my last duchess

Question 1

what can be said about
‘that’s my last duchess painted on the wall, looking as if she were alive. i call’

Answer 1

• ‘my’
• ‘last’
• ‘painted’
• ‘looking as if she were alive’
• ‘i call’

Question 2

‘that’s my last duchess painted on the wall looking as if she were alive i call’

Answer 2

• trying to warn the suitor of the consequences of betraying him
• ‘my’- possessive pronoun indicates his ownership
• ‘last’ - indicates hes had many wives previously. he thinks women are interchangeable, disposable, and replaceable
• ‘painted’ - this isn’t a painting on the wall, its a fresco- painted directly onto the plaster. we know this as ‘fra pandolf’ only worked on it for a day- how frescos were supposed to be painted; must be finished before the plaster dries. creates a sense of urgency- he doesnt have her painted until he decides to have her killed. the artwork is more important that the duchess; also shows how impatient he is to kill her, he can’t wait for a normal painting to be made- emphasising how callous he is
• ‘looking as if she were alive’ - maybe duke is trying to show off that he can afford a skilled painter but he sees this as a substitute for his ex. through art he has observed and objectified her in a way which suits him- passive.
• ‘i call’- rhyming couplets- he is creating an illusion of unity and wholeness, he wants to couple and have another partner. however there is no equality this isn’t a natural way of speech suggesting its rehearsed. this is astonishing considering the fat he alludes to the fact of him killing his ex-wife. he feels completely above the law- demonstrates the dangers of patriarchal society

Question 3

what can be said about
‘will’t please you sit and look her?’

Answer 3

• rhetorical question
• ‘look’

Question 4

‘will’t please you sit and look her?’

Answer 4

• although presented as a rhetorical question, it is ultimately a command. it highlights his commanding nature as he for as the addressee of the monologue to ‘look’ upon his painting
• ‘look’- women were meant to be seen not heard

Question 5

what can be said about
‘but who passed without much the same smile? this grew; i gave commands; then all smiles stopped together’

Answer 5

• rhetorical question
• ‘i’
• ‘smiles’

Question 6

‘but who passed without much the same smile? this grew; i gave commands; then all smiles stopped together’

Answer 6

• rhetorical question may emphasise his disgust at how easily she is pleased
• ‘i’- displays dukes power and dominance but also criticises patriarchy- how is it men have been given so much power that they’re comfortable taking ownership of murder?
• ‘smiles’- it can be argued the plural ‘smiles’ suggests he kills not only the wife, but another man he believed she was having an affair with. OR he is annoyed that she ‘smiles’ at him the same way she does to anyone that ‘passed’- he believes only him and his ‘900 year old title’ can make her happy and hes jealous other people can make her happy

Question 7

what can be said about
‘twas not her husbands presence only called that spot of joy into the duchess’ cheek: perhaps fra pandolf’

Answer 7

• ‘spot’
• ‘fra’

Question 8

‘twas not her husbands presence only called that spot of joy into the duchess’ cheek: perhaps fra pandolf’

Answer 8

• ‘spot’- allusion to lady macbeth’s spot; a spot of guilt is shown- the duke believes his wife has been sinful but her sin isn’t sex, it is she is taking joy & happiness from others
• ‘fra’ short for friar- monk. he has teamed his skill of painting by painting in church- reinforces that there is no sexual relation between the monk and the duchess

Question 9

form?
(dramatic monologue, domineering personality, 2 interpretations of rhyme scheme, 1st person narrative)

Answer 9

Dramatic monologue with no stanzas: Duke exercises absolute power over his wife with no room for deviation or freedom of expression.
- This set-up also shows the domineering personality of the Duke: he chooses to soliloquise on his own thoughts only, neglecting those around them an opportunity to speak. This means that the reader immediately recognises it as a biased account and is made aware of the need to infer to ascertain what really happened.
- regular ABAB rhyme scheme present throughout the poem, with no deviation: Duke controlled the Duchess’ life with startling regularity, allowing her no freedom to break free.
- The fact that the ABAB rhyme scheme continues throughout the poem without ever stopping may also reflect how not only did the Duke stifle and control the Duchess whilst she was alive, he continues to do so after her death.
- The first person narrative also gives the Duke greater control over how much information he divulges, perhaps mirroring the excessive control he had over his wife.

Question 10

structure

Answer 10

• The combination of the enjambment and caesura leads to a conversational tone, with the Enjambment providing a natural tone whereas the Caesura make the monologue feel disjointed and painful to listen to. They combine to give the overall effect that he is rambling, making the Duke seem unimpressive and perhaps therefore showing how the Duke covers up for his own insecurity by maniacally controlling those around him.
• The combination of the two also hide the ABAB rhyme scheme, perhaps to show the Duke’s deceit and untrustworthiness.