My Last Duchess by Browning

Question 1

First line

Answer 1

‘Thats my last Duchess’
-The reader’s interest invoked from “My Last Duchess” , because it raises questions such as: why is it his “last Duchess? Is she dead? If so, how has she died?. The speaker of the Duke establishes control from the very start, from the possessive pronoun “my” .

Question 2

as if she were what

Answer 2

‘looking as if she were alive’
-This simile is ominous as it suggests the Duke viewing the subject of his dead wife as a piece of art rather than sentimentally as his wife, immediately suggesting she was only ever a possession to him.

Question 3

what does he say to his visitors

Answer 3

‘Will please you sit and look at her?’
The Duke forces his visitor to sit down with the odd rhetorical question, which implied that the Duke is in sole control of who sees her which immediately sets up a sinister tone for the piece, as the phrase “as if she were alive” shows that the Duchess has died.

Question 4

jealousy

Answer 4

‘Her husband’s presence only, called that spot Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek’
-Unreasonable as he expects her to only gain joy from her husband. He expects to be her entire life and purpose in life. Her life has the aim of pleasing and being pleased by him. Complete domination of her life. Also presents him as paranoid

Question 5

cherries

Answer 5

‘bough of cherries some officious fool’
- Sees her liking other things as a criticism of himself. Presents him as insecure. Expects her to reserve her joy and smiles for him alone -Hurts his pride if he is not unique. Reliant on controlling women to make himself feel powerful and desirable. Sense of underlying vulnerability

Question 6

name as a gift

Answer 6

‘my gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody’s gift’
-Shows he holds status and power within society, boasting about this but also a reflection about how the woman is now owned by her husband, as she has to take his name and then loses all legal rights.
-he’s assuming that she is being ungrateful and he feels downgraded

Question 7

blame

Answer 7

‘Who’d stoop to blame this sort of trifling?’
-This rhetorical shows the Duke’s male entitled pride: he won’t lower himself to talk to his wife and confront her about what he fears, as it would show him as paranoid and weak. It also suggests there’s no point arguing with a woman as she is so far below him, and incapable of rational thinking, AND he shouldn’t have to explain it to her – she should be meek and obedient and submissive

Question 8

the killing

Answer 8

‘I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together’
-The tone of the quote is cold and callous, as the Duke speaks matter-of-factly about his actions without any remorse or regret
-quote uses vivid imagery to convey the violent and abrupt ending of the Duchess’s life. The phrase “all smiles stopped together” creates a jarring contrast between the Duchess’s joyful expression and the suddenness of her death. The imagery also suggests a certain level of brutality, as if the Duke’s command was carried out without hesitation or mercy
-overreaction which shows lack of control

Question 9

God like

Answer 9

‘Notice Neptune,taming a sea horse,thought a rarity’
-The metaphor of Neptune suggests he sees himself as god-like – men are gods that must tame their wives show the excessive hubris and pride of the duke. Shows that the Duke is extremely materialistic, as he condemns her finding nature beautiful but places a lot of value, in a statue “thought a rarity”. Clearly, he believes his status and wealth should be seen as more valuable than anything available to the common man!

Question 10

last line

Answer 10

‘cast in bronze for me!’
-By ending the poem with the phrase “for me”, the impression he leaves the envoy and audience is that the Duke feels everything MUST be for him and him alone and he desires the feeling of exclusive ownership