1. “My Last Duchess” “The Bishop Orders His Tomb at St. Praxed’s Church”
Robert Browning
“My Last Duchess”
“The Bishop Orders His Tomb at St. Praxed’s Church”

2. Queen Victoria
Victorian: “The adjective Victorian refers to British literary works which were written … during (or shortly before or after) the era of Queen Victoria ( ). The adjective is also used to describe the code of morality which was believed to be predominant during her reign.”

3. Robert Browning (1812-1889) Son of a bank clerk.
Major figure in Victorian literary circles (Dickens, Hunt, etc.).
Married another famous poet, the invalid Elizabeth Barrett in 1846.
Life in Florence, Italy.

4. The Brownings in Florence
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

5. Casa Guidi

6. Critical Term
Dramatic monologue: A type of poem associated with Robert Browning in which a speaker unintentionally reveals aspects of his character in conversation with a (silent) listener.
I’m a jerk.

7. “My Last Duchess”
Judging by her description in ll. 15 ff., what kind of woman was this Duchess? In lines 50 ff. we learn that the speaker is in the process of negotiating another marriage (cf. dowry, line 51). What does this dramatic monologue unintentionally reveal about the speaker? How would you describe his relationship with his wife? Some believe that the Duchess in this poem is based on Lucrezia (di Cosimo) de' Medici, a wealthy Italian woman who suddently died at the age of 17 and is rumored to have been poisoned. Is there any hint of foul play in this poem?
UU in Italy connection: look for the Medici coat of arms in Rome and Florence. First one to spot one gets a Euro from me!
Portrait of Lucrezia (di Cosimo) de' Medici by Agnolo Bronzino.

8. “The Bishop Orders His Tomb at Saint Praxed’s Church”
Review “The Bishop Orders His Tomb at Saint Praxed’s Church” and try to find three examples in which the Bishop reveals his excessive worldliness.

9. Madonna of the Yarnwinder, Leonardo da Vinci, 1501

10. Tomb of Bishop Marius Ambrose Capello (Below) after 1676 Black, red and white marble; O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
(Left) The tomb of Giuliano de' Medici by Michelangelo (20 feet 8 inches x 13 feet 9 inches) is made from marble and is located inside the Medici Chapel in San Lorenzo, Florence.

11. Santa Prassede (“Saint Praxed’s”), Rome After looking at the slides of St. Praxed’s church, consider how viewing the church affects your interpretation of this poem.

14. “My Last Duchess” “The Bishop Orders His Tomb at St. Praxed’s Church”
Robert Browning
“My Last Duchess”
“The Bishop Orders His Tomb at St. Praxed’s Church”