My Last Duchess Robert Browning 1845

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My Last DuchessRobert Browning 1845
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The Duke of Ferrara was a real historical person
Immediate sense of him owning his previous wife.
Ferrara Thats my last Duchess painted on the
wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That
piece a wonder, now
She has become merely a piece of art.
Implies he was less satisfied when she was alive.
3
Verb implies she is alive.
The name of the aritist.
Fra
Pandolfs hands Worked busily a day, and there
she stands. Willt please you sit and look at
her? I said Fra Pandolf by design,

Question to the envoy who has been sent by a
count who wishes the Duke to marry his daughter.
4
Powerful and emotive language. Highlights how
strongly he believes no one but a husband should
see such feeling in her eyes.

• 
  for never read
• Strangers like you that pictured her countenance,
• The depth and passion of its earnest glance,

5
Sinister aside in brackets. She doesnt look at
anyone else with those passionate eyes because he
doesnt allow anyone else to look at the picture.

• But to myself they turned (since none puts by
• The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
• And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst
• How such a glance came there

Durst dare to.
6
It was not just the Duke who looked at her and
made her blush.

• 
  
• 
  so, not the first
• Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, twas not
• Her husbands presence only, called that spot
• Of joy into the Duchess cheek

Spot of joy blushing.
7
Mantle shawl.
Speech marks indicate Duke is imagining the
compliments the artist paid the Duchess.

• 
  
• 
  perhaps
• Fra Pandolf chanced to say Her mantle laps
• Over my ladys wrist too much, or Paint
• Must never hope to reproduce the faint
• Half-flush that dies along her throat

8
Punctuation indicates Duke is searching for
polite way of expressing his discontent at her
behaviour.

• 
  
• 
  such stuff
• Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough
• For calling up that spot of joy. She had
• A heart how shall I say? too soon made glad,
• Too easily impressed

Repetition highlights how he feels she was too
easily pleased.
9
Exclamation mark shows his anger that she took as
much pleasure in him as everything else.

• 
  
• she liked
  whateer
• She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
• Sir, twas all one! My favour at her breast,
• The dropping of the daylight in the West,

She took pleasure in everything she saw.
His attention to her.
Sunset, image ironically made more beautiful by
use of alliteration.
10
Officious giving service that isnt wanted,
doing more than is required.
Bough bunch

• 
  
• The bough of cherries some officious fool
• Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
• She rode around the terrace all and each
• Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
• Or blush, at least.

Mule horse.
She blushes and thanks everyone and everything.
11
Dashes indicate again his displeasure and
incredulity at her behaviour.

• 
  
• She thanked men,
  - good! but
• thanked
• Somehow I know not how as if she ranked
• My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
• With anybodys gift. Whod stoop to blame
• This sort of trifling?

He comes from an ancient and noble family. She
should be honoured to be married to him.
Stoop to bend down he feels he would have to
lower himself to tolerate her overly friendly
actions.
12
Yet narrative has so far demonstrated he IS a
skilled speaker.

• 
  
• 
  Even had you skill
• In speech (which I have not) to make your
  will
• Quite clear to such a one, and say, Just this
• Or that in you disgusts me here you miss,
• Or there exceed the mark

Strong emotional reaction.
Speech marks indicate the direct instructions he
might have tried to give her.
13
If she was prepared to be taught the correct way
for a Duchess to behave.

• 
  
• 
  and if she let
• Herself be lessoned so, not plainly set
• Her wits to yours, forsooth and made excuse,
• Een then would be some stooping and I choose
• Never to stoop.

Repetition of same word from line 34 reinforces
how he feels it would be beneath him to try and
correct her.
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Rhetorical question the envoy is not expected
to respond or try to justify the Duchess actions.
Semi colons separate short, powerful clauses.

• 
  
• Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,
• Wheneer I passed her but who passed without
• Much the same smile? This grew I gave commands
• Then all smiles stopped together.

Alliteration highlights calm and chilling way he
discusses her death.
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As in line 5, the polite invitation is actually a
command.
Reinforces that she once was alive, and is now
dead solely at his instruction.

• 
  
• There
  she stands
• As if alive. Willt please you rise? Well meet
• The company below, then.

16
Extreme generosity .
Dowry the amount paid by the brides family to
the groom.
He wont pretend he isnt persuaded by the money.

• 
  
• 
  I repeat,
• The Count your masters known munificence
• Is ample warrant that no just pretence
• Of mine for dowry will be disallowed
• Though his fair daughters self, as I avowed
• At starting, is my object.

Though he maintains he is far more persuaded by
the beauty of the girl herself.
He made his last wife into an object.
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Powerful god of the sea.
Verb implies dominance and control.

• 
  
• 
  Nay, well go
• Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,
• Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,
• Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me.
•  

Another object that he had made, like his last
wife.