Chapter 6 – My Last Duchess Questions and Answers

Content structure

  • A. Short questions & answers
  • B. Long questions & answers

My Last Duchess Solutions

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A. Short questions & answers

1. Who is the speaker of the poem?
Ans: The speaker of the poem is the Duke of Ferrara, a powerful and wealthy nobleman who is engaged in a conversation with a guest from another aristocratic family. Through his speech, he reveals his thoughts and emotions, especially regarding his former wife.

2. Why is the painting kept behind a curtain?
Ans: The painting is kept behind a curtain because the Duke wants complete control over who can look at it. This shows his possessive nature, as only he is allowed to draw the curtain, reflecting his need to control how others remember his late wife.

3. What does the Duke mean when he says, “I gave commands”?
Ans: The Duke’s statement “I gave commands” suggests that he issued an order with serious consequences, most likely leading to the Duchess’s death. Although he does not clearly admit it, his words imply that he used his authority to stop her behavior, and afterward, all her smiles ceased forever.

4. What kind of poem is “My Last Duchess”?
Ans: “My Last Duchess” is a dramatic monologue in which the Duke is the sole speaker throughout the poem. As he continues speaking without interruption, he gradually reveals his thoughts, emotions, and personality traits. His words expose his pride, possessiveness, and need for control, even though the listener never responds.

5. What does the statue of Neptune symbolize?
Ans: The statue of Neptune taming a sea horse symbolizes power and control. Just as Neptune dominates the creature, the Duke desires complete control over others, especially women this symbol reflects his strong need for authority and unquestioned dominance.

6. What statue does the Duke show the guest at the end?
Ans: At the end, the Duke proudly shows the guest a bronze statue of Neptune taming a sea horse, crafted by Claus of Innsbruck. His admiration for this statue reflects his appreciation for art that represents power and his deep desire for control.

7. What is the Duke planning at the end of the poem?
Ans: At the end of the poem, the Duke plans to marry again and talks about the dowry offered for the Count’s daughter. His interest in money and status, instead of love, shows that he wants a new wife who will obey him and support his pride and control.

8. What lesson does Robert Browning give in this poem?
Ans: Robert Browning shows that pride, jealousy, and controlling behavior can harm relationships. The poem teaches that true love cannot grow without respect, trust, and freedom. People should not try to dominate or control others.

9. How does the Duke show he is controlling?
Ans: The Duke shows his controlling nature in many ways. He keeps the Duchess’s painting behind a curtain and allows only himself to open it. He also wanted to control how she behaved. Finally, he gave orders that ended her life, showing how much he wanted power over her.

10. Why did the Duke dislike the Duchess’s smile?
Ans: The Duke disliked the Duchess’s smile because she shared it freely with everyone and did not give him special attention. Even though he was a nobleman with a powerful family name, he felt ignored, which hurt his pride and made him resentful.

11. How does the Duke describe the Duchess’s smile?
Ans: He says her smile was charming, but she gave it freely to everyone. He felt that she did not value him above others, which made him jealous and possessive. Her smile became a symbol of what he saw as her disloyalty.

12. How does the Duke describe the Duchess’s heart?
Ans: The Duke says the Duchess’s heart was “too soon made glad.” He means she was easily pleased and impressed by small things. Her happy and open nature made him feel unimportant and disrespected.

13. What role does art play in the poem?
Ans: Art is a symbol of wealth, power, and control. The Duke uses the painting and the statue to show his taste and authority. Art also lets him control how the Duchess is remembered, even after her death.

14. How did the Duchess react when riding her mule?
Ans: While riding her mule in the afternoon, the Duchess would give an approving word, smile, or blush. She was friendly and happy with small gestures, which the Duke did not like.

15. “Such stuff was courtesy” – what does this mean?
Ans: The phrase means that the compliments given by Fra Pandolf, the painter, were just polite words and not serious flattery. For example, he might have said her wrist was covered too much or that his art could not capture her rosy cheeks.

16. Who is Neptune? What does his statue mean?
Ans: Neptune is the Roman god of the sea. The statue of Neptune taming a sea horse shows the Duke’s desire to control others. It represents power, dominance, and authority, just like the way he controlled his wife.

17. Who is speaking in “That’s my last duchess”?
Ans: The Duke of Ferrara is speaking, and he is talking to a visitor who represents a Count, who is arranging a marriage for his daughter.

18. What made the Duchess blush besides her husband?
Ans: Small compliments, gifts, or attention from others made the Duchess blush. She would also react to small gestures like sunlight on her face or a branch of cherries from someone.

E. Long questions & answers

1. Describe the character of the Duke in the poem.
Ans: The Duke is a proud, arrogant man who values power and status above love and emotion. He belongs to a noble family and expects to be treated as superior by everyone, especially his wife. He becomes irritated by the Duchess’s cheerful and friendly nature, believing she should reserve her smiles and kindness only for him. His jealousy and desire for control lead him to “give commands,” strongly implying that he had her killed. In the course of his speech, he reveals a lack of empathy and shows that he cannot tolerate being questioned or challenged, particularly by a woman.

2. What is the theme of power and control in My Last Duchess?
Ans: The theme of power and control is strongly reflected in the Duke’s behavior. He desires complete authority over his wife and is angered by her friendly nature, especially when she treats others with the same kindness she shows him. Feeling that she fails to recognize his superior status, he chooses not to confront her directly but instead “gives commands,” which strongly suggests he had her killed. Even after her death, his control continues, as he keeps her portrait hidden behind a curtain that only he is allowed to draw. The poem ends with the Duke drawing attention to a statue of Neptune taming a sea-horse, symbolizing his belief in dominance and control.

3. How does Browning use irony in the poem My Last Duchess?
Ans: Browning skillfully uses irony to reveal the Duke’s true character. While the Duke proudly speaks of art, nobility, and culture, his words unintentionally expose a cold and jealous man. He criticizes the Duchess for smiling too often and failing to appreciate the noble title he gave her, which is ironic because he condemns her for traits like kindness and gratitude. Although he claims to admire the portrait, it actually reflects his need to control her even in death. The calm, polite tone he uses when hinting at her murder creates a chilling contrast that deepens the irony of his speech.

4. What makes My Last Duchess a dramatic monologue?
Ans: My Last Duchess is considered a dramatic monologue because only the Duke speaks from beginning to end, addressing a silent listener who is there to arrange his next marriage. As he describes the portrait and reflects on his late wife, he reveals his own emotions and thoughts. Although the listener remains silent, the Duke’s words provide a vivid picture of his personality, marked by possessiveness, pride, and a desire for control. This format allows Browning to delve deeply into the Duke’s mind and expose his character through a single, continuous speech.

5. How does the Duke describe the Duchess’s behavior and why does it make him angry?
Ans: The Duke says the Duchess was cheerful, friendly, and easily pleased. She smiled at everyone, liked small gifts, and admired simple things. This angers him because he expected her to give him special attention and honor his noble title. Her equal appreciation for all made him feel disrespected and hurt his pride. His jealousy drove him to take harsh actions against her.

6. How does the poem show the Duke’s personality?
Ans: The poem shows the Duke as proud, possessive, and controlling. He is jealous of the Duchess’s friendly nature and wants total obedience. He values social status and wealth above feelings. He shows off his art and heritage to impress others. He lacks empathy, as he can casually talk about her death. The poem reveals his manipulative and authoritarian character, showing the dark side of power and patriarchy.

7. How does jealousy play a role in the poem?
Ans: Jealousy is a main theme in the poem. The Duke is jealous of the Duchess’s kindness, attention to others, and enjoyment of small things. He cannot accept that anyone could gain her admiration. This jealousy drives him to control her completely and leads to her implied murder. The poem shows how pride and social status can destroy love and human relationships.

8. How is “My Last Duchess” a dramatic monologue?
Ans: The poem is a dramatic monologue because the Duke is the only speaker. He speaks to a silent listener, the envoy of a Count arranging a marriage. The listener never replies, but the Duke’s words reveal his personality, thoughts, and emotions. The poem starts suddenly and creates a dramatic effect. The Duke shows himself as proud, possessive, cruel, greedy, and an art lover. The poem focuses on an important moment in his life, after his Duchess has died, as he plans to marry again.

9. “She had a heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad” – Who says this and what examples does he give?
Ans: The Duke of Ferrara says this to the envoy of a Count. He explains that his last Duchess was easily pleased by trivial things. She valued everything equally. A small compliment from the artist made her blush, and she appreciated both his costly gifts and a simple cherry branch from someone else. She enjoyed the beauty of the sunset or a ride on her white mule. She had no sense of pride or discrimination, which annoyed the Duke.

10. Describe the Duke’s character.
Ans: The Duke is shown in a bad light. He is proud and self-important, boasting about his noble family. He cannot accept the cheerful and kind nature of the Duchess. He is possessive and sees his wife as something to control. He is cruel and heartless, as shown by how he stopped the Duchess’s innocent happiness and possibly had her killed. He is greedy, demanding dowry for his next marriage. Yet, he appreciates art, as seen in the portrait and the Neptune statue.

11. “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall” – Who says this, to whom, why is she painted?
Ans: The Duke of Ferrara says this to the envoy of a Count. The envoy is there to discuss the marriage of the Count’s daughter. The Duchess is painted on the wall because she is dead. The Duke disliked her cheerful nature and resentment that she did not give him special favor. He had her killed, and only the portrait remains, showing her beauty and his love for art.

12. “Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity” – Where is this from, what is rare, who made it, what is it made of, and what does it symbolize?
Ans: This line is from Browning’s dramatic monologue My Last Duchess. The statue of Neptune taming a sea-horse is considered a rarity. It was made by a sculptor named Claus of Innsbruck and made of bronze. Symbolically, it shows the Duke’s power and desire to dominate. It also suggests how he would control his future wife, just as Neptune controls the sea-horse.

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