My Last Duchess Robert Browning What do all

My Last Duchess Robert Browning

What do all of these women have in common?

How do we treat/view women like them?

What type of man might they marry?

Setting

Looking for love Imagine the Duke is going to write his blurb for Match. com How would he write his blurb describing his characteristics. Also, you need to indicate 2 imperfections he has, what would they be?

Poetry Reading Before we listen to the original poem, read ‘My Last Dolores. ’ What is the poem about? http: //www. bbc. co. uk/learningzone/clips/robertbrowning-my-last-duchess-poem-only/1297. html https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Y 0 y. Khk. AZL 4&safe=active

My Last Dolores What do the two men have in common? What type of character are they?

The Duke What does this show about how the Duke feels towards his dead wife? That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,

Based on the first line, what type of character will the Duke be? How will the Duke speak to the envoy? Consider not only what he says but how he will say it. n How does the Duke move around the home? n How does the Duke look at the envoy? n How will the Duke describe the portrait of the Last Duchess? n

Ferrara 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 sit and look at her? I said ‘Fra Pandolf’ by design, for never read Strangers like you that pictured countenance, The depth and passion of its earnest glance,

But to myself they turned (since none puts by The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) And summed as they would ask me, if they durst Are you to turn and ask thus. Sit, ‘twas not Her husband’s presence only, called that spot Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek: perhaps

Fra 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; she liked whate’er She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

Sir, ‘twas all one! May 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. She thanked men, - good! but thanked – Somehow – I know not how – as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name 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 a 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 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, The Count your master’s known munificence Is ample warrant that just no pretence Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; Through his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed

As 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.

The Duke What type of man is the Duke? n What does he reveal about attitudes towards women in Browning’s time? n What is different to attitudes then and now? n 22

Questions n Who is the Duke of Ferrara talking to in the poem? n Why is his guest visiting the Duke of Ferrara? n Who painted the picture of the Duke’s late wife? n The Duke was not entirely pleased with his late wife, the Last Duchess. Explain why and what he did about it. n What impression of the Last Duchess do you get from the poem? Select evidence to support your ideas. n Describe the character of the Duke. Back up your answer with evidence. Challenge question: what is the effect of this poem being in the form of a conversation?

Rank themes Forgiveness n Control n Arrogance n Hypocrisy n Violence n People n Loyalty n Fear n 0 – No Significance 5 – The theme features in a minor way 10 – The theme features in a major way 15 – It is the poem’s central, most important theme Love n Happiness n Jealousy n Pride n Power and status n Vanity n 24

Complete the table. Look at your class’s top three themes and find evidence (quotations) to support your ideas. 25

Language focus n The language of ‘My Last Duchess’, though carefully crafted and structured, mimics the patterns of speech within the form of a monologue. 26

Vocabulary n Challenge: What can we learn about the poem, its context or the poet’s intention from the types of words used? Look at the vocabulary below from the poem ‘My Last Duchess’. In pairs, sort the words into categories e. g. colours, emotions, verbs, the body, art. You can use each word more than once if you think it fits into more than one category. You can create your own categories. Last Hands Look Glad Painted Stands Glance Breast She Design Passion Cherries Alive Pictured You White Wonder Sit Husband Blush Cheek Wrist Paint Gift Throat Faint Joy Disgusts Commands Object My Bronze Stooping Rise Smiled 27

Style and form n In the version your have been given, everything except punctuation marks and the last word in each sentence has been bricked out. This allows you to focus on the placing of punctuation and the types of punctuation used, without being distracted by the words. n How much can you notice about the sentences in this poem? n What can you deduce about the poem’s form and structure from this version alone? 28

What could you say about the sentences? n n n the lack of full stops at the ends of lines semi colons and colons indicating complex sentence structures speech marks indicating direct speech hyphens indicating an aside or extra information added sentences running on to other lines (what is this called? ) 29

What could you say about structure and form? n n n the length of the poem: it’s long! there are no individual stanzas there is no vast variation in line length many of the lines contain ten words the lines that don’t contain ten words tend to include longer words 30

Have you noted that… n The poem uses iambic pentameter and Browning arranges the poem into rhyming couplets. The poem also uses enjambment so that: n most punctuation marks are within the lines and not at the end n the rhyming couplets do not sound ‘forced’ or artificial or mechanical. Browning is trying to emulate the patterns of everyday speech while still working within a strict framework n when reading the poem, the reader has to stop at other punctuation marks but not at the end of each line n the careful crafting provides irony when the Duke modestly asserts that he has no ‘skill’ in ‘speech’ (lines 35– 36). 31

Making links n what other poems, would MLD link to and why? EG Thematic link: Power and control Language link: Imagery, repetition and enjambment 32

Comparing ‘My Last Duchess’ and ‘Ozymandias’ n Look at the two quotations below from ‘My Last Duchess’ and ‘Ozymandias’. Label them with ideas about similarities and differences. ‘Half sunk, a shatter’d visage lies, whose frown And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command …’ (‘Ozymandias’) ‘I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. ’ (‘My Last Duchess’) 33

Homework n Look at the notes you have made and write a PEE paragraph comparing ‘My Last Duchess’ with ‘Ozymandias’. 34