 Hello and welcome to a summary of all you need to know about the poem My Last Duchess by Robert Browning. I'll explain the meaning related to this poem as it appears in part 3 of the Pearson-Edexcel International GCSE anthology. Now, do bear in mind that, in contrast to part 1 of the anthology which featured only non-fiction texts, and part 2, which was a mix of fiction and short stories and poems, part 3 of this anthology exclusively features poems alone. So in this video, I'll highlight key language and literary devices used in this poem, and you'll learn how to analyse it. So let's get started. Now what I'll do is I will read through bits of this poem and stop every so often to point out important literary techniques. So let's begin. Ferrara That's My Last Duchess painted on the wall, looking as if she were alive. I'll call that piece a wander now. Fra Pandor's hands worked busily a day and there she stands. Well, please you sit and look at her. I said, Fra Pandor by design. For never read Strangers Like You, that pictured countenance, the depth and passion of its endless glance, but to myself they turned since none puts by. Now I'll stop there initially. So the title is really, really interesting because essentially what this does is it highlights and shows us that this poem is about the Duke's previous wife. Now, who is the Duke? This is shown in the title or the subheading Ferrara. Now bear in mind that Ferrara is an Italian province. Now contextually the Duke that's been talked about and alluded to by Robert Browning is Duke Alfonso of Ferrara, whose first wife Lucrezia de Medici, the Duchess of Ferrara, died under very suspicious circumstances and many believe that he actually poisoned her. Now this poem is written as a dramatic monologue. So in terms of its structure, it's written as one whole stanza. And essentially what this dramatic monologue is, is this Duke essentially confessing, not showing any type of guilt or remorse, but confessing to killing his last Duchess. So in line number one, he begins, that's my last Duchess painted on the wall. Now here, this repetition and reference to my last Duchess refers to this Duchess who's going to frame what he's going to talk about in the poem. Now the use of the possessive pronoun, my, shows that already from the outset, the speaker, the Duke, sees the Duchess as a possession that he owns and only he has the power to show her off to different people. Now he then mentions in line two, looking as if she were alive. Now this similar is very ominous and this simulates quite powerful because we sense already from the outset that this Duchess might be dead. Now the caesura here after alive gives us pause for thought again, further emphasising whether that this woman might be dead. Moreover, he mentions, I call and there's enjambement here and following on in the next line, there's enjambement. And what this does, enjambement generally in a poem is it speeds up the pace of the poem. So the speaker, the Duke is speaking without pause. He's just speaking really, really rapidly. Now he references Fra Pandolf and what he's doing here is he's referring to a painter and Fra Pandolf is allegedly the painter who painted the Duchess. However, do bear in mind that Fra Pandolf actually never existed. He's a fictional character. But the Duke of Alfonso and the Duchess of Ferrara, the crazy to the Medici, they did actually exist. Now in line five, he asks, well, please you sit and look at her. Now the rhetorical question here is actually not really a question. It's more of a demand. The Duke realises and recognises that he has the power over who can see and admire her beauty and the person that he's speaking to, who we don't know as yet. He's basically commanding him to sit down and just admire this beauty of this woman. Now in line six, he mentions again, Fra Pandolf by design and the repetition of Fra Pandolf shows the Duke's arrogance. He wants to show off how important he is that such a famous painter painted his Duchess. Now in the following line, he alludes to strangers like you. So what this is showing is that the person that the Duke is speaking to is a guest that aren't really well acquainted. However, he's carelessly talking about his Duchess and he's showing her off to this person. Now he refers to the depth and passion of its earnest glance. Now what this is doing is describing the real beauty and innocent appearance of this Duchess that of course captivated the Duke. Now he then emphasises in parenthesis since none puts by which I'm going to develop. So he mentions within the parenthesis since none puts by the curtain I have drawn for you but I and he closes the brackets here. However, I'm going to continue. And seemed as they would ask me if they durst how such a glance came there. So, not the first for you to turn and ask thus. Sir, it was not her husband's presence only that called that spot of joy into the Duchess's cheek. Perhaps Fra Pandolf chance to say her mantle laps over my lady's wrist too much or a painter must never hope to reproduce the faint half-flush that dyes 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 to easily impress she liked whatever she looked on and her looks went everywhere. So as I mentioned he's opened the brackets above and then there's the closing of the brackets. Now within the parenthesis he talks about the curtain. Now what this shows is the Duke completely controls who can and can't see the Duchess. Now when the bracket is closed here by Robert Browning the end of this parenthesis what this does is that it's emphasising how the Duke relishes his power so within the parenthesis he refers to the curtain he can control who can see the beauty of the Duchess and the fact that it's encapsulated within these parenthesis shows that the Duke really really loves the power that he has over the Duchess. Then he says they seem to ask me if they durst if they dare and what this shows is that the Duke enjoys how fearful people are to ask him about her. Now he references how such a glance, now this intensifier such emphasises her beauty, the Duchess's beauty and how captivating her glance is especially in this image. Moreover he then refers to are you to turn and ask thus. Now here this is quite ironic because the guest has not asked anything which shows how deluded the Duke is. He continues her husband's presence. Now the alliteration here shows a glimmer of his irritation. He's now starting to build the case up for why he became really really angry at the Duchess's. Now he says it wasn't only his presence that called that spot of joy. Now here he's using a metaphor to emphasise the Duchess's blushing and how pretty and how beautiful she looks when she blushes. However he's showing his annoyance because he's saying that she wouldn't blush and show maybe some kind of happiness and pleasure. Only in his presence should smile and blush even in other people's presence which of course irritates him. Moreover he would then he gives an example for a pandoff chance to say her mantle laps over my lady's wrist too much. Now mantle is a medieval robe and his reference to for a pandoff's words her mantle laps over my lady's wrist too much. What the Duke is showing is that the painter basically made a simple comment that her robe covers her wrist too much which caused the Duchess to blush. Now what the Duke is showing is just how easily the Duchess was moved by other people which really irritated him. Moreover in line 19 he references the half flush that dies. Now this is wordplay because it has a double meaning. On the one hand it's showing the Duke illustrating how for a pandoff said he can't reproduce her beautiful blush in the image that he's painting. However the color that dies along her throat this is a different meaning as well and it's alluding to death and especially death by strangulation. So already the Duke is hinting at the future death of this woman. Moreover the reference to her throat this has very ominous connotations of strangulation being killed through strangulation. Now the sibilant such stuff shows the Duke's growing irritation. Again he's building a case for why he did end up eventually having his wife killed. Now in line 20 the reference to courtesy and cause and in line 21 calling up that spot of joy. The litteration here shows the Duke's growing sense of anger. Moreover again there's the spot of joy mentioned for calling up that spot of joy. Now what this is showing again is the Duke is a revealing to guess that the Duchess was way too friendly to everyone which really irritated him. Now the repetition of she the third person pronoun shows that the Duke is obsessed with controlling his Duchess. Furthermore he states she had a heart how shall I say. Now the parenthesis here the brackets shows how the Duke is really carefully choosing his words to really justify what he's going to do to the Duchess. Furthermore the repetition of the intensifies too soon made glad to easily impress what this is showing is that he found a lot of fault within this Duchess's behaviour. Moreover the rhetorical question how shall I say. Now what this shows is that he's really furious. The Duchess did not reserve her emotions exclusively to him. Furthermore he states her looks went everywhere. Now what this shows is that he's been quite condescending and almost even stating that she was not faithful to him just because she'd be kind to everybody else she'd blush at the gestures that other people showed her. So let's continue. Sir it was all one. My favourite at her breast the drooping of the daylight in the west the bough cherry some officious fall broken the orchard for her the white mule she rode around the terrace all in each would draw from her a like that proving speech or blush at least. She thanked men good but thanked somehow I know not how as if she ranked my gift of a 900 years old name with anybody's gift. Who's stupid to blame this sort of trifling even had you skill in speech which I have not to make your world quite clear to such a one and say just this or that and you discuss me here you miss. Now in this part of his monologue he's showing his increasing anger and annoyance and also he's showing his arrogance. He's stating essentially that he became really really angry at her because she basically treated him who comes from a long lineage of very important people the same way that she would treat other people who he sees who the Duke sees as very ordinary. Now here when he states Sir it was all one. This exclamatory sentence shows the Duke's exasperation and irritation. Moreover he states my favourite at her breast he essentially is saying here that he would do whatever the Duchess wanted. He's quite arrogant and he's essentially stating I would do whatever she wanted. Isn't that just what all women want? A Duke like me who's so powerful that will do anything. Now he then states the dropping of the daylight. Now the alliteration here shows that she was too easily pleased by what he saw as minor irrelevant such as the changing of the day to night. This he saw as not cause enough for her to blush and to be happy. Moreover the reference to the bow of cherries then the orchard then the terrace the semantic field of nature shows that the Duchess was actually quite innocent very simple and she treated everybody the same. Moreover the Duke talks about the officious fall and this shows us that he's very condescending towards others because he sees himself as so superior. Now in line 29 he states all in each would draw from her a light their proving speech between line 29 and line 30. Now this shows that the Duchess essentially treated everyone both commoners and royalty the same way. Something we would see is actually quite admirable for someone who's powerful. Actually the Duke looks down on this kind of treatment. Furthermore he states this would also trigger a blush in her. Now this once more is an indirect reference back to half flush in line 19. Now the Duchess thanked men but thanked somehow. Now the repetition of thanks shows the Duchess was actually quite polite but the Duke saw this as a shortcoming. Moreover the caesura or rather the parenthesis here shows that the Duke is pausing to emphasize his anger. Furthermore he's referenced to my gift of a 900 years old name. This shows just how pompous the Duke is. He believes he's of a superior pedigree based on his family and social rank. Then he questions who stooped to blame this sort of trifling. Now stoop means to lower and essentially the Duke is asking who would bother denouncing this behavior. Furthermore the reference to this sort of trifling, this rhetorical question is essentially the Duke's way of really building up his case to show how perfectly justified he is in his actions. Furthermore the parenthesis which I have not in speech this shows that he's trying to be deliberately self-deprecating but it's not really working. He really is quite full of himself and he thinks very highly of himself. So let's carry on. Or there exceed the mark. And if she let herself be lessened so nor plainly set her wits to yours for soothe and made excuse even then would be some stooping and I choose never to stoop. Also she smiled no doubt whenever I passed her. But who passed without much the same smile? The screw? I gave commands then all smiles stopped together. There she stands as if alive. What please your eyes? We'll meet the company below then I'll repeat the count. Your master's no munificence. Now here he refers to if he were to perhaps turn around and state he's not really happy and if she let herself be lessened so it's now in 939-40. Now the sibilant sounds here she herself lessened so what the sibilant sounds suggest is that the Duke felt the Duchess was quite insolent and she didn't listen and she was very hard to control. Then he states I choose never to stoop. Now what this shows us is the Duke has a very fragile ego who's keen to show that he's above asking the Duchess to change her behaviour as he sees this as a sign of weakness. Moreover he refers to how she smiled. Oh sir she smiled and the sibilant's here shows he's annoyed. She smiled at him in the same way as she smiled to everybody else. Furthermore he asks who passed without much the same smile? Again this rhetorical question further builds up his case. She's almost in his eyes cheating on him because she treats everybody in the same way. Then he confesses this screw I gave commands. Now the syndeton here reveals he ordered her execution and then all smiles stopped together. Now this euphemism and the sibilant's us used here is quite ominous. This shows the very sinister side to the Duke. He's built up his case and now he feels really justified in revealing that actually this was cause enough to kill her. Then after that confession he states there she stands as if alive. Now this simile repeats and reflects the simile in line two but now it's far more sinister. It's come into full circle we now realise she looks as if she were alive because she is dead and it's because the Duke had ordered her death. Then he asks what pleas do you rise? Now this rhetorical question again is an order. He almost moves on after he's confessed this killing. Now here he refers to the count your master. Now we learn through this that the listener who the Duke has been confessing this killing to of his previous wife was actually sent by the count to arrange a new marriage really really chilling because what this shows us is that the Duke maybe perhaps the next wife is going to receive the same treatment she's going to be killed but equally this shows just how lightly the Duke holds killing this Duchess. Moreover the reference to munificence means generosity so he's essentially thanking the guest but just how generous his boss is the count for agreeing to his upcoming marriage. So let's continue. There's ample warrant that no just pretends for mindful dowry will be disallowed though his fed daughter's self as I've vowed that starting is my object. Nay. We'll go together down sir. Notice Neptune though. Taming a seahorse, thought rarity which claws of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me. Now this final part of the stanza of this dramatic monologue firstly as I mentioned he's talking to about dowry. Dowry is the payment that traditionally men used to pay in exchange for marrying a woman and this comes from Victorian customs whereby women were seen as property and the properties of their father therefore men would have to pay dowry to buy this property of their father. Now his reference to dowry which will be disallowed this alliteration is quite alarming because essentially we learn here that the Duke is arranging payment for his next marriage. Moreover he alludes to the Count's fair daughter's self now the reference to her being fair shows that he believes that the Count's daughter is quite beautiful so he's looking forward to this new marriage. Moreover he states that starting is my object now the mention my object shows that the Duke already sees his new wife as a done deal and she's yet another possession to add to his vast collection of possessions. Then he switches topic he states notice Neptune though now the alliteration here shows that the Duke is casually changing topic from talking about killing his previous wife to talking about his upcoming marriage and now he's showing off yet another possession. The reference to Neptune taming a seahorse now this sculpture which depicts him taming a seahorse reinforces the Duke's wish to control and dominate women which reflects the Duke's own wish to have controlled that previous Duchess and he ultimately exercises control by killing her. Furthermore he does another form of name dropping close of Innsbruck again this is a fictional sculpture however what this is showing is that the Duke is showing off the exclusivity of his possessions and how just only important people create all of these possessions for him. Furthermore the exclamatory sentence this final exclamatory sentence shows just how pompous the Duke is he has a great amount of ego and he's extremely vain. So that's all if you found this video useful do note that we have an in-depth extensive course covering all the texts and poems in Parts 1, 2 and 3 of the Pearson, Edexcel International GCSE anthology so make sure you sign up for this course for explanations on all the texts as well as model answers but also check out our website which is www.firstreetteachers.com where you'll find plenty of English revision worksheets model answers and online courses covering all the major English syllabuses including Edexcel, AQA and IGCSE Thanks so much for watching