Description
Explore Robert Browning’s My Last Duchess, its themes, and insights in this detailed summary and explanation for literature enthusiasts.
About the Author:
My Last Duchess poem was written by Robert Browning. He was born on 07 May 1812 at Walworth, Camberland in London. His father, Robert Browning was a clerk in the Bank of England and his mother Sarah Anna was a musician.
Browning was a poet and playwright. He is known for his dramatic monologues. He was a Victorian poet. He is known for his poem ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ that he did not value highly.
Browning was noted for irony, characterization, dark humour, social commentary, historical settings and challenging vocabulary and syntax.
Browning’s first play was titled ‘strafford’. He was a great admirer of Shelley’s poetry in his early works. He was inspired by Shelley and Byron.
He was a Victorian poet. The Victorian poets may be divided into two groups. The themes of the first group of the poets are related to the contemporary movement in intellectual and critical thought in classical form. The central figure of this movement is Lord Alfred Tennyson.
The themes of the second group are determined by the cult of beauty marked with imagination and sensibility. The head of this group is Robert Browning.
Contemporary poets of Robert Browning are: Lord Alfred Tennyson, G M Hopkins, Metthew Arnold etc.
Robert Browning is known as the poet of soul or poet of psycho analysis. In 1846 he married a fellow poet Elizabeth Barret and moved to Italy.
Major Works of Robert Browning
- Pauline (1833): ‘Pauline: A Fragment of A Confession. It is the first published poem of Robert Browning. It was written in 1832 and published in 1833. Arthur Symons described the poem as a sort of spiritual biography in the way that it describes the feelings and emotions of the poet, rather than the actions. Isabella Armstrong argued that the poem was Browning’s attempt to ‘Institutionalize’ himself as a Romantic poet.
- Sordello (1836): It is a narrative poem by Browning. It was published in 1840. It was seen as willfully obscure.
- The Ring and the Book (1868-69): It is a long dramatic narrative poem. This poem made Browning a leading poet.
- Pippa Passes (1841) It is a verse drama by Robert Browning. It was published in 1841 ans the first volume of his Bells and Pomegranates. It is known for the best lines – ‘God’s in his heaven -/All’s right with the world.’
- Prospice (1864): Means to look forward. It is a dramatic monologue by Robert Browning. It was written in 1861. The last line of this poem is ‘O thou soul of my soul, I shall clasp thee again. And with God be the rest!’ This line of this poem is for Elizabeth Barret. After the death of his wife he wrote this poem in meeting her again.
- Andrea Del Sarto: It is a poem by Robert Browning. It is also called ‘The Faultless Painter’ It was published in 1855 in the collection Men and Women. It is a dramatic monologue.
- Fra Lippo Lippi: It is a dramatic monologue written by Robert Browning. It was first appeared in his collection Men and Women.
- Asolando: Asolando is a poem by Robert Browning. Asolando means ‘to disport in the open air or to amuse oneself at random. he dedicated this poem to his friend Mrs. Arthur Bronson. The full title of this poem is – ‘Asolando Francies and Facts’.
- T.S. Eliot Dramatic Monologues: (i) Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock (ii) The Pauper witch of Grafton
- Ezra Pound’s Dramatic Monologues: (i) The River Merchant’s Wife: A Letter
My Last Duchess poem line by line explanation
Robert Browning first published the poem under the title ‘I Italy’ in 1842 in Dramatic Lyric, a collection of sixteen Browning poems. Browning changed the title of the poem to “My Last Duchess” before republishing it in 1849 in another collection, Dramatic Romances and Lyrics (Title – My Last Duchess Ferrara).
Ferrara is a city in Northern Italy. In Browning’s poem the Duke of Ferrara is modeled after Alfonso II, the fifth and last duke of the principality, who ruled Ferrara from 1559 to 1597 but in three marriages fathered no heir to succeed him.
The deceased duchess in the poem was his first wife, Lucrezia de ‘Medici a daughter of Cosimo do’ Medici. It is a dramatic monologue, written in iambic pentameter/heroic couplet/rhymed couplets.
Total lines in this poem: 56 lines (28 couplets)
“Browning has the power to create tragedy in five words” – Robinson
In this poem the duke is arranging a new marriage for himself.
Rhyme Scheme of My Last Duchess is enjambed rhyming couplets.
Porpheria is stangled in this poem.
Background of the poem:
The poem is preceded by the epigraph ‘Ferrara – indicating that the speaker is Alfonso II d’Este, the fifth duke of Ferrara (1533 – 1598) who in 1558 (at the age of 24) had married Lucrezia de Cosimo de Medici. She was the 13th daughter of Cosimo de Medici grand Duke of Tuscanny.
Theme of the poem My Last Duchess: Self centered duke objectifying women
Rhyme Scheme: aa bb cc dd ee
My Last Duchess poem Line by Line Explanation:
Lines (1 – 10)
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 turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
Explanation: In the poem the speaker an Italian Duke, the Duke of Ferrara directs the attention to a painting of his late wife. He is talking about his wife the Duchess of Ferrara (Lucrezia). The picture Duchess is hanging on the wall as if the Duchess were still living. She is his foremost wife who is dead now. The duke considers it a beautiful painting, that it has been done by the painter Fra Pandolf. This painter worked throughout the day to paint the picture. Fra Pandolf a monk painter took a single day to complete the portrait. The Duke asks the envoy to sit down and look at the picture.
The facial expression of the picture shows the depth and passion of the duchess. The duke tells the audience that the strangers have never seen that pictured countenance (expression of the face) the depth and passion of its earnest glance. The audience turned to the duke and the duke using the picture showed his power and control that he put this curtain over the picture and only he could aside it but no one else.
Lines (11 – 19)
And seemed as they would ask my, 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 lapse
Over my lady’s wrist too much … or ‘Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
Half – flush that dies along her throat;
Explanation: the duke tells the envoy that after seeing the painting it seemed as if those visitors wanted to ask the Duke how the face of the Duchess could come to possess such an earnest look about it. The people would have put the question to the Duke but being afraid of the Duke’s reaction they never had the courage to ask this question. The Duke tells the envoy that he was not the first to have the questioning thought in his mind. The people who saw the painting had the same curiosity.
The Duke expresses the duchess face and reveals the possibility that if the audience dared, they would ask him about the glance on the face of the duchess. How it came there. He says the emissary is not the first who wonders at the facial expression of the picture. Some other also have experienced this expression.
The Duke shows his power by discussing the picture of his late wife. The blush at her cheeks was not only because of her husband’s presence but also for everyone. Her husband wants it should be for him only but it was not so.
Fra Pandolf would have said that her (Duchess’) costume was over her hands and wrists. Her costume had her wrists covered. The duke blames his wife for blushing in response to this flirtation in place of blaming the painter for flirting with his wife.
The Duke criticizes her character. The painter never hoped to produce this type of face in his life (Paint must never hope to reproduce.) The duchess has redness over her face except her throat.
Lines (19 – 24)
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 whatever
she looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Explanation: The Duke expresses the faithlessness of the duchess. On the remarks given by Fra Pandolf she smiled. As much as the duchess is kind so much as he thinks her faithless. She considered the courtesy that spot of joy.
How shall I say the story of her heart? Says the Duke. She liked whatever she looked on. She easily got happy or attracted to everything she saw. She was easily impressed. Her looks went everywhere.
Lines (25 – 31)
Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the west
The bough of cherries some officious food,
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.
Explanation: The duke says all the things were same for her. He had given her a necklace. The duchess has put on her necklace on her breast. He took her on the roof in the evening to show the setting sun. Some officious fool brought her a bough of cherries from the orchard. And she rode on the white mule. She produced the some speech for all the things. She praised everyone. She had appreciation for everyone. She blushed at least.
Lines (31 – 38)
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,
Explanation: The Duke critically said about the duchess that she thanked men. She thanked all of them and met with blush. The Duke cannot express how she thanked them. His gift of a nine hundred years old name is connected to his inherency.
She put this gift with everybody’s gift. The kindness of duchess to all is highly criticised by the duke. The duke reveals the fear of objections to the duchess. He does not want to stoop for the small things or triflings. The duke said to the messenger. Even had you skill but the duke had not to make his will quite clear to one. And he further says, “This thing disgusted him (of the skill). You have med the mistake.
Lines (39 – 43)
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.
Explanation: The duke said to the messenger, “Even had you skill, but he had not to make his will quite clear to one. And says, “This thing disgusted him.” You have made the mistake and crossed your limits. If she improves herself, she will not argue with you. And she will make excuses. All these are stooping according to the duke. And the duke does not likes to stoop.
Lines (43 – 51)
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;
Explanation: The duke was jealous to see her response to everyone. She smiled to everyone. And she smiled not only to the duke but also to everyone. Her smile grew and after that he had killed her. And all smiles stopped together.
He asks the messenger to stand up. And they are to go downstairs. Coming down they came to the point. He says to the messenger that his count is very much generous. It is sure that if I deny he will give him dowry.
Lines (52 -56)
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!
Explanation: The duke has a goal from starting to have a fair daughter. This was his starting point. The messenger would have said to go down. The duke said, no, we will go together down. The duke and the messenger are going down through the gallery. The duke points out to the statue of Neptune (the God of sea taming a sea horse). That statue is rare. It was the symbol of dominance or control. That bronze statue was given to the duke by the famous Claus of Innsbruck.
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