My Last Duchess Flashcards
Poet of MLD
Robert Browning
Context of MLD
Browning born in London but spent most of his life in Italy and married secretly without permission from his father.
Italian Renaissance and Duke of Ferrara: poem criticises society and contains political message. The change in setting helps readers accept the message created.
Poem may be based on Duke of Ferrara who had wives who died suspiciously and went on to remarry
Industrial revolution: women were viewed as lower then men and had no legal rights- patriarchal views shown in “I choose never to stoop” shows speaker doesn’t want to argue with a women (won’t understand)
There was also a focus on morality and modesty status can only be gained through husbands “my gift of a nine-hundred year old name”-marriage is ownership and women can only gains status through men
Structure of MLD
Iamic pentameter- the meter relfecgs how the Duke holds traditional and conservative views of women. It also show the Dukes sense pride and superiority shown by the tight controlled meter
Single verse to structure the poem is overwhelming. This suggests his dominating presence reinforced by how he regards no importance in covering up his mistreatment of women and the context of the patriarchal societybit was written in.
The no stanza structure oukd also give a sense of the poem being like a stream of consciousness of the Dukes unadulterated thoughts and feelings. He has a lack of control over himself but has control on others
Enjambment used to present the Duke as weak and unbalanced (thinks he has power)
Parentheses in “-how shall I say?” implies that he is overdome by emotion and anger and he lacks control over his speech and actions.
Caesura used to interupt himself (breaks up the rhythm) , too much pride and self obsession lacks natural confidence and uses control to gain power
Possessive pronoun “my’ shows his ownership over the Duchess shows how he regards her as a possession like a statue. This shows his jealousy and suggests he feels a wife should be seen and enjoyed only bt her husband
Makes the poem seem like a conversation “skill in speech” , “(which I have not)”. To show the duke wanting to give a clear message about his power
MLD and Tissue comparisoms
MLD: Extended metaphor for sexism and oppression in Victorian society
Tissue: Metaphor for life and for power
MLD:Works to critique power more specifically (the abuse of power by the duke)
Tissue: Works to critique power in general (fragile, transient, wrongly invested)
MLD and ozymandias simialrities
Ozymandias the poet shows a loss of power over time and in competition with nature, as the characters are surrounded by dessert which is a symbol of nature and time. Similarly, MLD shows the Duke’s power constantly undermined by the enjambment, caesura and single stanza.
Both poets show love for themselves This is expressed in Ozymandias through the form of the Sonnet. In MLD, the Duke loves his ”nine hundred year old name” and feels entitled to authority and control because of it
MLD and Ozymandias differences
Both poets suggest that pride and power leads to oppression. For MLD, the Duchess is shown as the symbol of oppression - “then all smiles stopped” - whereas in Ozymandias the statue is used as a symbol for all institutes or figures of power - ”cold command” = cruel and harsh oppression.
MLD and COMH similarities
In COMH, Agard uses phonetic spelling, and in MLD Browning uses rhyming couplets. In both cases, these help to show that both texts are very much products of the time and society they were written in and also about.
MLD and COMH differences
They both choose to use allusionary language, but to contrasting effect. In COMH, metaphors such such “bandage up me eye with my own history” serve to highlight how Agard had a lack of power as a child.
In MLD the Duke makes to having killed his wife, such as “I gave commands. Then all smiles stopped together”, show how his status and wealth has afforded him an excess of power which he is now free to abuse without consequence.
Form of MLD
Dramatic monologue, first person present tense narrative- Only regards himself (he only talks about his life- obssessive)
Iambic pentamater- power and control
One stanza- resembling a conservation (speech) to someone else shows dominance doesn’t let them talk
Themes of MLD
Human power
Power of jealously
Pride
Language used in MLD
“My last Duchess”- possessive pronoun why suggests patriarchal views on women in society and also raises interest towards the reader
“If she were alive” views wife as a piece of art rather then sentimentally shows how he regards her as a possession
“Sit and look at her” - more of an imperative then a request shown by the rhetorical questions symbolism of control
“Frà Pandolf” - boasting about his wealth/status self obsessed lacks control of himself
“If they durst” shows his power over others people don’t ask about the painting
“Her husband’s presence only , called that spot of joy into the Duchess’ cheek” patriarchal view dominion over duchess’ life- paranoid Duke
“Half flush” exceeding sinister detail
“Bought of cherries some officious fool”- wants wealth and status to be more important doesn’t value beauty and natural pleasure sees her liking things as criticism of himself - thinks it should be only for him.
“Nine-hundred year old name- status and power is more important. Women owned by husbands has to take his name and loses legal rights
“Who’d stoop to blame”- won’t confromt the women as it would show him as weak. He suggest no point in arguing as women are too irrational of thought.
“I gave commands ; Then all smiles stopped together- euphemism for murder- killed her without any consequence lack of control
“Taming a sea-horse through a rarity” powerful being Neptune tames a sea horse similarly metaphor of the Duke taming the Duchess as his (control over others).
“For me “ at the end - suggets how he only views himself desires feeling of exclusive ownership
Power shown by the Duke
Duke expected Duches to find happiness from the Duke and gaining complete dominion over her life
Duke criticises every flaw of the Duchess “her mantle laps over my lady’s wrist too much”
Duke uses obvious euphesim “I gave commands then all smiles stopped”
Doesn’t value beauty or natural pleasure only status and wealth
Lack of power shown by the Duke
Duchess is innocent “spot of joy” embarrassed by compliments and “courtesy” and reacts to everyone similarly “who passed without much the same smile” - Duke is paranoid
He is scared of confronting his fears “I choose never to stoop”
He disgusted the idea of women liking other men and think they should be submissive and modest
He expects her envoy to be of high value and display traditionsl gender roles. Men want to be the onlu “user of a woman
