My Last Duchess Questions Answers Class 11 English
Write about the historical background on which the poem My Last Duchess is based.
The poem ‘My Last Duchess’ is set in 1564 and is based on the real life of Duke Alfonso II d’Este who ruled over Ferrara in Italy in the latter half of the 16th century. The Duke of Ferrara had married Lucrezia di Cosimo de’ Medici, the daughter of the grand Duke of Tuscany. The short marriage was an unhappy one and the Duchess died at an early age under mysterious circumstances. Rumours spread that she had been poisoned by the Duke. The poet Robert Browning made this incident the subject matter of his poem “My Last Duchess. The Duke mamed his second wife Barbara of Austria, the eighth daughter of Ferdinand। with a huge dowry. The emissary of the Count who had come to Ferrara to finalise the marriage was named Nikolaus Madruz, a native of Innsbruck, However, Barbara died after a few years and the Duke of Ferrara married the young and beautiful Margherita Gonzaga who was the daughter of the Duke of Mantua.
How did Robert Browning achieve success in presenting the patriarchal society in ‘My Last Duchess’?
Robert Browning criticises contemporary Victorian society in ‘My Last Duchess’. The poem captures the prevailing patriarchal norms of the Victorian era. Women were deprived of freedom and human rights in a predominantly patriarchal society. The society expected women to follow a code of conduct laid down by patriarchal leaders of the society. The custom of dowry was also prevalent in Victorian society. Women were confined Indoors and they had to bear the domination of their husbands Victorian society bore the traits of the 16 century Italian society that had created the monstrous Duke who ordered his wife’s execution as he could not dominate her during her lifetime. The Duke as the poem’s protagonist embodies the archetype of the dominant Victorian male, exerting control over his wife even after her death. The with the portrait of his late Duchess Duke’s obsession wcation po ownership of the Duke, Indicating how women were often regarded as property rather than as individuals having their own thoughts and desires. The Duke’s reference to his royal gift of nine- hundred-years-old name is also symbolic of the patriarchal society as it refers to giving his last Duchess a place in the royal family. Browning expresses his criticism of Victorian society by referring to a different country and a different period in history.
How does Robert Browning use symbols and images in the poem ‘My Last Duchess’?
in the poem My Last Duchess through the use of symbols and images Robert Browning unfolds the characters of the Duke and the Duchess and reveals the Duke’s psychological disorders before the readers. The Duke’s words and language throughout the poem symbolise his power and dominance over others. He uses language to manipulate and control the listener, the envoy, and to justify his actions. The portrait of the last Duchess that the Duke displays to the envoy with pride asserts that it is not merely an art object, rather it symbolises how the Duke treated his wife as a lifeless object. The portrait is also used as a symbol of the Duke’s power, wealth and his desire to exercise absolute control. The curtain behind which the portrait is placed is another symbol of the Duke’s control. The Duke insists that he is the only one allowed to remove it. The Duke dominated and subjugated his last Duchess and this idea is asserted through the symbol of the bronze statue of Neptune taming a sea-horse. The Duchess’ smile which the Duke describes was for everyone, is a symbol of her innocence, warmth and openness. The Duke’s jealousy and possessiveness prevent him from appreciating these qualities in the Duchess. The Duke’s reference to his royal gift of nine-hundred-years-old name is symbolic as it possibly refers to the Duke’s favour done to her Duchess by marrying her and giving her a place in the royal family. Browning’s use of vivid imagery is one of the poem’s strengths. The description of the portrait captures the Duchess beauty and her smile, allowing the reader to picture her in their mind. The use of mild and dark colour, such as the Duke’s reference to ‘half-flush that dies along her throat’, contributes to the mood of the poem and provides insight into the Duke’s state of mind.
What is the significance of the Duchess’ portrait in the poem?
The poem begins with a dramatic action as the Duke unveils the curtain, revealing to the envoy of his prospective father-in-law, the captivating portrait of his last Duchess on the wall. The portrait appears to be a wonderful work of art but in reality it reveals the truth that the Duke actually treated his wife as an inanimate object. The portrait of the Duchess is more than just a painting, it is a symbol of the Duke’s power, wealth and his desire to control. The Duka praises the Duchess’ deep, passionate, eamest gaze visible in the portrait, complimenting Fra Pandolf for recreating such a gaze. But actually the Duke criticises the Duchess by saying that the gaze and the blush on her face comes with the compliments of Fra Pandolf for her beauty. Unable to control her gaze the Duke has ordered her to be killed and then has kept her portrait curtained which only he can draw to whoever he wishes to show the portrait. The portrait serves as a tool for the Duke to exert his power, control and possession over his last Duchess even after her death, highlighting the themes of objectification of women, superficiality and artificiality. The portrait of the last Duchess also serves as a reminder to the would be Duchess that she would also meet the same fate if she behaves in the same way.
How does the Duke describe the works of art to the envoy?
The Duke of Ferrara receives an envoy from the Count whose daughter he is about to marry. The Duke in his arrogant manner unveils the curtain of the portrait of his last Duchess. He praises the beauty of his Duchess and appreciates the painter Fra Pandolf for recreating such an expression on her face in the Duchess’ painting. It appears that the Duke loved his previous wife and he is a great connoisseur of art but as the poem progresses we can understand the Duke’s evil nature. He ordered to kill his wife because he could not control her gaze that went upon everyone. The Duke presents the portrait not only as an art object but to showcase his power, control and wealth. At the end the Duke shows the envoy a rare bronze statue of the Roman sea god Neptune taming a sea-horse. The statue prepared by Claus of Innsbruck for the Duke of Ferrara symbolises the Duke’s desire to dominate his wife completely.
Both these works of art are a metaphorical extension of the Duke holding his authority over his wife. On one hand, the Duke uses these art objects to present himself as a great patron of art. On the other hand, he describes these objects of art to drop a hint to his listeners (both the emissary and the readers) that if his next Duchess behaves like his previous one, she would also have to die.
Consider My Last Duchess’ as a dramatic monologue.
Dramatic monologue is a type of poetry written in the form of a speech of an individual character having both dramatic and lynical appeal. The poet imagines a character and enters into his/her personality to deliver a monologue in the presence of another imaginary character whose amval occasions or provokes the speech, In course of the speech, the speaker unveils the secret of his inner self in a most engrossing manner. Recapitulation of the past and interaction of the past with the present is often a significant aspect of dramatic monologue.
We find all these features of dramatic monologue in Robert Browning’s ‘My Last Duchess’. The main charm of the poem lies in the astonishing character of the Duke of Ferrara who speaks the monologue with an utmost dramatic effect. The poem starts with a dramatic abruptness as the Duke pushes aside the curtain revealing to the envoy the captivating portrait of his last Duchess on the wall. Then he goes on recounting the nature and manner of the dead lady and indicates the relationship he had with her. At last he comes to state how the lady died. In course of his brief but absorbing speech, the Duke exposes his own awful pride for his rank and ancient family heritage, his inhuman jealousy and above all his dreadful passion for possession.
The way the tragic catastrophe is summed up in these lines “I gave commands:/Then all smiles stopped together” marks the height of dramatic suspense and shock at the unexpected. The abrupt dramatic style is frequently resorted to throughout the narrative. Instead of having two people conversing in a dialogue, the Duke’s monologue in front of a supposed listener becomes more effective in establishing the tension of the theme.
Write about the mood of the poem ‘My Last Duchess.
The mood of the poem ‘My Last Duchess’ or the feeling evoked by the poem is sombre and sinister. It enhances the gothic (the term ‘gothic’ was first coined by Italian writers in the later Renaissance period, late 15th to early 16th century. The word is used in a derogatory way as a synonym of ‘barbaric’) atmosphere of the poem. The poem begins with the Duke unveiling the portrait of his last Duchess and stating that the glance of his Duchess turns only upon him because nobody else is allowed to uncover the portrait. The mood of the poem along with its seriousness and gravity adds irony when the Duke of Ferrara describes the murder of his previous wife in a relaxed way as if his dead wife is a part of his art collection. The audience is deliberately made to feel awkward at the sinister tone of the Duke’s words. Instead of being repentant, the Duke justifies his heinous act of committing murder of his wife because he thinks that she should get the punishment for being disloyal to her husband.
A mood of suspense and mystery is sustained throughout the poem as the act of murder is not stated clearly. The Duke’s confessions like “I choose / Never to stoop” and “Then all smiles stopped together” add element of horror and leave the readers with a sense of uneasiness. Then the symbolic statue of Neptune taming a sea-horse exposes the Duke’s desire to gain total control. It also serves as a warning to the Count’s emissary adding a sinister tone to the poem. Throughout the poem the mood of dark foreboding is developed in the way tension builds up in a drama.
Comment on the use of irony in the poem ‘My Last Duchess’.
Irony is a figure of speech in which the opposite of what the speaker says is meant. In this poem the poet Robert Browning uses verbal irony where we find that the Duke expresses the opposite of what he implies. He projects himself as a victim who has to bear with the waywardness of his flirtatious wife but when he recounts her faults saying that she smiled too much, she thanked people, she admired the beauty of nature, we can then realise that the Duke is evil-minded, jealous, arrogant and possessive. We can interpret from his account that the Duchess was a beautiful, vivacious, amiable, sensitive and gentle young lady. She was delighted by the simple things of life. The cruel and arrogant Duke could not appreciate her virtues.
The Duke also tries to show that he is a great patron and connoisseur of art but we can gather from his words that he collects great works of art only as a status symbol and to add to his collection of valuable possessions. He lacks aesthetic sense. He tells the envoy that the Count’s fair daughter’s self is his ‘object’. We realise his hypocrisy in these lines as he wishes to commodify the young lady. He looks forward to amass great wealth through this upcomong marriage.
Comment on the literary devices used in Robert Browning’s ‘My Last Duchess’.
Robert Browning’s ‘My Last Duchess’ is a dramatic monologue where a single character, the Duke of Ferrara delivers his entire speech to an emissary of the Count. A number of literary devices has been used in the poem to present the characters and the themes of jealousy, power and control.
The poem makes use of “irony’ as the Duke reveals exactly the opposite of what he says. He tries to present himself as a victim who had to bear with the flirtatious nature of his wife. As the poem proceeds it can be interpreted from the Duke’s speech that his wife was a cheerful, kind person who was put to death out of the Duke’s extreme pride and jealousy.
Browning makes ample use of ‘assonance’ or ‘the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line’ in his poem, which gives the Duke’s speech a sumptuous quality. For example, the repetition of the sound of ‘i’ and ‘o’ in “Of mine for dowry will be disallowed”. Similarly, the poet has used ‘consonance’ or ‘the repetition of consonants in the same line’ such as the repetition of ‘t’ and ‘n’ in “Together down, sir. /Notice Neptune, though…”. Then the poet uses metaphor’ as the Duke refers to the portrait of his last Duchess, reducing his last wife to a work of art he owns. Again, the poet uses ‘spot of joy’ as a metaphor for the smile of the Duchess, Browning has used ‘caesuras’, strong pauses within lines to create a slow emphatic pace that accentuates the Duke’s self-importance.
Another literary device personification Duchess. The use of words “There she stands/As if alive ascribe lifelike qualities to the inanimate painting. The poet uses symbolism by mentioning Neptune taming a sea-horse’ that symbolises the Duke’s desire to overpower his Duchess.
Browning uses ‘hyperbole’ or ‘exaggeration to emphasise the Duke’s extreme and unreasonable expectations from his Duchess in lines like as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name/With anybody’s gift.” This reveals the Duke’s inflated sense of self-importance. The poem’s overall effect depends greatly on Browning’s use of ‘enjambment’ which refers to instances where one poetic line runs over to the next without stopping, such as “She thanked men-good! but thanked somehow…..”.
How are the themes of power and position intertwined with the themes of art and marriage in the poem ‘My Last Duchess’?
In Robert Browning‘s poem ‘My Last Duchess’ the themes of power and position are deeply intertwined with the themes of art and marriage. The Duke of Ferrara in his speech to the envoy of his prospective father-in-law, used art to express his desire to exert control over his Duchess, even after her death. The Duke wanted to be known as a great patron of art so he commissioned the great painter, Fra Pandolf and the sculptor, Claus of Innsbruck to prepare great works of art for him. Fra Pandolf had painted the portrait of his last Duchess. Through the portrait the Duke attempted to possess and objectify his late wife. The poem suggests that the Duke’s marriage with his last Duchess was a union of power and position. He had no regard and love for his wife, thus considered her good, amiable nature as flirtation and ordered to terminate her life. Through the painting he wanted to prove his love for collecting art objects and at the same time wanted to demonstrate his power and position.
No remorse or guilt can be traced in the Duke’s speech, rather it is filled with arrogance and pride. He boastfully declared his power and position and used these to establish control over others. In the same way, the bronze statue of Neptune taming a sea-horse, carved by Claus of Innsbruck is a part of the Duke’s art collection. It is also an indication of the Duke’s desire and determination to establish complete control over his wife. The Duke is cunning and shrewd to narrate the story of his deceased wife and the consequences of her death to the negotiator of his second marriage with the subtle hint that if the next wife behaves as his last wife did, she might have to face the same consequences.
How is power syndrome conveyed in ‘My Last Duchess’?
The Duke in the poem “My Last Duchess’ displays a distinct power syndrome or an excessive love for power. He has a magnified and embellished view of himself and his position. He is obsessed with his image and displays contempt for other people’s opinions. He almost considers himself to be the centre of the universe and feels that other people exist only to serve him and carry out his wishes to fruition. He mentioned “Fra Pandolf’s hands / Worked busily a day which subtly insisted that the famous artist laboured at his command. The Duke keeps the portrait of his late wife covered and shows it only to those people whom he wishes to show. Thus he gains satisfaction by controlling the Duchess after death as he had not been able to bring her under his complete control when she was alive. He considered his late wife to be an inferior being and her natural, amiable and cheerful disposition irritated him beyond measure.
He found it intolerable when she smiled and thanked other men, specially people who were socially inferior to them. He had such a false and inflated notion of his superionty that he could not even tell his wife what in her behaviour annoyed him. He felt it would be demeaning to speak to her openly and so he found it easier to kill her than to confront her. The Duke’s casual mention of silencing her smiles through ‘commands’ hints his ruthless exertion of power. The bronze statue of Neptune taming a sea-horse symbolises the power syndrome of the Duke who desires to exercise absolute control. This combination of the Duke’s possessiveness, arrogance and implied violence expresses the theme of power and control in the poem.
Explain the theme of appearance versus reality in ‘My Last Duchess’.
in My Last Duchess’ there is a sharp contrast between appearance and reality and it is noted throughout the poem. While the Duke of Ferrara initially appears to be a nobleman praising the portrait of his last Duchess, he eventually reveals himself to be an unusual character who has murdered his wife out of extreme jealousy and haughtiness and still he is not remorseful. The portrait of the Duchess appears to be a wonderful work of art. But in reality, it symbolically highlights the truth that the Duke actually treated her as an inanimate object having no free will or independence. Initially, it appears that the Duke loved his wife dearly and he is a great patron of art. Therefore, he had commissioned a great artist like Fra Pandolf to paint the portrait of his wife. But as the poem progresses we learn that the Duke hated his wife for being jovial, kind and amiable. We also come to realise that the Duke does not really appreciate art for its own sake. He considers an artwork to be another valuable object in his possession that would enable him to show off his power and prestige. The Duke accuses his late wife of being flirtatious but later we can clearly interpret the innocence of the Duchess.
The Duke appears to have a high sense of dignity as he considered it a stooping to discuss the mistakes of his Duchess. But in reality he stoops all the more and loses dignity by becoming a murderer and expecting a handsome dowry from his prospective father-in-law, the Count. At the end, the Duke shows the envoy another artwork, a bronze statue of Neptune taming a sea-horse. However, it can be interpreted that he is not merely showing an artwork but actually he is warning the Count through his envoy that he would establish total control over his daughter, the Duke’s would be wife.
Read More – The Garden Party Question Answer