My Last Duchess Questions Answers | Class 11 English Second Semester WBCHSE
1. What type of a lady was the Duchess
The Duchess was respectful and gentle. She found pleasure in natural beauty such as, “dropping of the daylight” and “the bough of cherries”. She liked people who would do small favours for her. She was polite and spoke with everyone with a smile. She blushed when Fra Pandolf complemented her. She did not restrict her smile and good behaviour only for the Duke, rather she behaved equally with all.
2. What characteristic trait of the Duke’s character can be discerned when he refers to the bronze statue of Neptune
Neptune is the Roman sea-god. In the bronze sculpture, the sea-god is seen taming a sea-horse. Here the Duke’s emphasis on the sculpture shows his collection and interest in art. The sculpture’s depiction of Neptune controlling a sea-horse is quite similar to the Duke’s intentions to train his last Duchess in maintaining proper royal decorum. The Duke comes across as a dominating man, a bully who reduced his wife to an object of art.
3. Analyse ‘My Last Duchess’ as a dramatic mono- logue
A dramatic monologue is a poem of a particular narrative style in which a fictional speaker unwittingly reveals his true character while describing some series of events or some other characters.
In Robert Browning’s poem ‘My Last Duchess’, the only speaker is a Duke, a fictional character and he describes some series of events that took place with his former wife who is no more alive. The abrupt beginning of the poem: “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall” is itself much dramatic.
Besides, there are so many dramatic turns in the development of the poem such as, “a heart-how shall I say? -too soon made glad” or “I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together.” Further, the Duke is the only person heard to speak in the poem, though there is a silent listener (the envoy) present with him in the poem. All these necessary details make the poem a perfect dramatic monologue.
4. How is power syndrome conveyed in ‘My Last Duchess’
The poem ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning doesn’t depict power syndrome directly, but it portrays the Duke’s obsession with control, which can be linked to certain aspects of power syndrome. The Duke refers to his deceased wife as ‘my last Duchess’ in the very beginning of the poem. This possessive term reduces her to an object he owns, highlighting his need for complete control. The Duke seems more concerned with the Duchess’s outward behaviour than her inner feelings.
He mentions her ‘too much giving’ of ‘smiles’ (Line 36) to others, suggesting he couldn’t tolerate her warmth extending beyond him. He wanted to control the activities of his last duchess. The Duke hints at his actions towards the Duchess with the expression-“I gave commands;/ Then all smiles stopped together” (Line 46), implying he might have passed orders to put an end to her smiles-a symbol of her liveliness he couldn’t handle.
The Duke’s focus on the portrait signifies his desire to possess and control the Duchess’s image even after her death. His display of the portrait of his last Duchess to the messenger of the Count, whose daughter he is going to marry, marks the dominance that he will continue to dictate on his future wife. By portraying these characteristics, Browning creates a chilling portrait of a man overpowered by a need for absolute power and control, reflecting a twisted sense of entitlement.
5. Who is the speaker in the poem ‘My Last Duch- ess’? What is the background of the poem
The only speaker in the poem ‘My Last Duchess’ is the Duke of Ferrara.
He speaks in a particular situation to the representative of a Count whose daughter is being sought in marriage by the widowed Duke of Ferrara.
6. “Looking as if she were alive.”-About whom is this said? What does it suggest
The Duke of Ferrara says this about the painting of his deceased wife.
Her portrait seems very lifelike. The expression may suggest the Duke’s ego and aesthetic sense at the same time. It may also suggest that the Duke has an extraordinary taste in the field of art.
7. “That piece a wonder”-What does it refer to? How does the speaker appreciate the art
By the expression ‘That piece a wonder’, the duke refers to the portrait of the last Duchess.
The speaker, referring to the painting as a piece of wonder, appreciates its lifelike quality and excellent skill of the painter. He is doubtless about it being a wonderful creation.
8. “If they durst”-Who says this and about whom? What does the remark suggest about the character of the speaker
The Duke of Ferrara says this about the strangers who see the portrait.
They cannot read the depth and earnest glance in the painted face of the Duchess. The Duke apprehends that they will ask him if they dare so. The remark suggests the Duke’s pride in his own status.
9. “The depth and passion of its earnest glance.”- What is the Duke’s explanation of the ‘depth’ and ‘earnest glance’
The Duke explains to the envoy of the Count that the depth and passion of her earnest glance, as portrayed by Fra Pandolf, was not reserved for her husband only. The slightest courtesy or attention was sufficient to make her blush. According to the Duke, Fra Pandolf while painting the face of the Duchess seemed to say that her cloak was covering her beautiful wrist. She was flattered and a ‘spot of joy’ was noticed on her cheeks.
10. What does the white mule symbolize in “My Last Duchess”? What does the poet imply with introduction of this animal
Literally, white mule is the symbol of fun.
With the introduction of this animal on which the Duchess used to ride round the terrace, the poet implies that she liked fun which the Duke did not like at all.
11. “Her mantle laps/Over my lady’s wrist too much”- Who is the speaker? What does he mean by this
Here the speaker is Fra Pandolf, the painter.
By the expression he means that the cloak of the Duchess covered a great portion of her wrist, thereby hiding her beauty to a great extent.
12. How did the Duchess value any gift she received and what is the Ducke’s opinion about it
The last Duchess liked every simple thing like setting of the sun, the bough of cherries brought by any foolish person from an orchard and the white mule she rode. All were equally liked by her. Even, when her husband brought some expensive gifts for her, she gave the same value as she appreciated others’ small gifts. As a matter of fact, the Duchess was jolly and lively by nature but the Duke did not like her gaiety. He was jealous and possessive.
13. How does the Duke depict the character of the last Duchess? Is it a real compliment or ironical remark
While describing the portrait of the last Duchess to the representative of a Count, the Duke says that she was ‘made glad’ and ‘too easily impressed’. She liked all, thanked all and smiled on all.
As the Duke goes on speaking, it becomes clear that this is an indirect way of saying that the Duke did not like her gaiety and graciousness. He means the opposite of what he says to the envoy of the Count. Hence, it is not a real compliment, rather it is an ironical remark.
14. “She ranked my gift of nine-hundred-years-old name with anybody’s gift.”-What aspect of the character of the speaker is revealed here
The Duke, the only speaker of the dramatic monologue ‘My Last Duchess’, ironically states that he cannot tolerate his rich gift to his wife to be treated with equal importance as that of the others. He is proud of his rich ancestry and the Duchess should pay her highest tribute to him for this gift.
15. “I gave commands;/Then all smiles stopped together”-What is suggested here? How does this indicate the character of the speaker
A horrible situation is suggested in the climax of the dramatic monologue when the agitated Duke gave orders and the Duchess was killed.
The Duke gave the order in a cool, insensitive and cruel manner as if getting one killed, even if she is his wife, is no matter of importance. So, the Duke appears to be not only cruel but also heartless.
16. “Notice Neptune, though, / Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity …….”-What does the speaker show to the visitor? What aspect of the speaker’s character is revealed in the lines
The description of the Duchess being over, the Duke leads the representative of the Count, downstairs. On his way he shows him a bronze statue of Neptune, taming a sea-horse.
The statue cast in bronze by Claus of Innsbruck apparently explains that the Duke is a connoisseur of art. But, as he asks the envoy to notice the art it indicates his attitude towards his wife. He means to say that his would-be wife must have whole-hearted devotion towards her husband. He implies that he knows the art of taming a wild spirit.
17. How does the Duke reveal his role in the death of the Duchess
The Duke of Ferrara takes the Count’s envoy for a visit inside his palace. As he reveals the portrait of his last Duchess, he also reveals the characteristic features of his wife as well as the troubling aspects of his personality-his jealousy and possessiveness. He alleges his wife for being too responsive to all alike and orders her to be killed. Hence, it does not go without saying that the Duke plays a key role for the death of his wife.
18. Why is the bronze statue described in the last part of the poem ‘My Last Duchess’
Like the portrait of his late wife, the statue of Neptune made of bronze symbolizes the Duke’s status as a wealthy patron of art-a real connoisseur of art. Just as he expressed his pride in getting Fra Pandolf to paint the portrait of his late wife, he also boasts of getting another artist like Claus of Innsbruck who made the statue for him. The statue also describes his intention of taming his would-be wife to make her totally devoted.
Read More – The Garden Party Question Answer