Hi everyone,

This is Salman, I am reading a poem called " My last Duchess" in my english class. I've stuck on some questions. I was wondering, if anybody can help me on them. I strongly appreciate it if you send me your comments as soon as possible.

Thank you

Click here to read the poem :
[www.library.utoronto.ca]

Here are the questions:
1.) In paragraph form state, what kind of report about the Duke do you think the envoy would take back to the count?
2.) In paragraph form state, what kind of man is the Duke? How do you know? Quote lines to support your answer.

That poem is screwed up.

Googling (exactly)

"my last duchess" browning analysis OR interpretation OR explication

will bring forth many discussion links, among them:


[barney.gonzaga.edu]

We've discussed this often before. In my opinion, the Duke is a controlling S.O.B., who thinks of women as property.

Some lines to show this--

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.

---E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop.

This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together.

I repeat,
The Count your master's known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretence
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;

The question for you to solve is -does the envoy see this, as we have?

pam

And I warn you, we do not agree with each other on the answer of that question! If you go to the general discussion forum and search for the poem, you will find several threads about it. So if you can give a good reasoning for you point of view it should do. Unless your teacher is one of those that think there is "the" meaning of a poem.

well, in this case there IS "one meaning" to this poem. Read the poem carefully! Pay attention.

Whew! I, for one, am glad that's finally settled.