My Last Duchess How does Browning present CLASS

My Last Duchess How does Browning present CLASS / POWER/ CONTROL in My Last Duchess?

Starter Activity Look at Browning’s use of questions in ‘My Last Duchess’ and consider: What is the effect he is trying to achieve? Are they all the same? ‘Who'd stoop to blame This sort of trifling? ’ ‘Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt, Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without/Much the same smile? ‘ ‘She had A heart---how shall I say? ---’ ‘Then all smiles stopped together There she stands / As if alive Will't please you rise? ’ ‘Fr Pandolf's hands / Worked busily a day, and there she stands. / Will't please you sit and look at her? ’

Supporting AO 3 with AO 2 [Effectively, concision in selection] Prove (or disprove) Mr C’s theory that: 1. The Duke’s questions show he is a psychopath [much like the Riddler]. 2. Browning wanted to critique the Victorian continuation (perpetuation if you want to be fancy) of the feudal system. Feudalism is the system where those with land have power and wealth. (In Vic. Times the class system)

So, what’s feudalism again? It’s an antiquated hierarchy based on land wealth. Up here the Duke exercises his power over those below him? Can you find any AO 1 to show this? Down here adulation and respect must be practiced to those above. Any AO 2 to show this?

Browning’s own sanity is under question when he appears obsessed with insanity… Have a look at these AO 3 interpretations and evaluate their worth Performance Descriptors Band 6 4 Browning as a product of his generation is routinely misogynistic… Browning was a Victorian progressive critical of the broken system… evaluation ofof. Eg. Explanation Eg. climaxesand/or anticlimaxes within narratives evaluation ofofother Explanation othernarrative methods in relation to climaxes/anticlimaxes evaluation ofofhow Explanation howclimaxesand/or anticlimaxes work across the three texts evaluation ofofthe Explanation thesignificanceofof those climaxes/anticlimaxes evaluation ofofwell Explanation wellchosensupportive references

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

Let’s consider the title. What does each word suggest? My Last Duchess Suggests ownership and possession. The last person or thing to have gone before. No longer there. The wife of a Duke – someone with high social standing.

LO: To explore the language, themes and message of ‘My Last Duchess’ Context • Robert Browning (1812 -1889) was heavily influenced as a youngster by his father's extensive collection of books and art. His father was a bank clerk and collected thousands of books, some of which were hundreds of years old and written in languages such as Greek and Hebrew. By the time he was five, it was said that Browning could already read and write well. He was a big fan of the poet Shelley and asked for all of Shelley's works for his thirteenth birthday. By the age of fourteen, he'd learned Latin, Greek and French. Browning went to the University of London but left because it didn't suit him. • He married fellow poet Elizabeth Barrett but they had to run away and marry in secret because of her over-protective father. They moved to Italy and had a son, Robert. Father and son moved to London when Elizabeth died in 1861. • Browning is best known for his use of the dramatic monologue. My Last Duchess is an example of this and it also reflects Browning's love of history and European culture as the story is based on the life of an Italian Duke from the sixteenth century.

LO: To explore the language, themes and message of ‘My Last Duchess’ Subject of the Poem The poem is a dramatic monologue. This means the poem is written in the voice of a character, a male narrator - an imaginary Italian Duke. The Duke tells us he is entertaining an emissary/official who has come to negotiate the Duke’s marriage (he has recently been widowed) to the daughter of another powerful family. As he shows the visitor through his palace, he stops at a portrait of the late Duchess (his late wife), apparently a young and lovely girl. The Duke begins reminiscing about the portrait sessions with the artist, then about the Duchess herself. However, it becomes clear that the background behind the Duchess’ story may be more sinister than we first expect…

First Impressions Listen and read the poem. Now write down your first impressions of the poem. What do you think the Duke is talking about?

LO: To explore the language, themes and message of ‘My Last Duchess’ Where did Browning get his ideas from? Browning wrote the poem in 1842. However, it seems likely that his idea for the poem was based on Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara, whose first wife died after three years of marriage in 1561. The subject matter of the poem – the ‘marriage market’ - would have ensured that the poem was topical in 1850 s Britain. It was common for marriage to be arranged, without the consideration of the woman. They were seen as the property of their fathers and then their husbands.

The Duke is very possessive Form: Dramatic monologue 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 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 An imaginary artist – who is probably quite famous. He is name dropping: everything has monetary value Strangers like you that pictured countenance, The depth and passion of its earnest glance, But to my self they turned (since none puts by The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, How such a glance came there; so, not the first Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, 't was not What impression do Her husband's presence only, called that spot we get of the Duke Of joy into the Duchess' cheek: perhaps in this opening section? There is a reason for drawing the curtain, it’s so the person can see his prized possession. He has control over his duchess even in death.

Fra Pandolf chanced to say, "Her mantle laps Over my lady's wrist too much, " or "Paint Must never hope to reproduce the faint She was a modest person who was 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, Her only crime was enjoying life and not respecting 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 Duke’s jealousy; he starts to reveal more than he planned. He thought she was unfaithful. She rode with round the terrace--all and each Would draw from her alike the approving speech, His only pride is in his wealthy family name Or blush, at least. She thanked men, --good! but thanked He didn’t think she Somehow, --I know not how--as if she ranked appreciated his name My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name and the status it brought

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 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 He is getting jealous because her generosity Makes monologue feel like conversation He accidentally reveals more of his weaknesses Do you think the Duchess is being rude towards her husband? Or is it something else? Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse, --E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt, Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; 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, This line seems to suggest that he put a stop to her smiles… that he killed her. But this is obviously made to be ambiguous.

DOWERY = The duke would get money for marrying his daughter She is also thought to be beautiful The Count your master's known munificence Is ample warrant that no just pretence Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; He is talking to an emissary of his future wife’s father 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) The Duke doesn’t realise how much of himself he has given away in his criticism of his former wife. By the end of the poem, he returns to material things; all his money and power will never buy him love though. By the end of the poem, we realise that the Duchess’ apparent "faults" were qualities like compassion, modesty, humility, delight in simple pleasures, and courtesy to those who served her. The Duke hated these qualities and punished her for them.

LO: To explore the language, themes and message of ‘My Last Duchess’ Themes • Pride and arrogance: the Duke's arrogance comes across quite clearly when talking about himself and his things. • Status and power: people of great wealth and breeding often considered themselves to be morally superior to others - the Duke shows that isn't the case. • Money and possessions: he might have a wonderful house, terrace, orchard, paintings and statues but his paranoia about his late wife comes across and reflects his insecurity. In real life, Duke Alfonso II married three times and didn't produce an heir to his fortune money can't buy you everything. • Gender: Women are treated in poorly in a misogynistic society. The duchess seems to have no power and is even controlled by her husband after she has died – through the way he speaks about her and the way he displays her image.

Structure: • This is one long speech, pretending to be a conversation. It is divided up into rhyming couplets but to mimic unrehearsed speech there are lots of twists and turns within the lines, shown by a variety of punctuation (colons and lots of dashes as well as the usual commas and full stops). Form: • This is one of Browning's best known dramatic monologues. There is only one speaker. • The poem is written in iambic pentameter (the rhythm of each line is 'de-dum', five times) and uses rhyming couplets.

LO: To explore the language, themes and message of ‘My Last Duchess’ How does the poem link to… CONFLICT POWER

The BIG picture? What’s the topic? Poetry: Section B What have we learnt today? Learning objective LO: To explore the language, themes and message of ‘My Last Duchess’. Definitions Have you learnt any new words or terminology today? Sum up in about 20 words what you learnt this lesson: