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Question: Understanding this poem!?
My last duchess
Robert Browning
That's my last duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive!. I call
That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf's hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands!.
Will't please you sit and look at her!? I said
"Fra Pandolf" by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
That depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain drawn for you, but I)
And 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, 't was not
Her husband's presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess' cheek: perhaps
Fra Pandolf chanced to say "Her mantle laps
Over my lady's 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
For calling up that spot of joy!. She had
A heart - how shall I say!? - too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed: she liked whate'er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere!.
Sir, 't was all one! My favour at her breast,
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 terrace -all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush,at least!. She thanked men - good! but thanked
Somehow - I know not how - as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody's gift!. Who'd stoop to blame
This sort of trifling!? Even had you skill
In speech - (which I have not) - to make your will
Quite clear to such a one, and say, "Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss
Or there exceed the mark"- and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse
- E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop!. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,
Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without
Much the same smile!? This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together!. There she stands
As if alive!. Will 't please you rise!? We'll meet
The company below, then!. I repeat,
The Count your master's known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretence
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;
Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed
At starting is my object!. Nay, we'll go
Together down, sir!. Notice Neptune, though,
Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!.
1- What is the rank or position of the speaker and the man he is addressing!? Give reasons
2- Where does the conversation take place!?
3- Where was the picture to be found!?
4- Did the speaker know his visitor well or not!? What tells you this!?
5- In the word ‘read’ there is an implied comparison between two actions!. What are they!?
6- What does the speaker mean by ‘‘twas all one (line 25)!? And what has the phrase to do with the next six lines!?
7- How does the speaker feel about the Duchess’s thanking people!? And why did he!?
8- In what sense is the word officious used!?
9- Explain what the following passages tell you about the character of the speaker
9!.1- even you had the skill
In speech (which I have not)
9!.2- and if she let
Herself be lessoned so
Never to stoop
10- What does the word ‘last’ (line 1) imply!?
11- I gave commands, then all smiles stopped together
What did these words suggest actually happened!?
12- What was the purpose of the interview
13- I repeat, at starting is my object (lines 48-53)
What do these lines tell you about the real object of the speaker!?
14- what impression that you get of the speakers’ attitude to the picture is strengthened by the last three lines of the poem!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I worked on this a while, but couldn't finish every detail simply for lack of time!. But the poem starts to fall into place!. This sounds like some kind of school assignment, not something you just mused off the top of your head! LOL!. But I had fun with it and learned a lot!. I am completely amazed at what I learn trying to answer questions on YA!!
1- What is the rank or position of the speaker (Duke; His wife was a Duchess!.) and the man he is addressing!? (Count!. "I repeat, The Count your master's known munificence" He's speaking to the Count, referring to him in the third person!.) Give reasons
2- Where does the conversation take place!? (Answered below)
3- Where was the picture to be found!? (Answered below)
4- Did the speaker know his visitor well or not!? What tells you this!?
5- In the word ‘read’ there is an implied comparison between two actions!. What are they!?
6- What does the speaker mean by ‘‘twas all one (line 25)!? And what has the phrase to do with the next six lines!?
7- How does the speaker feel about the Duchess’s thanking people!? And why did he!?
8- In what sense is the word officious used!?
9- Explain what the following passages tell you about the character of the speaker
9!.1- even you had the skill In speech (which I have not)
9!.2- and if she let Herself be lessoned so Never to stoop
10- What does the word ‘last’ (line 1) imply!?
11- I gave commands, then all smiles stopped together!. What did these words suggest actually happened!? (Answered below)
12- What was the purpose of the interview (Answered below)
13- I repeat, at starting is my object (lines 48-53)
What do these lines tell you about the real object of the speaker!?
14- what impression that you get of the speakers’ attitude to the picture is strengthened by the last three lines of the poem!? (He seems rather callous, because he passes from a painting that had been hiw wife to another piece of art with a sinister coldness!.)
The poem is preceded by the word Ferrara:, indicating that the speaker is most likely Alfonso II, fifth Duke of Ferrara (1533–1598) who, at the age of 25, married the 14-year-old Lucrezia di Cosimo de' Medici, the daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Eleonora di Toledo!.
Lucrezia was not well educated, and the Medicis' status could be termed "nouveau riche" in comparison with that of the venerable and distinguished Este family!. The Duke's remark regarding his gift of a "nine-hundred-years-old name" clearly indicates that he considered his bride beneath him socially!. She came, however, with a sizeable dowry!. The couple married in 1558, and she died three years later, on April 21, 1561, at age 17!. There was a strong suspicion of poisoning!. The Duke then sought the hand of Barbara, eighth daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary and the niece of the Count of Tyrol!. The count was in charge of arranging the marriage; the chief of his entourage, Nikolaus Mardruz, a native of Innsbruck, was his courier!. Mardruz is presumably the silent listener in the poem!.
The other characters named in the poem, painter Frà Pandolf and sculptor Claus of Innsbruck, are fictional!.
The poem is set during the late Italian Renaissance!. The narrator (presumably the Duke of Ferrara) is giving the emissary of his prospective second wife a tour of the artworks in his home!. He draws a curtain to reveal a painting of a woman, explaining that it is a portrait of his late wife; he invites his guest to sit and look at the painting!. As they look at the portrait of the late Duchess, the Duke describes her happy, cheerful and flirtatious nature, which had displeased him!. He says, "She had a heart – how shall I say!? – too soon made glad!.!.!." He goes on to say that his complaint of her was that "'twas not her husband's presence only" that made her happy!. Eventually, "I gave commands; then all smiles stopped altogether!." He now keeps her painting hidden behind a curtain that only he is allowed to draw back!. The Duke then resumes an earlier conversation regarding wedding arrangements, and in passing points out another work of art, a bronze statue of Neptune taming a sea-horse!.
In an interview, Browning said, "I meant that the commands were that she should be put to death !. !. !. Or he might have had her shut up in a convent!."Www@QuestionHome@Com