Text of the Poem
Annotations
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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.............................5
painted. . . wall: Reference to a fresco, a
painting executed on wet plaster.
I . . . now: He refers not only to the painting
but also to his wife as she
was in life, a mere object (that piece). Now
indicates he regards his
wife as a wonder in the painting but
something less when she lived.
you: emissary from the Count of Tyrol.
Frà Pandolf: The painter; by design: on
purpose.
countenance: face. The duke likes the
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
painting, but he later reveals
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
that he did not like the countess herself.
none. . . curtain: No one opens the curtain
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
except me
The curtain I have drawn for you, but
but I: Forgivable grammatical error. The
I)................................10
pronoun should be me, not I,
but I rhymes with by (previous line). durst:
And seemed as they would ask me, if they
durst,
archaic form of dare
How such a glance came there; so, not the
such a glance: The painting really flatters
first
her.
"Frà Pandolf" by design: for never read
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...............................15
Frà Pandolf chanced to say "Her mantle laps
Over my lady's wrist too much," or "Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
spot. . . joy: Enjambment, in which the
sense of one line of verse
carries over to the next line without a pause
mantle: Cloak or cape.
lines 17-19 ("Pain . . . throat): Frà Pandolf
believes the color of the "half-flush"
on her throat is too subtle to capture
accurately on canvas.
Half-flush that dies along her throat": such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and cause
enough.......................20
lines 21-30: The duchess annoyed the duke
because she was
just as pleased with a sunset, some cherries,
A heart–how shall I say?–too soon made glad,
or a ride on a mule as
Too easily impressed; she liked whate'er
she was with him.
For calling up that spot of joy. She had
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Sir, 'twas all one! My favour at her
breast,...............................25
favour: A small gift.
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
bough . . . her: Apparently a doubleentendre, the second meaning a
sexual one.
Would draw from her alike the approving
speech,.....................30
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....................................35
My . . . name: The duke comes from an old
aristocratic family
named Este.
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
be lessoned: Be instructed.
set....................................40
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse, forsooth: in truth (archaic).
E'en then would be some stooping: and I
choose
Oh . . .grew: The Duchess smiled at all men
Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,
and, according to the
Whene'er I passed her; but who passed
duke, did more than smile at some men.
without
Much the same smile? This grew; I gave
I gave . . .together: He reprimanded her.
commands;........45
Then she ceased her
Then all smiles stopped together. There she flirtation. Or, he gave commands to kill her,
stands
and then "all smiles stopped
As if alive. Will't please you rise? We'll meet
together."
The company below, then. I repeat,
The Count your master's known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just
pretence................................50
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,...................................55
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for
me!
munificence: Great generosity.
warrant: Guarantee; no just . . . disallowed:
The duke will demand
a considerable dowry from the count.
daughter: In real life, she was the count's
niece.
my object: The duke again refers to a
woman as an object.
Neptune: Roman name for Poseidon, god of
the sea in Greek mythology.
Taming a sea-horse: To the duke, the sea
horse is a symbol of the
women.
Claus of Innsbruck: Another artist.