My Last Dutches - Robert Browning✔ Flashcards
significance of ‘my last Duchess’?
The readers interest are invoked from ‘my last duchess’ because it raises questions such as why is it his ‘last Duchess’? Is she dead? The speaker of the duke establishes control from the very start with the possessive pronoun ‘my’
Significance of ‘if she were alive”
The line 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 - creates a sinister mood as we learn she has died
Significance of the rhetorical question “will’t please you sit and look at her”?
The duke forces his visitor to sit down which implies the duke is in sole control of who sees her - the rhetorical question shows how he does not expect a reply almost as if it is a command/order
how do we get a sense of materialism in the poem?
‘Bough of cherries some officious fool’ - he wants his wealth and status to be more important - doesn’t value natural beauty and natural pleasures of the earth and sees her liking other things as criticism of himself which presents him as insecure
How do we see the Dutch as having male entitled pride?
“Who’d snoop to blame” - line shows the duke wont lower himself to talk to his wife and confront her about his fears as it would show him as paranoid and weak - suggests he cant be bothered to argue with a woman because she is so far below him and he shouldn’t have to explain it to her
Significance of ‘nine-hundred-years-old name’?
Shows he holds status and power within society. - also a reflection about how the woman is now owned by her husband and is now his possession
How is euphemism used?
‘I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together’ - euphemisms for her murder shows the power he has and can just have her killed
Significance of the metaphor ‘notice Neptune ….through a rarity’?
Metaphor suggests he sees himself as god-like and above man reinforced with ‘thought rarity clearly he believes his stats and wealth should be seen as more valuable than anything available to common man
Significance of it being in first person present tense narrative?
Gives the speaker a great deal of power over the text as he controls what he tells the reader - reflects the power of the Duke which he holds over women
Significance of it being a dramatic monologue?
Shows how the duke dominates a conversation and won’t let anyone else talk because he tends to take control of everything - also means readers are exclusively exposed to his perspective and need to decipher what is and isn’t true for themselves - provides the reader with a biased account
Significance of Iambic pentameter?
Browning uses the very traditional meter of iambic pentameter which reflects how the Duke holds traditional and conservative views of women - demonstrates his sense of pride and superiority because the meter has a tight control of rhythm and rhyme
Significance of single verse/no stanzas?
Makes the poem feel overwhelming and tiring and mirrors the dukes power suggesting his presence is overwhelming as he dominates the room and poem - sense of domination relates to the context of the poem both set and written in a patriarchal society by a man so women are only being viewed through the eyes and perspective of men
Significance of enjambment
Allows the poem to flow and seem more like a natural conversation - this natural narration is reinforced by the fact that the rhyming couplets aren’t obvious
How does the use of enjambments present the Duke as weak and unbalanced?
He is getting carried away and rambling - there is a lack of control over what he says and he keeps getting side-tracked shown by the parentheses and dashes such as in the line ‘-how shall i say?’ Could imply he is overcome by emotion and anger and lacks control over his speech and actions
What period was this poem written? What period is it set?
Written in the Victorian period and set in Renaissance Italy using the power difference between men and women in Italy during this period to mirror the play
