my Last Duchess Flashcards
the … I have ….. for you
The curtain I have drawn for you
I gave … then … smiles …. Together
I gave commands then all smiles stopped together
Looking as .. she were …
Looking as if she were alive
That’s .. last …. Painted on …..
That’s my last duchess painted on the wall
Who’d …. To ….
Who’d stoop to blame
Notice … though taming a sea …
Notice Neptune though taming a sea horse
what form is the poem written in
dramatic monologue
who is the speaker of the poem
the duke of ferrera
main themes in this poem
abuse of power
male attitudes towards women
why is the poem written in the persona of the duke
This means that Browning can use the character to convey his message about the abuse of power and control
The speaker establishes control from the start by using the possessive pronoun “my”
why does browning have it as a dramatic monologue
Browning structures the poem in one single stanza, reflecting the Duke’s mastery, but his use of punctuation fractures the poem as it progresses, mirroring the fracturing of the Duke’s calm exterior manner to reveal the emotions, frustration and violence within
what is the poem written in
iambic pentameter Reflects how the Duke holds traditional views about women
The regular rhyme scheme also gives a natural, conversational tone
why does browning use rhyming couplets
wall and call
This suggests the Duke’s desire for control, by using carefully considered and refined speech
when was mld set
My Last Duchess is set in Italy during the Italian Renaissance
context of browning …
Browning was born in London but spent most of his life in Italy
Changing the setting of the poem allowed him to better disguise his criticism of society
