Robert Browning, My Last Duchess
English 2323 - Study Questions
“My Last Duchess” – Robert Browning
1. What is the setting for this poem?
This poem takes place in the palace of Alfonso II who is the Duke of Ferrara in Italy.
2. Who is the Duke speaking to?
The Duke is entertaining an ambassador type person who has come to arrange the marriage of the duke and a daughter of a very wealthy and powerful family.
What are they both looking at?
They are looking at a painting of the Duke’s last “duchess” or wife that is hanging up on the wall in the palace.
3. How does the duke characterize the duchess?
He characterizes the duchess as very young and lovely but also, she was very much a flirt and not very loyal to the Duke, and even ungrateful of the Duke’s name that she was given.
4. What are three character traits of the duke?
The duke is very arrogant. He repeats the famous artists name twice pretty much show off to the visitor about how much wealth he has to be able to afford this artist. He is also very authorative. His duchess is now dead however he feels that he is still in complete control over her. The duke is very mysterious. He doesn’t come out and say to the visitor that he had his wife killed, but hints at it, and makes you wonder if he really did or not.
5. Interpret: “The Count your master’s known munificence / Is ample warrant that no just pretense / Of mine for dowry will be disallowed”
The duke is talking to a servant of the Count, whose daughter he is marrying. The duke says that the Count is very generous and wealthy and that the he should receive any goods, wealth, or estates that he asks for at the marriage of the Count’s
“My Last Duchess” – Robert Browning
1. What is the setting for this poem?
This poem takes place in the palace of Alfonso II who is the Duke of Ferrara in Italy.
2. Who is the Duke speaking to?
The Duke is entertaining an ambassador type person who has come to arrange the marriage of the duke and a daughter of a very wealthy and powerful family.
What are they both looking at?
They are looking at a painting of the Duke’s last “duchess” or wife that is hanging up on the wall in the palace.
3. How does the duke characterize the duchess?
He characterizes the duchess as very young and lovely but also, she was very much a flirt and not very loyal to the Duke, and even ungrateful of the Duke’s name that she was given.
4. What are three character traits of the duke?
The duke is very arrogant. He repeats the famous artists name twice pretty much show off to the visitor about how much wealth he has to be able to afford this artist. He is also very authorative. His duchess is now dead however he feels that he is still in complete control over her. The duke is very mysterious. He doesn’t come out and say to the visitor that he had his wife killed, but hints at it, and makes you wonder if he really did or not.
5. Interpret: “The Count your master’s known munificence / Is ample warrant that no just pretense / Of mine for dowry will be disallowed”
The duke is talking to a servant of the Count, whose daughter he is marrying. The duke says that the Count is very generous and wealthy and that the he should receive any goods, wealth, or estates that he asks for at the marriage of the Count’s