Robert browning my last duchess analysis line by line. Robert Browning’s Poetry “My Last Duchess” Summary & Analysis 2022-10-16

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Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess" is a dramatic monologue written in the voice of the Duke of Ferrara, who is speaking to an envoy of the Count of Tyrol. The Duke is describing a portrait of his last duchess, which he has had painted to show off her beauty. As he speaks, it becomes clear that the Duchess was a strong-willed woman who did not always do as she was told, and that the Duke had her killed because of this.

The poem begins with the Duke showing off the portrait to the envoy, saying "That's my last Duchess painted on the wall, / Looking as if she were alive." This opening line sets the scene and introduces the main subject of the poem, the Duke's last duchess. It also hints at the Duke's ego and his desire to show off his possessions, including his wife.

The Duke goes on to describe the Duchess's beauty and her charm, saying "I call / That piece a wonder, now: Fra Pandolf's hands / Worked busily a day, and there she stands." Here, the Duke is emphasizing the skill of the artist who painted the portrait and the beauty of the Duchess. However, the use of the word "wonder" suggests that the Duke sees the Duchess as an object rather than a person.

As the Duke continues to speak about the Duchess, he reveals that she was a strong-willed woman who did not always do as she was told. He says "She had / 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." This passage shows that the Duchess was easily pleased and that she enjoyed many things, suggesting that she was curious and open-minded. However, the Duke sees this as a flaw, saying "Sir, 'twas not / Her husband's presence only, called that spot / Of joy into the Duchess' cheek." He is implying that the Duchess was not always happy when she was with him, and that she derived joy from other sources.

The Duke's resentment towards the Duchess becomes clearer as he continues to speak, saying "I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands / As if alive." This passage reveals that the Duke had the Duchess killed because she did not always do as she was told. The use of the word "commands" suggests that the Duke saw the Duchess as his property and that he expected her to obey him. The line "Then all smiles stopped together" is particularly chilling, as it shows that the Duke had the power to end the Duchess's life simply because she did not always conform to his wishes.

In the final lines of the poem, the Duke reveals his true feelings towards the Duchess, saying "I choose / Never to stoop." This suggests that the Duke sees himself as superior to the Duchess and that he believes he is entitled to control her. The use of the word "choose" emphasizes the Duke's power and his belief that he has the right to make decisions for others.

Overall, "My Last Duchess" is a powerful and disturbing poem that explores the themes of power, control, and ego. Through the voice of the Duke, Browning reveals the dangerous and destructive consequences of these themes, as the Duke's desire for control leads him to kill the strong-willed and independent Duchess.

[ Summary] Matery for Poetry 2

robert browning my last duchess analysis line by line

Epis ́trophe: Repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses "of the people, by the people, for the people". This is significant as, as he later explains, during her lifetime he could not control who she interacted with and made her happy but now his way of controlling her is by covering the portrait with a curtain. Stanza 1: At the midnight in the silence of the sleep-time, When you set your fancies free, Will they pass to where—by death, fools think, imprisoned— Low he lies who once so loved you, whom you loved so, —Pity me? Function of Figurative Language: Fugitive language is used in the literature to enhance the reading experience of the readers and it allows them to feel the same situation that the writers expressed in the pieces of writing. It is the reason for her cheeks to express joy in the presence of Fra Pandolf. An emissary visits the recently widowed Duke and the dramatic monologue begins.

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Epilogue Poem Summary, Notes And Line By Line Analysis In English By Robert Browning • English Summary

robert browning my last duchess analysis line by line

About the Poet: Robert Browning 1812-1889 was an eminent English poet and playwright. Browning wrote two famous dramatic monologue poems called Porphyrias Lover and My Last Duchess. The Duke is clear about the amount of power he wanted to assert over the Duchess. The desperate need to do this mirrors the efforts of Victorian society to mold the behavior—gsexual and otherwise—gof individuals. What had I on earth to do With the slothful, with the mawkish, the unmanly? How does the poet use the theme of power in the poem My Last Duchess? How is power presented in London and My Last Duchess? This phrase very much reiterates his previous complaints that she is overly impressed and entertained, especially by men.


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Robert Browning’s Poetry “My Last Duchess” Summary & Analysis

robert browning my last duchess analysis line by line

Metrical line lengths include Monometer: one foot per line Dimeter: 2 feet per line Single word repetition: "Kill, Kill, Kill" or "tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" Anaph ́ora: Repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses "Among rocks. This is a hint of modesty in the persona of the Duke which we previously thought to be consumed by arrogance. He gestures in the direction of a statue of the god Neptune, who is portrayed riding a sea horse. The artist who created it is also mentioned by the duke to the servant. We break free of confusions that plague us only to fight better.

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Robert Browning

robert browning my last duchess analysis line by line

At fourteen, she got married, and by seventeen, she was gone. She rode with round the terrace—all and each Would draw from her alike the approving speech, This explains how all of the things that the Duke has listed in the previous 4 lines all seem to give the Duchess equal satisfaction. Persona is also sometimes a role assumed by a person or a character, in public or in society. My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name By marrying her, the Duchess has adopted the surname of the Duke and the Duke describes this and the honour and respect that goes with his long-standing, high-class family as a gift to her that she should be grateful and in his debt for. Notice Neptune, though, Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me! One can also detect that the artist was given only one day to complete the painting indicating that the Duke is afraid about any advancements between his wife and the artist. To and accomplished pianist and a bank clerk. The contrasting behaviours of Alfonso and his wife are shown by Browning through the words of the speaker.

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Analysis Of My Last Duchess : Line By Line

robert browning my last duchess analysis line by line

He was noted for irony, characterization, dark humor, social commentary, historical settings, and challenging vocabulary and syntax. Symbolism: Symbolism is that when a word refers totally a different meaning than its original meaning. In this stanza, the persona is discussing the painting as the monologue opens. The Duke first reveals himself to be a man of jealousy, and arrogance. This grew; I gave commands! The poet, lying on the deathbed himself as he writes this poem, states as such. He answers his own question from the previous stanza here. When she saw him or when he went by her, she always smiled and treated him kindly.

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My Last Duchess, Robert Browning Poem Analysis/Annotations

robert browning my last duchess analysis line by line

She had A heart—how shall I say? Meter conveys rhythm, which can be inherently pleasurable and can help to convey the meaning of the poem 2 , but the poet and the reader should not be slavishly exact and unvarying sing song regarding meter. It also portrays how her natural independence and inquisitiveness juxtaposes his ideal perception of a wife. Alfonso is the fifth Duke of Ferrara and he lived during the 16 th century. The bronze statue was made by Claus of Innsbruck. The rhetorical question is also very significant as it is an example of euphemistic language which is an attempt by the Duke to hide his controlling nature and disdain towards her and convey indecision about him which lessens the emotion in the words and his speech. This angers him — he feels outraged that she could see his gift of jewellery as comparable to a bunch of cherries. Alfonso believes that she thanked many men, but in a suspicious way.

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Robert Browning’s My Last Duchess Analysis Essay Example

robert browning my last duchess analysis line by line

Scansion is the act of dividing a line while reading it into feet, a process that may include the use of elision to combine what would ordinarily be separate syllables into one sound. He claims that Fra Pandolf put a lot of effort into it and needed a full day to finish it and give it a realistic feel. The duke is unsuccessful in his desires because he is not seen by others in the way he wishes to be seen. Through the use of symbols, the Duke reveals himself to be a man who desires total and complete power and submission from those around him. Then all smiles stopped together.

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What is the poem My Last Duchess by Robert Browning about?

robert browning my last duchess analysis line by line

Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule The white mule is the offspring of a donkey and horse. His dramatic monologues, in particular, were well famed, noted for their dark humour. This controlling behaviour is sinister and makes us wonder if he was involved in her death, maybe covering the painting as a symptom of guilt. The characters together demonstrate the wide scale of masculinity. An interesting passage concludes the poem he Duke directs his attention to a sculpture of Neptune taming a seahorse.

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(DOC) Analysis on Robert Brownings My Last Duchess

robert browning my last duchess analysis line by line

It suggests that the speaker has killed his wife and will soon do the same to the next. He portrayed an understanding of gender rules in his poems. What is the moral lesson of My Last Duchess? This gives the impression that men often gave her gifts and it made the Duke furious because he thought that men were attracted to her. The Duke resumes to business and asks the emissary to come with him to join the others. The servant is told that the duke expects him to provide the dowry for her daughter in the amount he requests because everyone is aware of the generosity of his master. He rules with an iron fist. Iambic meter is termed a rising rhythm because of the stressed final syllable.

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