My Last Duchess

by Robert Browning
How are CONFLICT and VIOLENCE presented?

LO: To be able to explain how the language, form and structure of My Last Duchess reveals the Dukes intentions

LO: To be able to infer information about character using evidence from the text

LO: To explore how the theme of conflict is presented in the poem

Duchess
* What does this womans facial expression tell us? * What do her clothes reveal? * Does she look happy? * Is this a natural portrait?

The Duke
* What does this mans facial expression tell us?
* What do his clothes reveal about his status in society? * Does he look happy?

* Why is he stood this way?

Putting the poem in context

An Italian Duke is talking to a messenger from a wealthy Count. The messenger has come to bring an offer of marriage between the Counts daughter and the Duke. The Duke spends most of the Dramatic Monologue bragging about his wealth. More disturbingly, he calmly relates how his previous wife (my last Duchess) was disposed of because, basically, she had offended his vanity.

Putting the poem in context

The poem is a DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE in which we learn about the character of the Duke not only through what is said but through the way it has been spoken because it allows us to focus solely on the speaker. His last Duchess is never referred to by name, signifying the way she was a mere possession for him. Also, the word last could just mean previous but it could imply last in a long line of previous wives! This is ironic given that the conversation is about arranging for a new wife!

What is it the poem Summary ofabout?

Based loosely on the life of Alfonso II, Duke of Ferreira, Italy. The Dukes first wife died in 1561 after three years of marriage. The Duke is the speaker of the poem, and tells us he is entertaining a messenger who has come to negotiate the Dukes next marriage to the daughter of a powerful family. As he shows the visitor through his palace, he stops before a portrait of the late Duchess, apparently a young and lovely girl. We learn about the character of the Duke through what he says about her and how this reveals his true feelings. We also learn about their relationship; what was expected, and how she responded. The Duke begins reminiscing about the portrait sessions, then about the Duchess herself. He claims she was quite a flirt and did not appreciate his gift of a nine-hundred-years- old name. As his monologue continues, the reader chillingly realises that the Duke in fact caused the Duchesss early death. Having revealed this, the Duke returns to the business at hand: arranging another marriage, with another young girl.

Enjambment is the continuation of a sentence over a line-break. It can be used to create the feel of a stream of consciousness and continuous stream of thought and ideas.

Why might Browning have used enjambment in My Last Duchess?

Thats my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive.

As we listen to the poem, note down which characters are mentioned/ introduced and what we learn about them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZxq3r7TlHo

The Duke Narrator of the poem

Fra Pandolf
The painter

Whos who?

The Duchess Was killed by the Duke for flirting with other men

The Counts messenger Visiting the Duke to arrange his next marriage to a Counts daughter

Irony : in fictional dramatic irony, the author makes a character speak in a way that may be the opposite to the truth. This technique highlights the facts to the reader.

What is ironic about the Dukes descriptions of the late Duchesss character?

-Enjambment

Form/structure Language Imagery Rhyme/rhythm Tone Style

-The Duke is polite, sophisticated and controlled in his speech all the way through and this makes it even more chilling. -There are no stanza breaks suggesting the Duke likes the sound of his own voice and is full of self-importance.

Irony

The Duke
He treats women as objects a revealing word because he collects objects and he treated his previous wife as a material possession In fact he has turned her into a possession hung on the wall which only he can view!

Finding evidence
1. Find evidence: (words, phrases) that tell us how the Duke feels about the picture of his last Duchess. 2. What might have happened to her? 3. Why do you think Browning used enjambment in the monologue what effect did he try to achieve? 4. What impression do we get of the character of the Duke? 5. What are the key themes of the monologue?

Task Cards
Pronouns/Names
Create a tally chart of all the pronouns in MLD Who else features in MLD? List them and explain who they are. What does this tell you? Imagery Identify all of the images created Draw them to create a simple storyboard for the MLD (It does not have to be arty!)

Death/Violence Identify all of the words that link to death/violence What do they reveal about the Duke? Body/Actions Identify all of the words linked with body parts or actions

What themes emerge?

What do these words reveal?

Which phrase shows the Duke had the Duchess killed?

Rhythm
Look at the last words of every line what do you notice?

Read each line aloud in turns how many beats are in each line?
Why is the monologue structured in this way?

The Duke is very possessive

My Last Duchess
That's my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now: Fra Pandolf's hands
An imaginary artist, the Duke is name dropping: everything has monetary value

Worked busily a day, and there she stands.

Will 't please you to sit and look at her? I said "Fra Pandolf" by design, for never read
He likes beautiful things

Strangers like you that pictured countenance, The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
There is a reason for drawing the curtain, But to my self they turned (since none puts by its so the person The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) can see his prized And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, possession

How such a glance came there; so, not the first Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, 't was not Her husband's presence only, called that spot Of joy into the Duchess' cheek: perhaps
The Duke is suggesting it is other men that made the Duchess happy and brought colour to her cheek.

Fra Pandolf chanced to say, "Her mantle laps

Perhaps she was a modest person Over my lady's wrist too much," or "Paint who got Must never hope to reproduce the faint embarrassed by compliments 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,
She enjoyed life. He suggests that in doing so she did not respect his rank/title

Too easily impressed: she liked whate'er

She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

Sir, 't was all one! My favor at her breast, The bough of cherries some officious fool Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule

The Dukes jealousy; he starts to reveal more than he planned

She rode with round the terrace--all and each

Would draw from her alike the approving speech, Or blush, at least. She thanked men,--good! but thanked
His only pride is in his wealthy family name

Somehow,--I know not how--as if she ranked

My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name

Contrast: genuine romance or a posh title, he expects her to value the title more

With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame

This sort of trifling? Even had you skill In speech--(which I have not)--to make your will Quite clear to such an one, and say, "Just this
He accidentally reveals more of his weaknesses What kind of man expects his wife to be rude like this?

Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,

Or there exceed the mark"--and if she let Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,

--E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose

Jealousy

Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt, Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without
HE KILLED HER? Catholic Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; renaissance Italy

Makes monologue feel like conversation

Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands

As if alive. Will 't please you rise? We'll meet The company below, then. I repeat,

The simplicity of these words is disturbing; there is a lack of emotion that is frightening.

The Count your master's known munificence

Money for marrying his daughter

Is ample warrant that no just pretence Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed At starting, is my object. Nay, we'll go Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though, Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me! Robert Browning (1812-1889)

He is talking to an emissary of his future wifes father

The Duke doesnt realise how much of himself he has given away in his criticism of his former wife

He returns to material things. Name dropping once again: Claus of Innsbruck.

The young woman's "faults" were qualities like compassion, modesty, humility, delight in simple pleasures, and courtesy to those who served her.

An example PEE paragraph

Point: Browning uses the words of the Duke to reveal information about character. Evidence: For example, the bough of cherries some officious fool broke in the orchard for her...all and each would draw from her alike the approving speech, or blush, at least. Explanation: This suggests that the Duchess was a polite and courteous woman who enjoyed life and took pleasure in small things. It reveals the extent of the Dukes jealousy and disapproval of his last Duchesss behaviour, and highlights the conflict that caused him to command an end to these blushes.

Homework: storyboard
Create a storyboard of the poem (8-10 sections) Add an appropriate quotation for each section EXT make a link to conflict how is conflict being presented?

Starter Activity:
A B

Write the alphabet in your books

N O

C
D E F G H I J K L M

P
Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Try to think of a word that links to MLD for each letter!