“My Last Duchess 2.0”

“M L D ” By Robert Browning

The Poem: 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 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, ’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! My 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 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 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 no just pretense Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; 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!

● the duke is showing this man around who has come to discuss the dowry for his next wife. the duke tells this man to sit and admire the mural of his ex duchess and he describes the detailing of her life to him. He then asks him to go downstairs and look upon his statue of neptune and a bronze statue insisting that he is looking for his next wife to be under control and even though he is marrying her her he’s hoping she brings money and fortune to the marriage too W ’?

Rhyme Schemes- this poem is written in a AABB rhyme scheme for a musical and more pleasurable approach to the reader. Repetition- as the narrator describes his wife he stresses that his past duchess was “too soon made glad” and “Too easily impressed” to explain to the man (who has come for the arrangements of his next marriage) that these traits of his last duchess are not what he is wanting in his next woman. Allusion- the text also refers to “neptune” ( a roman mythology God who is the God of the sea) and his tame seahorse. This allusion is used to display that the narrator is looking for a woman who is more tame and less ambitious

Diction- “dowry” is defined as a transfer of parental property, gifts or money at the marriage of a daughter. This gives the reader insight to the reason the poem was written and why he was explaining his last duchess to this man. Simile- “There she stands, As if alive.” The narrator uses this simile to show that the picture is so descriptive it’s almost exact like how she appeared. Imagery- “the white mule She rode with round the terrace” these lines were used to describe that even though she had bad attributes she was graceful. Also white is seen as pure and clean. Hyperbole- “For calling up that spot of joy” this exaggeration is used to show that here overly friendly ways were a source of happiness to her Personification- “Paint Must never hope to reproduce the faint Half-flush that dies along her throat.”

D /P f ● “Who’d stoop to ● “(since none puts blame This sort of by The curtain I trifling?” have drawn for you, but I)” - As he reminisces on what his last duchess - Now that he has And wants the man this painting which he’s speaking to to is the last image understand where he of her he feels is coming from ownership and control over her

“I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together.” - at this point the duke is basically saying if he couldn't enjoy her to himself then no one could. Her actions weren’t doing it for him. So he cut her off from everyone. Aka killed her. T: Learning from past relationships allow you to prepare for future ones

Adele- send my love (to your new lover) Standout lyrics: Send my love to your new lover Treat her better We’ve gotta let go all of our ghosts We both know we ain’t kids no more Explanation: point of view of the last duchess. Since he’s moving on he needs to find better. He needs to let go of the past. Shouldn't let the childish tendencies she had reflect or reoccur in the next woman he finds.

SA Theme: Letting go of the past allows you to heal for the future Why this Poem?: it is seen in the other poem that the duke is letting out his feelings so he can move on much like this poem

WC ● https://i.pinimg.com/236x/ed/67/d4/ed67d47af72f f93ed6cce3f0dcb6b4ff--moving-to-a-new-home-q uotes-finding-new-love-quotes.jpg ● https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43768/ my-last-duchess ● https://www.quora.com/Can-somebody-suggest- good-songs-about-finding-someone-better-gettin g-over-a-guy-self-esteem-boost-songs