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That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,

Looking as if she were alive. I call

That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands

Worked busily a day, and there she stands.

Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said

“Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read

Strangers like you that pictured countenance,

The depth and passion of its earnest glance,

But to myself they turned (since none puts by

The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)

And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,

How such a glance came there; so, not the first

Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not

Her husband’s presence only, called that spot

Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps

Fra Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps

Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint

Must never hope to reproduce the faint

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

Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough

For calling up that spot of joy. She had

A heart—how shall I say?— too soon made glad,

Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er

She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,

The dropping of the daylight in the West,

The bough of cherries some officious fool

Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule

She rode with round the terrace—all and each

Would draw from her alike the approving speech,

Or blush, at least. 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. Who’d stoop to blame

This sort of trifling? Even had you skill

In speech—which I have not—to make your will

Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this

Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,

Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let

Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set

Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse—

E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose

Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,

Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without

Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;

Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands

As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet

The company below, then. I repeat,

The Count your master’s known munificence

Is ample warrant that no just pretense

Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;

Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed

At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go

Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,

Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,

Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

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• Fra Pandolf - painter who did the portrait
• Countenance - a person's facial profile
• Durst - archaic word for dare
• Mantle - a loose sleeveless shawl worn by women
• Officious - pedantic and pays unnecessary attention to detail especially to the most small details
• Munificence - generosity

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- Written in 1842 by Robert Browning (during Romantic era for poetry)

- Romantic → criticising the aristocracy, increasing morality?

- The poem is set in the Renaissance era, and centres around Alfonso II d’Este (Fifth Duke of Ferrara) who in giving a tour of his artworks to an emissary (with prospects of a arranging another  marriage) draws the curtain on a portrait of his late wife (Cosimo I d’Medici's daughter Lucrezia di Cosimo de' Medici)

- Renaissance Period

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1. "That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall" - Symbolism
2. "The curtain I have drawn for you" -Symbolism
3. "Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,

Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!" - Metaphor/Symbolism
4. "Looking as if she were alive" - Simile
5. "This grew; I gave commands;

Then all smiles stopped together." - Euphemism
6. "Will’t please you rise?" - Rhetorical Question
7. "She looked on, and her looks went everywhere." - Hyperbowl

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Symbols:
- The painting of the duchess, being a valuable item showcased by the wealthy to establish status + cultural appreciation / education, objectifies the duchess → this alludes to the societal beliefs of that era, where women were looked upon as mere possessions of men.

- The curtain, being drawn by the Duke,  represents how her fate (death) was ultimately determined by the Duke. By acting to conceal the Duchess’ beauty from onlookers - even after death - the curtain represents the Duke’s possessiveness of her, alluding to his jealous nature. This further reveals the societal attitudes of the time, where loyalty, subservience and innocence were attributes valued in women.

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This  section utilises the poetic devise of symbolism. The duke turns the audiences attention towards the statue of Neptune; known as the Roman god of the seas. This bronze statue and the portrait is meant to symbolise the abstract dominance, strength and power he has over his wife. It is understood that this is how the duke perceives himself. One who tames and subdues everything around him. This is supported when its said  " Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity". The sea-horse in this sense signifies  his wife, whom he has complete and utter control, of as he has essentially 'tamed' her.  'Rarity' in this case is referring to the seahorse being a delicate and rare creature in the sea (which Neptune owns); which he wants to protect and preserve her beauty through the form of art.

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5. Euphemism
The mild indirect expression for the Duke’s murder of his wife - alludes to the fact that everyone knows he killed his wife but no one is saying anything - the societal norms of the time which permit/accept the Duke’s murder if his wife.

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4. Simile
The use of this simile suggests that the duchesses death still haunts the duke implying that he might have been involved.

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6. The offhanded nature with which this rhetorical question is delivered, not only demonstrates the societal acceptance of the Duke's actions, but more so hints at his underlying mental instability. The overtly jealous Duke has seemingly murdered his wife in his madness, in the fool notion that he has secured her for himself alone.

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Hyperbole:
- exaggerates the dukes claim that the late duchess flirted with everyone and everything in sight. by simply smiling and being polite, the duchess was seen as behaving inappropriately
- to the reader this brings to light the power and control the duke held over her, almost implying his temper was short and he was easily angered
- this eludes to the idea he was the reason for her death as progressively throughout the poem he claims her behaviour became worse