1. My Last Duchess: SCASI Monday, 12 November 2018
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

2. JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

3. JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014 My Last Duchess
With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame
Ferrara
35 This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
That's my last Duchess painted on the wall,
In speech — (which I have not) — to make your will
Looking as if she were alive. I call
Quite clear to such an one, and say, ‘Just this
That piece a wonder, now: Frà Pandolf's hands
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Or there exceed the mark’ — and if she let
5 Will't please you sit and look at her? I said
40 Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
‘Frà Pandolf’ by design, for never read
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
— E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without
10 The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
45 Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We'll meet
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not
The company below, then. I repeat,
Her husband’s presence only, called that spot
The Count your master's known munificence
15 Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek: perhaps
Is ample warrant that no just pretence
Frà Pandolf chanced to say ‘Her mantle laps
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;
Over my lady's wrist too much,’ or ‘Paint
Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go
Half-flush that dies along her throat’: such stuff
Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,
20 Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough
55 Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,
For calling up that spot of joy. She had
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!
A heart — how shall I say? — too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
25 Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace — all and each
30 Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked men, — good! but thanked
Somehow — I know not how — as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

4. POETRY ANALYSIS: SCASI
You recall this mnemonic?
Subject
Character
Action
Style
Ideas
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

5. Subject
A good way to open an essay- this introduction establishes your knowledge. It also help to establish an awareness of the poet’s intention in writing…
Work in pairs to summarise the subject of this poem in no more than 80 words.
“Browning’s poem tells the story of the Duke of Ferrara who is showing an envoy from his future father-in-law a hidden portrait of his previous wife. He is proud of the fact that, jealous of her innocent pleasure in all things, he had her killed. She is now one of his art treasures, just as the statues in his gallery.”
What have I left out? What have you left out?
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

6. Character How many characters are in this poem? 4?
The main character: How does the Duke speak to the envoy? What do you notice about this?
Look for the most common features of his speech.
1st person, imperatives, no interruptions, short statements, possessive pronouns…
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

7. DUKE 2: Lines for discussion
“That's my last Duchess painted on the wall,” “as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody’s gift.” “and I choose Never to stoop.” “I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together.” “The Count your master's known munificence Is ample warrant that no just pretence Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;”
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

8. The Duchess
What do we learn of her and who tells us? Can we treat this as “reliable information”?
Sir, ’twas not
Her husband’s presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek:
Jealousy? What else do you detect here?
What else does he suggest?
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

9. Duchess 2 He does not know Suggests an accidental remark “stuff”
Perhaps Frà Pandolf chanced to say ‘Her mantle laps Over my lady's wrist too much,’ or ‘Paint Must never hope to reproduce the faint Half-flush that dies along her throat’: 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;
Suggests an accidental remark
“stuff”
Arrogant dismissal
“too easily” for his taste: jealous
Pompous RQ – not wanting an answer
To her , “courtesy” is enough to make her happy
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

10. DUCHESS 3 What do you make of the list of her “likes”?
Can you find evidence of the Duke’s jealousy here, as well as of the Duchess’ simple pleasures?
Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace — all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least.
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

11. Envoy & Pandolfo
Envoy says little but does start to ask questions to prompt the story: “How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus.”
Can you find other moments when the Duke talks to the envoy?
What is the envoy actually doing in the palace? What message would you take back to your master if you were the envoy? Why?
Fra Pandolfo: A monk is the painter… can you think why this would be?
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

12. ACTION: What actually happens in this poem?
The Envoy and the Duke stop in front of a portrait. The Duke pulls back the curtains to reveal: His Last Duchess. The narrator sits and listens before the pair move on through the palace to the sculpture gallery.
The Duke is showing off his collection and his wealth.
What does this say about his attitude to the woman (women) he married?
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

13. STYLE:
Block of text: HEROIC COUPLETS of Iambic Pentameter (they rhyme!): why might Browning have chosen this form?
Single slab of text resembles the MARBLE – a cold stone used for funeral monuments for which Ferrara is famous.
Direct speech: This is a DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE.
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

14. Why do so many lines show enjambement and caesura?
The Duke resembles the cold hearted MARBLE…
The breaks are suggestive that his power is NOT secure
Perhaps Browning wants to show that the power he wields is flawed?
The Duke is all powerful
He can even use his power to break MARBLE, in the sense that he is not restricted by convention.
He is in complete control.
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014

15. IDEAS What do you think this poem is saying about the nature of:
Marriage?
Women in society?
The nature of love?
Masculine power?
NB, the Duke is not being held up as a good role model…
JOnathan Peel UCGS 2014