My Last Duchess

Front 1

'my Last Duchess'

Back 1

Possessive pronoun

Belongs to him

Suggests he's had many.

Front 2

'Ferrara'

Back 2

Context place in Italy wherein 1561 a Duke's wife died mysteriously

Front 3

Iambic Pentameter

Back 3

Rhyme Scheme shows he is in control

Front 4

'Will't please you sit and look at her?'

Back 4

Appears polite, but is really a command.

Referring to Duchess as 'her' suggests he believes he's too important to address her by her Name.

Front 5

'frá pandolf's hands'

Back 5

Allusion to famous artists. Artists name holds more value than the Duchess

Front 6

'(since none puts by the curtains I have drawn for you, but I)'

Back 6

Parentheses <-- shows the power he held as he controls who sees the painting

Irony<-- needs to show off his wife to feel powerful

Front 7

Dramatic Monologue

Back 7

Biased, shows his power

Front 8

'if they durst'

Back 8

Shows he is feared

No one would ask to see his wife

Front 9

'she thanked men - good!'

Back 9

Caesura <-- shows change in structure. Illustrates his anger and resentment and annoyance is growing

Front 10

'E'en then would be some stooping'

Back 10

Showing his belief that asking a woman for things is beneath him as it shows he not powerful

Ironically shows that she's in control.

Front 11

'There she stands as if alive. Will't please you rise?'

Back 11

Her in a painting pleases him just as much as in real life, as a possession

The question changes the tone back to polite.

Front 12

'which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!'

Back 12

Ending poem with a reference to another artist, shows off wealth and power. Shows wife is no concernbto him anymore.

Gives poem circular structure