Subject: The subject of the poem is
the Duke’s late wife
, or the “Last Duchess” The poem also covers.”
What is the subject of My Last Duchess?
“My Last Duchess” is all about power:
the political and social power wielded by the speaker
(the Duke) and his attempt to control the domestic sphere (his marriage) in the same way that he rules hi…
Where is the Duchess who is the subject of the poem My Last Duchess ‘?
This poem is set in 1564 and is based on the real-life Duke Alfonso II who ruled
Ferrara, Italy
in the latter half of the 16th century. In the poem, he’s talking about his first wife Lucrezia de’ Medici, 3 years after she died under suspicious circumstances shortly after marrying the Duke.
Who is mainly the subject of his talk My Last Duchess?
This poem is loosely based on historical events involving
Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara
, who lived in the 16th century. The Duke is the speaker of the poem, and tells us he is entertaining an emissary who has come to negotiate the Duke’s marriage (he has recently been widowed) to the daughter of another powerful family.
What happened to the duchess in My Last Duchess?
In My Last Duchess,
the duchess has died, most likely as an act of murder
. The speaker in the poem is the duchess’s husband, the duke.
Why is the Duke speaking to this listener?
Expert Answers
The Duke is trying to convey to the listener, who has come to broker a
new marriage for the Duke
, that his deceased wife was disloyal to him.
What is the irony in My Last Duchess?
The overarching irony in Browning’s “My Last Duchess” is that it really is not about the duchess, but
instead about the controlling, jealous, and arrogant nature of the duke
. In his monologue describing a painting of his former wife, the duke introduces us to his dark and sinister qualities.
How is porphyria killed?
Since the speaker may (as many speculate) be insane, it is impossible to know the true nature of his relationship to Porphyria. … At the poem’s midpoint, the persona suddenly takes action,
strangling Porphyria
, propping her body against his, and boasting that afterward, her head lay on his shoulder.
What is the meaning of the last duchess?
My Last Duchess is
a dramatic monologue set in Renaissance Italy
(early 16th century) and conveys the opinions of a wealthy noble man as he shows a marriage broker, an emissary, a painting of his late wife, ‘my last duchess’.
What flaw does the Duke identify in his last duchess?
The duke is
upset that everything pleases the duchess
. She is too innocent and too generous with her approval and too easily impressed. He later says that her holding any kindness in equal standing with his affection and his gifts “disgusts” him, though he refuses to “stoop” to tell the duchess why he is upset.
What is the summary of Ulysses?
An oft-quoted poem, it is a popular example of the dramatic monologue. Facing old age,
mythical hero Ulysses describes his discontent and restlessness upon returning to his kingdom, Ithaca, after his far-ranging travels
. Despite his reunion with his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus, Ulysses yearns to explore again.
What does the duke say about dowry?
Near the end of the monologue he says, “
I repeat, / The Count your master’s known munificence / Is ample warrant that no just pretence / Of mine for dowry will be disallowed
.” So he is repeating what he has already told this man, showing that the dowry was uppermost in his mind.
Why is the duke discussing his last duchess?
The duke discusses his last duchess as
a warning to his next potential wife
. He hated that she was “too soon made glad, / Too easily impressed.” She was equally pleased by everything, large or small, costly or not: the sunset, for example, pleased her as much as the duke’s…
Why did the Duchess stop smiling?
After mentioning his anger at her supposed disrespect of him, he throws in this line, which is our clue: “
I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together
.” So, he “gave commands” and she stopped smiling forever. This hints that he told someone to kill her.
Why was the last duchess killed?
In the poem “My Last Duchess” the Duke of Ferrara has killed
his wife because he believes that she has been unfaithful to him
. … “The duke attributes his failure to communicate his preferences to his wife to his social standing. Even if she tolerated some correction or instruction.
Why does the Duke hide the Duchess painting behind a curtain?
The duke keeps the painting of the duchess behind a curtain
as a means of postmortem control
. That is, he wants control over who gets to see her image.
