What is the message of the poem My Last Duchess?
Major Themes in “My Last Duchess”: Jealousy, hatred, and power are the major themes of this poem. Browning has presented the character of a duke who wants to rule his woman with an iron fist. He talks about his late wife and details the reasons why he did not like her.
What is browning Criticising in My Last Duchess?
A Dramatic Monologue Robert Browning was a prolific poet and at times his poetry drew a stark contrast to that of his famous wife Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who was a rather gentle poet. A perfect example is his dramatic monologue, “My Last Duchess,” which is a dark and daring portrait of a domineering man.
What was the message the Duke was sending through his dramatic monologue?
Expert Answers That message is that she had better behave in line, and value his name and rank for its worthy status, or else. He is looking for a docile, controllable woman who worships him-which his last wife did not, at least not enough-and if she isn’t, her probable fate would be fatal.
Why Is My Last Duchess one stanza?
My Last Duchess, a dramatic monologue, is a single stanza poem made up of heroic couplets (heroic is a term used for iambic lines), all fully rhyming. The speaker is a man of means, a duke no less, of Ferrara most likely, a town in Italy.
What makes the Duchess happy?
Apparently the Duchess was easily pleased: she smiled at everything, and seemed just as happy when someone brought her a branch of cherries as she did when the Duke decided to marry her. She also blushed easily.
What does all smiles stopped in line 46 imply?
Because the Duchess “smiled” (line 43) at others, the Duke “gave commands” (line 45) so that “all smiles stopped together” (line 46), which may be a euphemism for having the Duchess killed or at least silenced.
How can we interpret the lines I gave commands Then all smiles stopped together?
Explanation: The Duke states that “this grew”, which means the Duchess’s arbitrary compassion and admiration of all grew more intense. “gave commands and all smiles stopped together” might probably mean that he ordered his men to kill the Duchess because she was being more humble to others.
Who passed without Much the same smile?
Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set 40 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.
Who gave the commands that the smiles should stop?
The Duke
How is porphyria killed?
In the poem, a man strangles his lover – Porphyria – with her hair; “… and all her hair / In one long yellow string I wound / Three times her little throat around, / And strangled her.” Porphyria’s lover then talks of the corpse’s blue eyes, golden hair, and describes the feeling of perfect happiness the murder gives …
What is the meaning of the expression all smiles stopped *?
phrase. If you say that someone is all smiles, you mean that they look very happy, often when they have previously been worried or upset about something.
Why did the Duke kill his last duchess?
In the poem “My Last Duchess” the Duke of Ferrara has killed his wife because he believes that she has been unfaithful to him. “The duke attributes his failure to communicate his preferences to his wife to his social standing. Even if she tolerated some correction or instruction.
Why did the Duke feel anger at his wife?
The duke felt that his wife was too appreciative of the attention that other men paid her. He did not openly accuse her of adultery, but condemned her flirtatious behavior. The duchess’ smiles to the other men aroused an anger in the duke so powerful that he gave commands to have her killed.
Why did Porphyria’s Lover kill her?
He feared she might not feel the same way she felt for him the next day as she did that night. His was an apparently insane mind, for he decided to kill her. By doing so, he thought, he might be able to seize that moment forever. If Porphyria died while she was united with him, he would never lose her.
What didn’t the Duke like about the personality of his last Duchess?
Ans- The Duke was dissatisfied with his last Duchess because he thought that she was not completed focused on him and was flirting with other people. The Duchess would smile at other people but the Duke wanted complete control and was jealous when the Duchess was friendly towards other people.
What happens to the last duchess?
It isn’t explicitly spelled out, but we can reasonably infer that the duchess was killed on the orders of her husband. As he explains to the Count’s emissary in chilling, matter-of-fact language, he gave commands, and then all the Duchess’s smiles stopped.
Why would there be the word last before duchess?
Not for this Duke, who seems to dispose of Duchesses pretty quickly. So the designation “last” implies that this Duchess is only one of a sequence, preparing us for the fact that the poem might consider some of the other women who end up in that sequence.
What do we learn about the personality of the Duchess?
The Duchess was respectful and appeared to be very nice to the Duke, but the Duke, according to his own words, was not the only source of her joy. She found pleasure in nature and people who would do small favors for her, etc.
What does the Duke say about dowry?
Near the end of the monologue he says, “I repeat, / The Count your master’s known munificence / Is ample warrant that no just pretence / Of mine for dowry will be disallowed.” So he is repeating what he has already told this man, showing that the dowry was uppermost in his mind.
How do you describe a duchess?
Here are some adjectives for duchess: white-haired and fragile, vivacious and angelic, meek and affable, superb and handsome, haughty but fascinating, blue-blooded french, profligate and eccentric, runaway grand, obscure grand, serene steadfast, –musical old, affluent british, guilty and pampered, warm-hearted.