40 pages • 1 hour read
My Last Duchess
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Discussion Starters
1. Although the assumption is that the duke had his last duchess killed, this is not explicitly stated in the poem. Is there a possibility that she may still be alive? What else do you think may have happened to her? Look to the text for details that support your answer and explain your reasoning.
2. The poem begins with references to one piece of art and ends with another. What role do you think art plays in “My Last Duchess”? How does it support the themes explored in the poem?
3. Do you think the duke’s revelations were unwittingly or intentionally done? If the former, consider what may have loosened his inhibitions; if the latter, examine how and why he constructed the context for his narration. What, additionally, is the role of the listener in the poem? Is he merely incidental, or is his presence and identity significant to this particular monologue?
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By Robert Browning
