Robert Browning

My Last Duchess

- The title suggests that the duke believed the duchess was his posession using the language 'my', also the word 'last' suggests that he's keen on marrying again and that he's had plenty of other ex-duchesses.
- Person speaking is the duke of ferrera.
- Iambic pentameter throughout the poem.
- "The depth and passion of it's earnest glance" personification of the picture.
- The use of brackets is the the Duke of Ferrara's thoughts.
-  Rhetorical question " Much the same smile?" showing the Dukes insecurity and power.
- "Spot of Joy" When the duchess was happy the duke would call it the spot of joy, showing the Dukes reflecting on her - also showing his obsession with her.
- Setting used to show the wealth of the Duke however juxtaposes with his insecure personality.
- " Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands" Use of full-stop describes the death of the duchess." also the word there should be their however now it's not so that means that the ex-duchess is no longer his posession.
- Structure of poem helps reveal the secrets of him getting rid of the duchess, for example  " Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands" is situated at the end of the first page, it is the first hint of him getting rid of the duchess, the structure shows that the Duke is slowly cracking under his fake personality.
- The duke is not a reliable narrator as the reader is only seeing it from his point of view which may not be the right view to beloieve.
- Intepretations - the poem is used to show how controlling and powerful the Duke is OR It is showing how insecure the Duke is.