The document discusses the poem "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning. It analyzes the character and voice of the speaker, the Duke. [The Duke takes the listener on a tour of a portrait of his deceased wife and reveals through his word choices that he secretly resented her easy manner with others and felt she did not properly appreciate him. The analysis discusses how the Duke's hidden feelings and insecurities are betrayed through his long-winded speech.]

1. Poetry Across Time: Character and voice
Key
Language: connotation, imagery, metaphor, simile
Structure and form: stanzas, type, patterns, contrast, juxtaposition
Poetic methods: alliteration, caesura, assonance, rhythm, rhyme
Character and voice: who is speaking and to whom? Tone of voice
Links: comparisons to other speakers, methods and themes
Immediate separation between the poet and
speaker – within the theatrical framework of
st Genre: plays with
Title (1 person): Sense of dramatic monologues.
gothic tradition of
ownership, sequences and examining the dark
aristocracy. Untold story hidden in secrets behind old
details of the painting – as money.
My Last Duchess with this poem. Similar to
Establishes Ozymandias – the
location (same significance of artefacts. Full rhyming couplets
as River God).
FERRARA throughout shows another
affiliation with
That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall, Shakespearean theatre.
Deliberate use of Looking as if she were alive. I call
ambiguity/ That piece a wonder, now: Fra Pandolf’s hands
Rhyming couplets are less
innuendo Worked busily a day, and there she stands. conventional for long
suggests Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said narratives, which make
jealousy.
“Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read this feel contrived.
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
Metaphor - But to myself they turned (since none puts by
letting out of
the curtain I have drawn for you, but I) Archaic diction evocative
secrets.
And seemed they would ask me, if they durst, of character – clearly
How such a glace came there; so not the first dating the speaker as a
Repetition of distant figure.
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ‘twas not
full name
suggests Her husband’s presence only, called that spot
obsession/ Of joy into the Duchess’s cheek: perhaps The character’s secrets
fixation. Fra Pandolf chanced to say “Her mantle laps are betrayed by
Must never hope to reproduce the faint semantics as he
Half flush that dies along her throat”: such stuff chooses words from an
Browning obviously violent field.
makes it clear
Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough
that meaning For calling up that spot of you. She had
is to be gained A heart-how shall I say? –too soon made glad, Duke’s politeness slips
through Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er as source of his hidden
interrogation of She looked on, and her looks went everywhere. turmoil is revealed
euphemisms. through Browning listing
Sir, ‘twas all one! My favor at her breast,
his grievances.
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule

2. C&V themes – what do each of
Duke’s self-interjections become a sign of the characters in these poems
his instability or inability to conceal his guilt. value most? Speaker is born
She rode with round the terrace—all and each into a wealthy
lineage,
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
cementing the
Or blush, at least. She thanks men—good! But thanked gothic nature
Emphasis on Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked and creating a
the importance
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name sense of
of keeping up
With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame superiority.
appearances –
a character This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
who values In speech—(which I have not)—to make your will
this over Quite clear to such a one, and say, “Just this
human life. Enjambment, as with
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss
‘river God’ shows an
Rhetorical Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let inability to fully collate
question Herself be lessoned so, not plainly set and separate his
suggests Duke
has no real
her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse stories from his
--E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose emotions.
awareness of
who he is Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt
Ambiguity –
speaking to or Whene’er I passed her; but passed without Duke thinks he
his vast Much the same smile? This grew; I gave her commands; has been
impropriety.
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands cleverer than he
As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet has –
Browning’s
Browning hints the company below, then. I repeat
comment on
at a sense of The count your mater’s known munificence arrogance and
guilt behind Is ample warrant that no just pretence wealth?
the tyranny? Of mine dowry will be disallowed Voice: clear distinction between
Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed public and private conversations.
At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go
Chooses art
appealing to Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,
Browning’s evocation of
his Taming a sea horse, thought a rarity,
an extreme patriarchy
vanity/desire Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me! (comment on Italian
to be god-like.
Preoccupation with artists and prestige. society?)
Structure: we only find out who the listener is at the end to give a
sense of the Duke’s contrived behaviour and also for a bleak, comic
effect in realising who is being told all this info.
Interpretations of the poem:
 A commentary on the arrogance of wealthy and powerful men
who see the world as a series of things to be possessed.
 A study in how our own subconscious betrays the secrets we
keep when we allow ourselves the vanity to talk at length.