My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

DuchessWhen you hear the word

‘duchess’, what do you think of? What do you expect?

Last Hands Look Glad Painted Stands Glance Name 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

In pairs, sort these words from the poem into categories.

e.g. colours

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

Miss

Based on your word groups, what do you think the poem is about?How does this link to control?

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

spot of joy

lady’s wrist

half-flush

too soon made glad

approving speech

she smiled

What connotations are there from these phrases?

Is this Duchess a positive or negative character? Why?

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

too soon made glad

What connotations are there from these phrases?

Is this Duchess a positive or negative character? Why?

How can this link to the theme of control?

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

That’s my last duchess

you disgust me

I gave commands

sit and look at herMy gift of a nine-hundred-years-

old name

all smiles stopped

What connotations are there from these phrases?

Is the Lord a positive or negative character? Why?

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name

What connotations are there from these phrases?

Is the Lord a positive or negative character? Why?

How can this link to the theme of control?

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

Thinking time:

• What are the Duchess’ faults, according to the Lord?

• Why does he keep her painting on the wall behind a curtain? (“That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall”)

How can this link to the theme of control?

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

‘My Last Duchess’Context

• This poem is based on historical events. • Duke Alfonso II of Modena and Ferrara (1559–1597) married

Lucrezia de Doctors in June 1558. • She was the first of his three wives and is believed to be ‘the last

duchess’ of the poem. • She died four years after her wedding. • The Duke’s second wife also died. • The Duke married his last wife, Eleanora Gonzaga, in 1572 – and

she outlived him! • Browning’s involves the reader by drawing us into the conversation

– we feel as if we are being addressed directly.

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

TASK: explore the theme of CONTROL in My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

In ‘My Last Duchess’, control is shown by …

When Browning writers “…”, it reveals…

The concept of control in this relationship links to the male-female relationship is ‘Les GrandesSeigneurs’, because...

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

WALT: explore the theme of CONTROL in My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

PLENARY: alternative thinking

He controls her… …does she control him in any way?

Extension Questions

1. Find clues about how the Duke feels about the picture of his last Duchess.

2. Find clues which tell you about the personality of the woman.3. How did the Duke feel about her behaviour?4. What might have happened to her?5. What does the Duke say about how people react to the

portrait?6. What impression do we get of the character of the Duke?7. Themes: What other key themes are represented here?

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning