Robert%20Browning

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Robert Browning

• My Last Duchess

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Outline of Module

• Porphyrias Lover
• The Laboratory
• My Last Duchess
• Fra Lippo Lippi
• The Patriot
• The Pied Piper of Hamelin
• Some key themes
• Morality
• Presentation and construction of character
• Art and beauty
• Presentation of women
• Religion
• Evil and violence
• Medieval and Renaissance settings

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Robert Browning The Context

• There were several key influences and motifs in
  Brownings poetry. Read the contextual
  information.
• Think about how it may be related to his poetry.
• Think about key themes/ symbols/ motifs/
  narrative modes to look out for.

10 minutes
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My Last Duchess
Predictions Here are some key images. What could
the poem be about?
3 minutes
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My Last Duchess

• In this poem, Browning depicts the opinions of
  the Duke of Ferrara, a Renaissance noblemean, on
  his dead wife.
• The Duke is speaking to silent listener (who is
  the emissary, father of his new wife to be)
  explaining the painting of his late wife.
• It is implied that the Duke murdered his wife for
  her flirtatious and outgoing nature.
• The Duke is depicted as jealous, controlling and
  aggressive.

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Video

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vZ7Z3B6SRdZofeature
  related

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Form The Dramatic Monologue a poem or prose
piece in which a character addresses an audience.
Conventions of the Dramatic Monologue
Extension What are the advantages of having the
narrative form of a dramatic monologue? What can
it reveal?
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Form The Dramatic Monologue
Auditors presence is only known through clues in
the speakers discourse
Must have a speaker and implied listener/auditor
Monologue is made up of a single speech
Conventions of the Dramatic Monologue
Purpose is to reveal character in a way that
interests and intrigues the reader
Deals with a specific and critical moment
Speaker sometimes adopts a case-making
argumentative tone
Extension What are the advantages of having the
narrative form of a dramatic monologue? What can
it reveal?
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What are the advantages?

• Insight into the psychology of the speaker
• It can shape attitude and sympathies of the
  reader as we only receive one point of view
• Reader can sometime interpret gap between what is
  said and what is actually revealed by the speaker
• Insight into ideologies and morality of speaker
• Author (Browning) is able to distance himself
  from key issues by using a character to deal with
  themes of violence, morality, sex and power. The
  author can explore controversial themes and
  invite the reader to consider them

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Group Work

• Lines 1 15
• Lines 16 29
• Lines 30 43
• Lines 44 end

Step 1 Read through the poem again as a group
make sure you know what is literally happening.
Step 2 Read your specific lines carefully.
What are the key moments/ themes/ events
/ideas/techniques etc? Step 3 Use your
questions to annotate and discuss

• You have 20 minutes to prepare
• Everyone must have an annotated poem
• Each person should take one point to explain to
  the class
• Answer each of the questions through discussion
  and annotation

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Presentation
My Last Duchess (1842) Ferrara Thats my last
Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she
were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now Fra
Pandolfs hands Worked busily a day, and there
she stands. Willt please you sit and look at
her? I said 5Fra
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)
10And 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 husbands presence only, called
that spot Of joy into the Duchess cheek
perhaps
12
Fra Pandolf chanced to say Her mantle laps Over
my ladys 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
20 For calling up that spot of joy. She had A
hearthow shall I say?too soon made glad, Too
easily impressed she liked whateer She looked
on, and her looks went everywhere. Sir, twas
all one! My favour at her breast,
25 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 terraceall
and each
13
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
30 Or blush, at least. She
thanked men,good! but thanked SomehowI know
not howas if she ranked My gift of a
nine-hundred-years-old name With anybodys gift.
Whod stoop to blame This sort of trifling? Even
had you skill
35In 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 markand if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
40Her wits
to yours, forsooth, and made excuse, Een then
would be some stooping and I choose Never to
stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,
14
Wheneer I passed her but who passed without
Much the same smile? This grew I gave commands
45Then all smiles stopped
together. There she stands As if alive. Willt
please you rise? Well meet The company below,
then. I repeat, The Count your masters known
munificence Is ample warrant that no just
pretence
50Of mine for dowry will be disallowed
Though his fair daughters self, as I avowed At
starting, is my object. Nay, well go Together
down, sir. Notice Neptune, though, Taming a
sea-horse, thought a rarity,
55Which Claus of
Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!
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How is the speaker presented?
Positive
Negative

• The Duke

5 minutes!
Think of as many adjectives as possible. Both
positive and negative.
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Essay Question

• The disturbing behaviour of the Duke of Ferrara
  makes it impossible for readers to sympathise
  with him
• How far do you agree with this view?

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Lets Read the Model
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Do you agree or disagree?

• Disagree
• Reader may fall under narrators spell
• monologue form and how this can shape attitude
  and reader response
• Victorian readers may have supported the action
  of the Duke in a patriarchal world
• Narrator is controlling narrative and is biased
  can he inspire sympathy?

• Agree
• Psychopathic behaviour of speaker
• Appalling treatment of women
• Dukes Arrogance

• Other
• Unpick the words impossible, sympathise and
  disturbing challenge them
• Browning not giving away what he thinks

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Homelearning

• To read the context information on Browning
• To complete the essay on My Last Duchess