Understanding the poem 'My Last Duchess'
I can explain the events of 'My Last Duchess' and the relevant contextual ideas that surround it.
Understanding the poem 'My Last Duchess'
I can explain the events of 'My Last Duchess' and the relevant contextual ideas that surround it.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The poem depicts a Duke showing an envoy a painting of his late wife.
- The poem was written during the Victorian period, marked for its strict morality and patriarchal society.
- Browning uses the poem as an attack on the biased, overbearing views of Victorian society and archaic hierarchy.
- Browning sets the poem in the Italian Renaissance, perhaps to disguise his social criticism of Victorian society.
Keywords
Critique - a piece of work that indicates the faults of something in a disapproving way
Hubris - excessive pride or self-confidence
Possessive - someone that is possessive wants to have all of their partner’s love and attention
Stoop - to lower one’s moral standards and dignity
Munificence - the quality of being extremely generous
Common misconception
Browning was writing about his own wife's domineering father.
Biographical moments in the poet's own life are not always relevant to the poem.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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