Notes on "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning

Overview

• Type: Dramatic monologue
• Speaker: Duke of Ferrara
• Tone: Initially polite, becomes sinister
• Setting: Focus on a painting of the Duke's last wife

Key Context about Robert Browning

• Born: 1812 in London
• Notable Works: Victorian poet renowned for dramatic monologues
• Beliefs: Supported women's emancipation and opposed slavery
• Personal Life: Married fellow poet Elizabeth Barrett; lived in Italy, inspired by its art and culture

Inspiration for the Poem

• Historical Basis: Inspired by Duke Alfonso II and his wife Lucretia de Cosimo de Medici, who died young (17 years old).
• Rumors: Allegations that Lucretia was poisoned by the Duke, though unconfirmed.

Structure and Form

• Dramatic Monologue: Reveals the Duke's character through his speech.
• Meter: Iambic pentameter (10 syllables, alternating unstressed/stressed)
• Rhyme Scheme: Written in rhyming couplets to create control and repetition.
• Enjambment: Creates tension; contrasts with controlled meter.
• Caesura: Adds emphasis and disrupts the flow, reflecting the Duke's emotions.

Themes

Objectification of Women

• Duchess treated as an object; Duke controls her image, hidden behind a curtain.

Power and Hierarchy

• Duke's obsession with status; believes wealth grants him the right to command respect and fear.

Gender and Male Control

• Critique of male dominance; Duke's possessiveness and control leads to the Duchess's demise.

Language Techniques

• Tone: Polite but controlling; Duke uses questions that serve as commands.
• Symbolism:
  • Painting: Symbolizes the Duke's view of women as possessions.
  • Curtain: Represents his controlling nature.
  • Neptune Statue: Symbol of power; reflects the Duke's self-image and dominance.

Notable Quotes

• Opening Line: "My last Duchess painted on the wall..."
• Controlling Question: "Will it please you sit and look at her?"
• Revelation of Control: "I gave commands then all smiles stopped together."

Comparison with Other Poems

• Ozymandias: Themes of power and authority.
• Kamikaze: Control of authority figures over individuals.
• London & Extract from the Prelude: Exploration of human power and its consequences.

Conclusion

• Final Thoughts: The poem critiques male control and the objectification of women through the Duke's sinister character and the tragic fate of the Duchess.