my last duchess

FERRARA

Setting of the poam in northern italy

Thats my last duchess painted on the wall

The possesive prounoun my establishes the dukes sense of ownership and control. Dramatic monolouge creates a first person narrative and the duke control over the readers understanding.

Looking as if she were alive

Personification, teh ceasura hihnts at the definitive end of the duchesses life. The phrase as if she were alive highlights the dukes preference for the duchess as a painting he can control

I call that piece a wonder now

Further objectifiying his late wife as a work of art to be seen but not to have any autonomy

Fra pandolfs hands , woked busily a day and there she stands

Fra pandolf introduces teh artist and implys the value and pretige and the sukes wealth, fra is a monk

Willt please you sit and look at her

The rhetorial question is more of a command and reveals the dukes controling nature

I said fra pandolf by design

Indicates teh dukes conscious manipulation of the conversation

The depth adn passion of its earnest glance

The dukes focus on the dapth and passion indicates that it seems to trouble him

Since none puts by the curtain I have drawn for you but I

The pronoun they refers to the gazes of strangers who look at the poitrat and reaveals the dukes controling nautre as he alon desides who sees the paiting even in death

And seemed they would ask me if they durst

he Duke imagines that viewers of the portrait want to ask him about the "earnest glance" but are afraid ("if they durst") to do so, highlighting his intimidating presence

Her husband’s presence only, called that spotOf joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps

he phrase "spot of joy" refers to the blush on the Duchess's cheek, which the Duke complains was not reserved solely for his presence. He was troubled that her joy was not exclusively for him

Half-flush that dies along her throat.” Such stuff

Foreshadows teh duchess death potentially by stragulaiton