“My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning
Ferrara
That's my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now: Frà Pandolf's hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will't please you sit and look at her? I said
“Frà Pandolf” by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myselfthey turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have 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, ‘twas not
Her husband's presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess' cheek: perhaps
Frà 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, 'twas 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 an 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!
Close reading
(You may studied this poem this year – all the better!). Answer the questions – your ideas not those from
study guides, etc.
Section A:
Ferrara:
Definition: A town in northern Italy, ruled by the Dukes of Este, renowned for their cruelty.
Line 3:
Fra Pandolf is a fictitious painter; a member of a monastic order. Is there any significance in the
fact that the Duchess’s portrait was painted by a monk?
Line 10:
The Duke evidently keeps the painting hidden from view. To what extent do you think this is
because the “depth and passion of its earnest glance” disturb the Duke?
Lines 21-45:
What do we learn of the Duke’s relationship to the Duchess?
Lines 45-46:
The Duke gave commands which put an end to the Duchess’s smiles. We are left wondering –
the convent? death? To what extent is Browning’s strategy of understatement successful here?
If so, why?
Lines 48-51:
The Count’s envoy has obviously been sent to discover how much the Duke wishes the Count to
pay as a dowry for his daughter. The Duke gives no satisfactory answer to what is apparently the
envoy’s renewed request, but simply dismisses the matter with an avaricious gesture towards the
Count’s “known munificence”. What kind of game is the Duke up to here? Does Browning
consider it necessary to undercut his pretensions?
Lines 54-56:
The poem concludes with a picture of the Duke as a lover of art (in what sense, though?). The
bronze statue of Neptune (Claus of Innsbruck is another of Browning’s fictitious artists) would
seem to be symbolic of the cold relentless cruelty of the Duke. How appropriate is this image to
the tone and mood of the poem?
Section B:
1.
Explain in as much detail as the poem provides, what the Duke is now doing, and what happened to his last
Duchess. Consider:
•
How does the Duke present himself to the Count’s envoy, and what image is he trying to create?
•
What impressions are we given of the last Duchess?
•
What was the Duke’s attitude towards her?
•
How does he regard her now?
2.
What are we shown about the Duke by the way in which he speaks in the poem? Is he aware that he is
exposing himself in any way?
3.
Explain the meaning and the significance of the following words and phrases: “that piece”, “how shall I say”,
“some officious fool”, “disgusts me”, “all smiles stopped together”, “Notice Neptune, though”.
4.
Are you left in any doubt of the implicit criticism of the Duke? Is there any admiration for any of his qualities?
5.
What is the point of presenting this situation as a dramatic monologue?
6.
Discuss Browning’s use of dramatic irony in creating the characters in this poem.
Section C: Essay:
Write an appreciation of “My Last Duchess” that offers a relevant and plausible interpretation of the poem.
•
•
•
Approximate length: 800 words. Submit typed, not handwritten. Leave a 3cm margin.
Prepare and submit your own work – not regurgitated / paraphrased / synthesised / “borrowed” work from
others.
Submit first lesson next year. Your essay will be used for diagnostic purposes to provide you with the essential
feedback to ensure your future success in this subject.
Assessment criteria:
• Complex and perceptive discussion that develops a relevant and plausible interpretation of the poem.
• Highly-developed analysis of the effects and nuances of poetic devices and textual features that create
meaning, using highly appropriate metalanguage.
• Very perceptive selection and use of textual detail to support the interpretation and the poem’s major concerns.
• Very coherent and logical organisation of ideas.
• Highly expressive and fluent writing.
Next week’s lessons: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woof? and what to prepare for start of the year.
Year12Literature–Preparationfor2016
Preparation
1. Browning’s “My Last Duchess” essay is to be submitted first lesson for diagnostic feedback.
2. Read through Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. The questions below are to help guide your reading, thinking and
interpretation of the play. You will have two SACs on this play as it is also one of the texts choices for the exam.
3. Watch and study the film version and think through and make notes on the focus questions.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Study Questions – preparation
The following questions are designed to help you work closely with the play. Be able to support your interpretations
with clear textual evidence. DO NOT refer to or summarise / borrow material from study guides. The more you
think about the text yourself, the more confident your responses.
The questions below are essentially comprehension and interpretation to get you thinking about the text. However,
your study of literature requires you to go several steps further and discuss HOW. The key question to ask when
reading your texts is HOW is this idea / character / theme / views and values / etc. shown through the language the
author uses, e.g. dialogue, narrative, imagery, symbols, etc.)
Act-by-Act Questions
ACT 1
1. What do we learn about George and Martha from their opening exchanges?
2. How seriously should we take Martha’s description of George as ‘a blank, a cipher, a zero’ (p.18)
3. Comment on the timing of the entrance of Nick and Honey.
4. What does George mean by the statement, ‘Martha and I...we’re merely walking what’s left of our wits’ (p.27)?
5. Discuss the importance of the line ‘That’s for me to know and for you to find out’ (p.30) in the context of the
whole play.
6. When does the game ‘Humiliate the host’ begin?
7. What effect does the listing of Nick’s academic and sporting successes have on George and on Martha?
8. Why does George refuse to light Martha’s cigarette?
9. What is the significance of the George-Martha boxing match?
10. What impression do we gain of Honey during George and Martha’s verbal parrying?
11. What are the differences between atheism and paganism (see p.49)?
12. Examine the conflict between the disciplines of History and Biology, as formulated by George.
13. How is the theme of the son developed in this Act?
14. How effective is the conclusion to Act One dramatically?
ACT 2
1. Why does Nick suddenly reveal his reason for marrying Honey?
2. How should we interpret the conclusion to George’s story: ‘For thirty years he has... not... uttered... one...
sound’ (p.62)?
3. Why does George describe his son as a ‘bean bag’ (p.63)?
4. What do we learn from the dual monologue on page 66?
5. What are the implications of George’s comment ‘We drink a great deal in this country’ (p.67)?
6. How does Albee introduce variety into the action midway through this Act?
7. Why does Nick encourage Martha to describe George’s novel?
8. What does Martha mean by the line ‘My arm has gotten tired of whipping you’ (p.92)?
9. Outline the effects of George’s game of ‘Get the Guests’.
10. Comment on George’s strategy of reading a book while Martha and Nick prepare to play ‘Hump the Hostess’.
11. What does Honey admit to George (pp.105-106)?
12. Why does George decide to tell Martha that their son is dead?
ACT 3
1. What does Martha reveal in her soliloquy / monlogue at the opening of this Act?
2. Is Martha telling the truth when she tells Nick that ‘There is only one man’ who has made her happy - George
(p.112)?
3. What is the impact of George’s entrance with flowers?
4. Why, amid all the games and illusions, does Martha insist that it is a moonless night?
5. What connection is there between George’s use of the word ‘snap’ (p.120) and Martha’s earlier use of the
same word (pp.94-95)?
6. What is the significance of Honey’s game ‘Peel the Label’ (p.124)?
7. What does George’s recitation of the Latin funeral rite contribute to the play?
8. Why does Martha respond so violently to George’s claim that he has a stack of letters from their son (p.132)?
(G. Marotous / Year 12 Literature / Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Preparation for 2016)
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9.
Why does Martha’s comment ‘You can’t decide that for yourself!’ (p.135) tell us about the rules of ‘Bringing Up
Baby’?
10. What is suggested by Martha repeating George’s ‘We couldn’t’ (p.138)?
11. What is meant by Martha’s closing remarks?
Titles, Setting and Action
1. Carefully consider the nursery rhyme “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” and the English novelist and literary
critic, Virginia Woolf. What is HOW is the significance of the title? HOW is it shown throughout the play?
2. Without a doubt, the play is about fear. Albee’s characters have many fears: what is each character afraid of?
HOW are each character’s fears conveyed throughout the play?.
3. HOW does each act convey the significance of the title that begins each Act.
4. HOW does Albee use the setting – small college town in New England, called New Carthage – and the names
of the two central characters – George and Martha as allegorical representations.
5. The play’s action occurs in one room over the duration of several hours. HOW does the playwright sustain
audience interest?
Plot and Structure
6. Examine the following structural devices closely. Then discuss HOW the symbols, motifs and ideas associated
with each take on great significance in the play.
(a) the four games
• “Humiliate the Host,”
• “Get the Guests”
• “Hump the Hostess”
• “Bringing up Baby”
(b) The stories of:
• the boxing match
between George and
Martha
• Martha’s previous
marriage
• Her courtship of
George
• George’s career in the
university
• Nick’s marriage to
Honey
• George’s unpublished
novel
(c Debates/discussions
concerning:
• Nick’s sporting and
academic
achievements
• Biology and its aims
• The return of the “son”
• Nick’s ambitions and
strategies
• Nick’s “houseboy”
status
(d) Physical action:
• George’s pretended
shooting of Martha
• The broken bottle
• Honey’s dance
• Nick and Martha’s
dance
• The scuffle
Characters
7. (a) HOW does Albee position the audience to view each character?
(b) HOW does Albee use the characters as vehicles to illustrate the views and values of the play?
8. Neither Martha’s nor Honey’s father appear in the play, yet they are very much present.
significance referenced throughout the play?
HOW is their
Key Themes
9.
HOW are the following themes presented and explored throughout the novel?
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
Truth/Reality and Illusion
Conflict
Marriage; Parents and children
American Dream – Materialism and success worship
the history and biology debate
10. Albee presents a central point: one cannot escape reality; one can only hope to find peace by facing reality
free from false ‘escape’. Consider HOW the following forms of escape are presented in the play as having
failed:
• alcohol
• promiscuous sex
• money and material success
• escape into the past of future
• power
• language: learning, wit and humour
(G. Marotous / Year 12 Literature / Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Preparation for 2016)
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Language and Imagery
11. Albee’s play tends to rely more on talking than action. One observes HOW the language is raw and the
rhythms and patterns of speech hard. HOW do the qualities of language make the play effective as a drama?
Consider such stylistic features as the dialogue, diction and rhythm – how the language swings from the poetic
to the banal, from lyricism to crudeness and profanity, from the effusive to the monosyllabic.
12. Albee’s play is rich in imagery – even down to the stage directions (e.g. “defending herself against an attack of
bees” p.134). Examine the following imagery, discussing HOW their significance is developed in the play as a
whole:
• ice cubes
• the bottle labels
• snapping of fingers, snap, snapdragon
• the parasol-shotgun
• son
• the car accident and the porcupine
• the door chimes
• chromosomes
• the huckleberry bush
• the day of judgement
As you can see by these range of questions there is a lot to think about in this play.
Play and Film: Adaptations and Transformations (Film Adaptation)
• Purchase and download the film from iTunes (or DVD).
• Make sure you read the play first before viewing its film adaptation (several viewings are essential).
• Guidelines to help you with thinking about the kind of ideas to focus on when viewing the film are provided
below.
Guidelines
Ø You must be able to show your understanding of the play’s construction, theatrical elements, themes, ideas,
characterisation, stylistic features, language, symbols, imagery, tone, mood etc. and be able to offer your
interpretation of the play. Hand-in-hand with this, you must be able to analyse its film adaptation in light of your
understanding and interpretation of the play. You need to ask yourself: HOW are all the above conveyed
through filmic elements?
Focus Questions
Having viewed the film adaptation, and worked through the above questions, analyse the film in the light of the
following questions. These questions are important and will enable you to plan and shape your comparative essay
for the SAC.
1. How does the film’s interpretation convey Albee’s themes and key ideas?
2. Has the original text been cut? What does the film’s interpretation change, emphasise, add or delete? What is
the effect of these changes?
3. What is your response to the director’s interpretation of the play?
– Comment on the structure of the film, how you envisaged each character and the film’s representation of
them.
– How does emphasis, deletion of scenes or changing of them affect your interpretation of the text?
4. What filmic elements (i.e. acting performances, interpretation of setting, use of sound/music and visual
elements, editing, and so on) add to, detract or indeed, create a ‘new’ vision of the print text?
5. What effect, if relevant, does the time and place in which the film was made have on the interpretation of the
print text? For example, a film produced fifty years ago or earlier may have taken a different slant in significant
ways compared to a more contemporary version. Is it effective? Equally, you need to ask yourself whether the
attempt to reproduce the period and culture is effective.
6. Finally, draw comparisons, based on the above notes, as the basis for your response:
– What are the similarities and differences between the play and the film?
– Irrespective of your opinion of the film, you should be able to analyse its qualities, rather than focus on your
likes or dislikes.
Note: The SAC task will require you to respond to a specific topic. For example:
• ‘How does the film convey Albee’s savage critique of the dominant social values in America?’
(G. Marotous / Year 12 Literature / Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Preparation for 2016)
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