My Last Duchess by Robert Browning Flashcards
The poem in a nutshell….
In this dramatic monologue the speaker ,The Duke, proudly points out a portrait of the Duchess to a visitor. The Duke was angered by her behaviour which made him jealous. He says she was too friendly towards others and that her flirtatious behaviour was disrespectful towards him and his family name,
He hints that he took steps to have her murdered.
The guest and the Duke walk away from the painting and we learn that the visitor has come to arrange the Duke’s next marriage.
Context
Robert Browning was born in England but lived in Italy for many years. He was fascinated by the Italian
Renaissance (14th – 16th Centuries) when arts flourished.
My Last Duchess was published in 1842.
‘There’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call’
The Speaker uses rhyming couplets throughout the poem. The Duke is seen as a very controlling character and the use of rhyming couplets reflects this structure and sense of control he has.
‘That spot of joy’
The speaker refers to the fact the Duchess blushes twice in the poem. This use of repetition shows how much it bothers him that she seems to be flirting and getting attention from other men. It also objectifies her as a woman and shows that he feels she is his possession.
I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together’
This seems to tell us that the Duke ordered his wife’s
murder. The use of language here is cold and clinical
showing his lack of emotion and reinforces that he sees her as a possession rather than the fact he loves her.
Aspects of Power or Conflict
The speaker craves absolute control and power over everyone
The Duke abuses his power by having his wife killed
Poems that can be linked
Checking Out Me History (the abuse of power and the power of identity)
Ozymandias (compare the fact the Duke craves power with the dead king’s attitudes and
desires)
