40 pages • 1 hour read
Robert BrowningMy Last Duchess
Robert BrowningFiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1842A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
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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