4: MY LAST DUCHESS - Robert Browning

indolent

lazy

inept

not suitable, capable, unqualified

inhibit

to prevent, restrain, stop

iambic pentameter, couplets

what are the rhythm and rhyme

the poem’s delivery ruins the rhythm and rhyme

speakers delivery, showing how controlling the Duke is and how he creates something less appealing

will’t please you sit and look/ will’t please you rise

he is talking to a servant, orders

Frà Pandolf’s … hands/ by design/ chanced to say

he’s showing off, repetition, painter

(… none puts by/ the curtain I have drawn for you, but)

he has full control over the artwork, he covers it

-how shall I say? -too soon/ -I know not how -as/ -(which I have not) -

dashes, brackets - rambling - abundance of words + he’s not thinking about what he’s saying - doesn’t care much for it, lack of guilt

too easily impressed; she liked whate’er/ she looked on, and her looks went everywhere

duchess was joyful, energetic and loved life - her full attention wasn’t his

she ranked my gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name/ with anybody’s gift

she didn’t care for his status more than other gifts

even had you skill/ in speech -(which I have not)-

he is doing a monologue in iambic pentameter, fishing for compliments/ oblivious to things outside himself

to make your will/ quite clear to such an one

his speaking ruins the rhyme and rhythm, he is doing it his way, ruining the possibility of clearly hearing the techniques

much the same smile? this grew; I gave commands;/ then all smiles stopped together

she smiled, smiled more, commands to her or to guards (her death)

his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed/ at starting, is my object

he views the women as objects, his property

which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

showing off again

he tells the story of his dead wife to the envoy of the man who’s daughter he’s about to marry

ego - quote