoy.
Duke is keen to point out that he’s socially superior.
Condescending

Question 9

‘My gift of a nine hundred year old name’

Answer 9

Proud

Arrogance about his title

Question 10

‘Which I have not’

Answer 10

I could’ve told my wife what she was doing wrong but I don’t have the skill in speech.

Disingenuous - not telling the truth because he’s delivering a well structured argument.

Question 11

Repetition of ‘I’

Answer 11

Self obsessed

Question 12

‘Will’t please you sit?’

‘Will’t please you rise?’

Answer 12

Demands
Social superior- controlling

The duke remains stood so the envoy would have to look up- admire

Question 13

Paranoid

Answer 13

‘Her looks went everywhere’

Question 14

‘Notice Neptune […] taming a seahorse’

Answer 14

Roman god of the sea
What the duke feels is his role over women
Male dominated society.
‘Taming’ wild animal- women

Question 15

‘Curtain’ covering the painting

Answer 15

Only the duke can pull it back
Now he gets to control the smiles of his wife (metaphor)
Keep her smiles just for himself- control

Question 16

Form

Answer 16

Dramatic monologue - one way convocation
Iambic pentameter- every other syllable stressed
Tight control of syllables per line - reflects the dukes controlling character.
Enjambement - sentences run over the line - isn’t obvious where the rhyme scheme is which shows that THE DUKE DOESN’T HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL.
CAN’T CONTROL HIMSELF
The poem is one long verse - the duke doesn’t stop to think and doesn’t care about the listener.
Get overwhelmed saying the poem - duke is overwhelmed
Shows a lack of control

Question 17

Meaning

Answer 17

Critique of society:
Victorian men are weakened by their dependency on the power that they have over women.
Their wives are a reflection of themselves - disempowered

It’s a metaphor for Victorian society’s obsession with behaviour of women.

Question 18

How is dukes weakness shown

Answer 18

Insecurity and paranoia ‘her looks went everywhere’

Sprawling uncontrolled speech
Suggests weakness