Transcript Robert Browning

Robert Browning
My Last Duchess
Outline of Module
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Porphyria’s Lover
The Laboratory
My Last Duchess
Fra Lippo Lippi
The Patriot
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
• Some key themes:
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Morality
Presentation and construction of character
Art and beauty
Presentation of women
Religion
Evil and violence
Medieval and Renaissance settings
Robert Browning: The Context
There were several key influences and
motifs in Browning’s poetry. Read the
contextual information.
- Think about how it may be related to his poetry.
- Think about key themes/ symbols/ motifs/ narrative
modes to look out for.
10 minutes
My Last Duchess
Predictions:
Here are some
key images.
What could the
poem be about?
3 minutes
My Last Duchess
• In this poem, Browning depicts the opinions of the Duke of Ferrara,
a Renaissance noblemean, on his dead wife.
• The Duke is speaking to silent listener (who is the emissary, father
of his new wife to be) explaining the painting of his late wife.
• It is implied that the Duke murdered his wife for her flirtatious and
outgoing nature.
• The Duke is depicted as jealous, controlling and aggressive.
Video
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Z3B6
SRdZo&feature=related
Form: The Dramatic Monologue
a poem or prose piece in which a character addresses an audience.
Conventions of the Dramatic Monologue
Extension: What are the advantages of having the
narrative form of a dramatic monologue? What can it
reveal?
Form: The Dramatic Monologue
Must have a speaker
and implied
listener/auditor
Auditor’s presence is
only known through
clues in the speaker’s
discourse
Monologue is made up
of a single speech
Conventions of the Dramatic Monologue
Purpose is to reveal
character in a way that
interests and intrigues the
reader
Deals with a specific
and critical moment
Speaker sometimes adopts a
case-making argumentative
tone
Extension: What are the advantages of having the
narrative form of a dramatic monologue? What can it
reveal?
What are the advantages?
• Insight into the psychology of the speaker
• It can shape attitude and sympathies of the reader as we only
receive one point of view
• Reader can sometime interpret gap between what is said and what
is actually revealed by the speaker
• Insight into ideologies and morality of speaker
• Author (Browning) is able to distance himself from key issues by
using a character to deal with themes of violence, morality, sex and
power. The author can explore controversial themes and invite the
reader to consider them
Group Work
1)
2)
3)
4)
Lines 1 – 15 –
Lines 16 – 29 –
Lines 30 – 43 –
Lines 44 – end –
Step 1: Read through the poem again as a group – make sure you know what
is literally happening.
Step 2: Read your specific lines carefully. What are the key moments/ themes/
events /ideas/techniques etc?
Step 3: Use your questions to annotate and discuss
You have 20 minutes to prepare
-Everyone must have an annotated poem
-Each person should take one point to
explain to the class
-Answer each of the questions through
discussion and annotation
Presentation
My Last Duchess (1842)
Ferrara
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
5
10
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
20
25
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,
30
35
40
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 pretence
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!
45
50
55
How is the speaker presented?
Positive
Negative
The Duke
5 minutes!
Think of as many adjectives as possible. Both positive and negative.
Essay Question
‘The disturbing behaviour of the Duke of Ferrara
makes it impossible for readers to sympathise
with him’
How far do you agree with this view?
Let’s Read the Model
Do you agree or disagree?
Agree:
- Psychopathic behaviour
of speaker
- Appalling treatment of
women
- Duke’s Arrogance
Disagree:
-Reader may fall under narrator’s
spell
- monologue form and how this can
shape attitude and reader response
-Victorian reader’s may have
supported the action of the Duke in
a patriarchal world
- Narrator is controlling narrative
and is biased; can he inspire
sympathy?
Other:
-Unpick the words ‘impossible’, ‘sympathise’ and ‘disturbing’ – challenge them
-Browning not giving away what he thinks
Homelearning
• To read the context information on
Browning
• To complete the essay on ‘My Last
Duchess’