My Last Duchess

Question 1

Meaning

Answer 1

Gives incite to the mind of a duke who recently killed his wife, showing how his emotions are not stable, not reasonable and how he is possibly conceited.

Question 2

Structure

Answer 2

-dramatic monologue
-enjambment and rhetoric
-rhetorical questions
-AABB rhyme scheme
-1st person narrative
-one stanza of iambic pentameter

Question 3

Dramatic monologue

Answer 3

-allows the reader to see into the eyes of the duke

Question 4

Enjambment and rhetoric

Answer 4

mimic a sense of a (one-sided) conversation between the Duke and the envoy, showing his tight control over his perspective and account to the envoy.

Question 5

Rhetorical questions

Answer 5

-remind reader of the envoys presence
-are polite commands showing his sly controle

Question 6

AABB rhyme scheme

Answer 6

-possibly mimic the dukes need for controle

Question 7

Imagery

Answer 7

-Euphemism
-mule
-the curtain
-too soon made glad
- fra pandolf said…

Question 8

Euphemism

Answer 8

-‘All smiles stopped’
-creates a sinister image in our minds, possibly one more sinister than if he had said he killed them as this portrays the duke like an assassin(silent killer)
-possibly shows a lack of controle as he had to murder her to be in controle

Question 9

One stanza of Iambic pentameter

Answer 9

-Mimics dukes obsession of power and controle
-no breaks shows he is always talking his guest never does
-mirrors natural speech patterns
-adds an air of elegance and formality to the poem

Question 10

1st person narrative

Answer 10

-highlights the unreliability of the narrator, meaning the readers must read between the lines

Question 11

Mule

Answer 11

• mules are seen as impure, in our mind this creates a happy image, in his mind it is clearly one of disgust highlight his thoughts are contrary to ours

Question 12

The curtain and painting

Answer 12

-creates a creepy image of him being possessive and obsessive over this image of her
-suggests ‘if I can’t have you no one can’

Question 13

Too soon made glad

Answer 13

• he is shaming her
• creates the image of him being excessively controlling
  -euphemism

Question 14

Fra pandolf chanced to say…

Answer 14

-his excessive worry shows his obsession
-fra is the prefix of a monk, suggesting his wife would flirt with a monk is clearly ‘out there’

Question 15

Language

Answer 15

-Possessive pronouns
-rhetorical questions
-assonance
-Neptune metaphor?
-ends with for me

Question 16

Possessive pronouns

Answer 16

-shows his views about his wife as possibly and object

Question 17

Rhetorical questions

Answer 17

-Wilt please…, seems charming but is also sinister as he previously talked about ‘as if she were alive’
-who’d stoop to blame? Suggesting that blaming a women is beneath him.
- How shall I say? interjected question, dramatic effect

Question 18

Assonance

Answer 18

In the oo,oo at bottom of page, seems assertive, emphasises his rhythm of speech

Question 19

Neptune metaphor

Answer 19

The Neptune statue is probably how he views himself, as a god, who tames women (the horse)