Dramatic Monologue--Glenn Everett argues that Browning's dramatic monologues contain three "requirements" (from his essay, available on Victorian Web):
1.The reader shares the part of the "listener" or audience.
2.The speaker uses a case-making, argumentative tone.
3."We complete the dramatic scene from within, by means of inference and imagination." Everett argues that as the listener, we participate in the drama by imagining that we are present, and by inferring what the speaker really did. Rarely, however, do we have conclusive proof.
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Today's objectives (what you will do today):
First: Read the Study Guide for "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning (stop after you read the section labeled Ambiguity and Irony)
Next: Answer the following questions as comments on this post (a good suggestion would be to type your comments in Word so you can spell/grammar check and then cut and paste. Use only your initials and class period to identify yourself).
Questions:
1.The Duke spends most of his energy talking about the late Duchess and her image. What effect does the painting have (or not have) on him as he views it?
2. Looking at the definition of Browning's dramatic monologues above, explain why "My Last Duchess" qualifies as such (meaning, does it fit this criteria? why?).
**Be sure to use specific examples from the poem in your answers. You should have the poem in hand and there is also an online link to the left if you prefer.
Sabrene Salem April 13, 2011 Period 1 English 4
ReplyDeleteMy Last Duchess
1. I think that the painting has no effect on The Duke. He acts as if it didn’t matter that he killed his wife.
Ex: In the poem it states “Though his fair daughter’s ……Nay we’ll go together down sir.” He spoke as if it didn’t matter that his wife was dead. He had already moved on with his life and he’s trying to find a new Duchess.
2. In the poem “My Last Duchess” I as the listener have to conclude what has happened in the poem sort of like reading between the lines. The poem doesn’t come right out and say that he killed his wife for flirting with other men. We as the readers have to imagine we are there at that present time and interrupt what the reader says. Every person has a different interpretation.
Ex: “Oh sir, she smiled…I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together.” He spoke as if he was in charge of what she did. She smiled when she was alive, then he killed her. Now she wasn’t able to smile again.
1. As the duke views the painting he thought of her as someone that he was happy with and as he thought on he became mad and jealous all over again because the things she caused he remembered why he got her killed anyway.
ReplyDelete2. as we read the poem the author made us wonder what had happened to the duchess and why he done it the way he carries us to believe why she was this way ex. ("the she stands/as if alive") when she really not
M.R. 1ST PERIOD
SC period 1
ReplyDelete1. When the Duke sees Portrait of his Deceased Wife he Probably gets Mixed Emotions. Proof of this is the line "She had a heart how shall i say to soon made glad" Implying that he is sad that she is gone.He states how she wasn't so faithful to him when he says ' she thanked men good but thanked somehow i know not how as if she ranked my gift of a nine hundred year old name with anybody's gift probably implying a angry emotion
2. When You Read the Poem you read as a stranger to the duke proof is the line "Fra Pandolf by design for never read Strangers like you that Pictured Countenance.
1. He remembers what she did and why he killed her and it makes him angry. But he thinks his wife should be more dignified - and not so easily "impressed"
ReplyDelete2. It qualifies because "My Last Duchess" the reader the place of the listener, the speaker(Duke) also uses the tone as he's talking to the audience and sets the mood of the story.
-D.K. Per 1
D.D. Period 1
ReplyDelete1.)When he talks about it,it sounds like her likes to talk about the painting, like he'd rather have the painting than the actual women anyway.It's like he has no resentment at all.It might be a proud effect on him seeing as he so gladly admits to disposing of his flirtatious wife.
2.)Yes it all qualifies,to me. When you read your reading as the Duke,or the new Dutchess' father who is there to see if this guy(the Duke)is good enough. And the narrator (the Duke) is speaking to the other Duke. So immediately you become the listener.The speaker does also use a argumentative tone,yet in a persuasive seeming way to get the listener to believe him,as if he were starting off in the wrong.For example "and I choose never to stoop.oh sir,she smiled,no doubt when'er I passed her;but who passed without much the same smile?" is seemingly evil and argumentative, almost a snarling at the listener.
while I read,I pictured in my head how the dram unfolded into what became of the women that the Duke explained.The painting it's self was enough imagery for the whole poem to me,and that's barely evidence at all
VD Period 1
ReplyDelete1. The effect the painting has on him is that when he looks at it, it reminds him of his wife that he killed. When he looks at the painting, he also gets reminded of the jealousy that he had of her. When he said "She had a heart--too soon made glad, too easily impressed; she liked whate'er she looked on, and her looks went everywhere" the Duke was implying that she wasn't faithful to him, bringing up those angry emotions. The Duke also says "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". Showing his jealousy toward the men.
2. While you are reading, you are reading it as the Douches father so you are getting the full experience of the personality of the Duke. You are put in the Douches situation. During the duration of the poem, you can feel the anger and frustration toward the Douches as he describes the painting.
KF Period 1
ReplyDelete1) The painting reminds him of his old wife, and it effects him emotionally because he killed her. "Who'd stoop to blame this sort of trifling?." Hes calling her a whore because she looks at other people, he gets jealous and kills her.
2) Yes it all qualifies, as you read this your reading from the Duchess father perceptive so your getting the personality, and feelings of the Duke. "Too easily impressed; she liked what e'er she looked on, and her looks went everywhere." Hes crazy because he thinks she likes every guy she looks at, hes calling her a whore.
1. I think the painting as an affect on him because its like he killed his wife but he still stand there and start to reminisce about her.
ReplyDelete2. It fits the criteria because he was in love with her because he kills her then sleeps with her dead substitute, which was the painting, the work of art b.g pd.2
1.the painting effects him showing dat he owns da realtionship no matter wat and that he still is crazy
ReplyDelete2.it makes the reader act like he/her is in the story it self
period 2 T.D
da da da DON
1) the portrait, by a master painter, is of far more value to the duke, and he is pleased to show this off to his distinguished visitor.so i think that he like possessing thing with value
ReplyDelete2)when you read this you feel like you in the servant views because he seem disgusted as the duke tells him about the portrait A.R
prd.2
1.The painting begins to make him mad while he reminisces about her past life as he mentions that she is "too easily impressed"
ReplyDelete2.Yes it qualifies because as we read from the duke's point of view we can listen as the count's envoy and see that the duke is jealous when he claims she ranked his "gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name with anybody's gift"
Dacia Kimble
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
1) The painting has some what of a negative effect on him. He felt that while she was alive all she did was smile at men so to avoid him from constantly getting angry or watching other man walk by and smile he just covered her image with a curtain. Throughout the poem Duke implies that she was a constant flirt which caused him to give demands and become controlling. He felt bad because he wanted to be the only one to make his wife happy but yet EVERYTHING about her life made her smile. Until one day it all ended. He KILLED her!
2)
1) The picture seems not to bother him much. It's like he'd rather have the picture of her rather than actually having her around. In the study guide it says he mentions a statue made of bronze in the same breath when he talks about her. KH Per.2
ReplyDelete1.The painting begins to make him mad while he reminisces about her past life as he mentions that she is "too easily impressed"
ReplyDelete2.Yes it qualifies because as we read from the duke's point of view we can listen as the count's envoy and see that the duke is jealous when he claims she ranked his "gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name with anybody's gift"
LD period2
1.The painting effects him showing that he still owns the relationship no matter what and that he still is crazy about her actions.
ReplyDelete2.it makes the reader act like he/her is in the story itself and makes the reader feel like they are standing right there next to the duke
period 2 T.D
da da da DON
1. I think the painting do have an effect on the duke because he killed his wife and he have to look at the picture everyday on his wall and he reminds him on how jealous he was when she was alive.
ReplyDelete2. it qualifies to "My Last Duchess" because the author made me wonder where is jealousy was going to lead to killing for example when he said "This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. There she stand as if alive" I didn't no that mean he killed her until it all came to me about how jealous he was of her.
1. He cannot love without possessing and destroying the identity of his wife meaning that the duke now have her to himself after he killed her. Now that he haves her its all his and he could only see her for himself.
ReplyDelete2. The Last Duchess qualifies as dramatic monologues because in the poem the character in the poem speaks to the reader. Basically we is the reader and we are listening to the duke and deciding what actually happened to her.
Period 2 J.M.M
M.S
ReplyDeleteper.2
1.I Think he feels bad for killing her.Now he misses her very much and the picture is making him feel guilty.Even though he didn't make her happy and he knew that because he could never make her smile and other man could.
2.YES it fits the criteria because he killed her. Now he is trying to substitute not having her by dealing with this picture to comfort him.
Jp period 1
ReplyDelete1)I think the effect it have is when duke look at the painting it reminds him of his wife he had killed.it gives him memories of why he had killed her and the jeolously there was.
2)yes i think it qualifies to me because when you read the story you can but yourself in the situation and understand were he coming from he thought she was a flirt basically
Iesha Jefferson
ReplyDelete1)The painting has a huge effect on his life he continues to remember Dutches as a horrible wife that mad him very angry at times because he just didn't make her smile but everybody that come pass her made her smile as he said in the poem "she smiled, mo doubt whenever i passed her; who passed without much the same smile.The painting also make him emotional and crazy.
2)Yes its fits the criteria because he speaks to the audience and explain indirectly how he killed his wife by saying he stop all her smiles.
Endia A. Baxtron
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
1.I think the painting has no effect on him and that's the scary part. It makes him seem weird that he can kill someone and talk about it with no remorse.
2.As the listener I can conclude that the has killed his wife even though he doesn't actually say it. I wouldn't say that he says it in a argumentative tone.. more like a nonchalant manner almost as if she deserved it.
AA Period 2
ReplyDelete1)The effect the painting haves on the Duke is when he looks at it he goes in this deep dark trends remembering all the stuff she did and how he kills hers then he clicks back to normal.
2)It qualifies because the listeners is me and the convoy because he telling the story of his wife and he says "Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together." basically telling me that hes crazy for admitting that.
1) the picture do not really an effect on him because he really dont feel bad about killing his last wife & he kind of gets mad as he talks about her
ReplyDelete2)he really dont give a argeumenatitve so i dont think he using dramatic monologue but he does used the other part of dramatic monologue
kh period2
My Last Duchess
ReplyDelete1. He cant love without possiesing and destroying the identity of his wife. Meaning that the Duke loves the Duchess after when he kills her because he now has her all to himself as a portait
2. My Last Duchess qualifies as a dramatic monlog because a single character speaks to the reader.
(JAD P#2)
1)The painting brings the duke all the bad memories of her suspected fooling around and flirting. When he looks at the smiling painting he thinks of all the other things that made her smile and happy that did not include him.. Even after her death he is still jealous hearted and agry towards his wife. well ex Wife
ReplyDelete2)Yes this poem qualifies.. When u read the poem you can feel aggravation and anger that the speaker has towards his wife. Before exposing himself as a murderer, he explains why he is basically justified, knowing the reader and the audience would question his actions. He set up his 'argument' ahead of time. When he explains all the things that made her happy,excluding him, he gives the audience an image of her smiling and flirting with other men. The dramatic ending, when he states that 'all smiles stopped together', he shows the reader that in the end, HE was the one to stop her 'trifling' ways after all.
AH p2
1.the duke sees a spot of joy on her cheek and he instantly gets mad and think his wife should be more dignified and not so easily impressed
ReplyDelete2.it does fit the criteria because he from his point of view she does not listen and he says in ann argumentive tone that "he stopped all smiles" saying indirectly that he killed her.
rw 6/7
1. He remembers how she was so easily impressed and why he killed her because how mad it got him.
ReplyDelete2. It qualifies because "My Last Duchess" the reader the place of the listener, the speaker(Duke) also uses the tone as he's talking to the audience and sets the mood of the story.
kb
1.As the Duke uses majority of his energy talking about his late wife his attitude changes a few times. At first it seems the portrait has no effect on him until he becomes somewhat angry when he speaks of the blush on her cheek and how she was easily pleased by everyone.
ReplyDelete2 “My Last Duchess” qualifies as a dramatic monologue because the poem uses imagery to tell us what the deceased wife looked like and the statue which represented The Duke and his wife.
j.c 6/7
1.) I believe he is feeling a slight satisfaction at the sighting of the painting, for in his tone you can tell he is not sorrowing at the death of his wife. So, he will be satisfied because that smile, that was not only his, can finally be his for just himself,and to the people he shows the painting to. But I also believes as he speaks of it it seems to upset him, as he reminisces of how he put in too much effort and she could just be so gradual and show that same smile that she gives to her husband, to everyone.
ReplyDelete2.) The writer, Robert Downing, can make it seem as if he is one listening due to the fact he is talking to the Envoy, so it makes it feel as if I, the reader is the Envoy, listening to him speak of his past wife,and painting in such detail. He gives reasons on why he was upset with her, that justify why he was so controlling.Also, Robert Downing puts you in such a setting where you feel like he is right there directly speaking to you. It painted a picture in my head, from the joy on her cheeks, to his anger as he speaks it, to her riding on the white mule. So yes, i believe this fits very well as a Dramatic Monologue.
-Roman Kelley
brazil p6/7
ReplyDelete1) he didnt like the painting because it brought back memories or why he killed her which was that she was smiling and he commanded her not to cause he was jealous. i think he wouldnt have a problem if the painting of her wasnt smiling.
2) yes it fits the criteria because its direct, and speaks to the reader. although he didnt say he killed her he made it clear when he said he stopped all smiles...
1. The Duke was angry at the picture because she had a smirk and he felt that she should have been more dignified than so easily impressed.
ReplyDelete2. yes i does fit the critera because he started off ok but things started getting worse he was getting more angry and just admited he killed her
JM Period 9
ReplyDelete1.I don’t think he particularly cares that she is dead or that he killed her. He is just happy that she is no longer looking at other men and now she truly belongs to him and no one else can have her or look at her because she is no longer around and all that is left is her picture. This is shown when it says in the poem “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.”
2.The reader shares the part of the listener by being the one this information is conveyed to. The speaker uses an argumentative tone by trying to justify why he killed her and why he didn’t like the way she smiled at other men. We as the readers use imagery to imagine to scene and as it is stated in the definition of dramatic monologue we interfere with what the speaker really did.
D.D Per.9
ReplyDelete1. When he shows the painting to the envoy I think it strikes up his jealousy for another man looking at his duchess. He doesn’t care that she is dead as long as no other man has the joy of looking at her or making her happy. Honestly I think he is wacked.
2. I think it fits dramatic monologue because when I read it I feel as if he is talking to me and telling me about her. I feel as if he is trying to make it seem like he was right for killing her because he says “too easily impresses’ she liked whate’er she looked on and her looks went everywhere.” He is saying that she was happy with anything. He didn’t like that because he wanted her all to himself therefore fitting the definition of dramatic monologue.
1. I think that the painting has no effect on The Duke. He acts as if it didn’t matter that he killed his wife.He doesn’t care that his wife was dead because he had moved on with his life and he’s trying to find a new Duchess.
ReplyDelete2. The poem doesn’t come right out and say that he killed his wife for flirting with other men. We as the readers have to imagine we are there at that present time and interrupt what the reader says. Every person has a different interpretation.He spoke as if he was in charge of what she did.
WC period 9
1. - Duke spends most of his energy talking about the Duchess and her image; it has a huge effect on him as he views it because as he gets into detail about the duchess, he comes off very jealous and selfish. For example, he had a cover over the painting because he didn’t want anyone looking at her (even though she’s diseased). Another example is that he explained how he faulted her for certain things she did or how she reacted the same to him as she did to everyone else.
ReplyDelete2. - “My Last Duchess” qualifies to the definition of Brownian’s Monologue because; the Duke completed a “dramatic scene from within” and used inference and imagination. For example, as the Duke got into detail about the Duchess, he kind of went off into La-la land and spoke on various events about him and her.
- A.P
- Period 9.
1. The duke sees someone who is not as dignified as they should be, the “spot of joy” in her face he sees as her not being as dignified as he thinks she should be. He sees her in the painting like she is alive even though she isnt alive. he also felt kind of guilty when he looked at the painting, he was feeling guilty for killing her.
ReplyDelete2. In the poem, "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning, I, as the listener think that in this poem you have to read between the lines and make inferrences about what happened in the poem because the speaker, (Duke) does not come right out and say that he killed her for flirting with other men. CW period 9
1. The effect the paintinq has on him as he views it is he tries to imagine what the painter said that would cause this slight reaction. He doesn’t object to the artist's showing such courtesy. But he thinks his wife should be more dignified - and not so easily "impressed".
ReplyDelete2. My Last Duchess qualifies to the definition of brownings dramatic monologue because, the dukes last duchess passed and he finally showed her portrait off and he still looks at it as if she still alive even though she’s dead. Which causes a dramatic scene with him and the painter because he believes his wife should be more dignified.
c.h. period 9
Tiyantae Bush
ReplyDeletePeriod 9
1. When the duke talks abput the painting of his last duchess. The Count can tell that he is effected by her smile in the painting. We can tell that the Duke is a very jealous and controlling man. The Duke kind pf gave the idea away that he killed his last wife and was unaware of it. As he went on and on he got upset over again. So the painting must have had a very negative effect on the Duke, he didn’t even want anybody else to see the painting. The Duke is a very selfish man and was cruel for killing his wife just because she was friendly and kindhearted.
2. The peom “My Last Duchess” fit the criteria as a dramatic monologue because at first he is speaking nice about his last wife, then goes on about how she is too nice to everyone and basically he put that to a end. At first I didn’t think he killed his wife. After reading this poem again all kinds of crazy ideas popped in my head about the Duke. This poem can make a person wonder. For example, the Duke says all smiles stopped. This is dramatic because he killed his wife for being a very friendly woman.
The duke shows that he is a possesive and manipulating person in relation to his former wife, and was a controlling person. Controlling enough to kill his wife, because she did not listen to him. Angel roman
ReplyDelete1.The painting Duke displays is a picture of the last duchess. Which reminds him of how his past wife a friendly type which the duke thought she was a flirting type. At the end he realize that she is no good to him and kills her, he really did not feel bad about it,and during this time it was ruled in a mono country so there was no consequences.
ReplyDelete2.Dramatic monologues are basically like riddles, the reader is trying to find out what happen in the story. which the author does not come out and say what exactly happen.In the "My Last Duchess", the duke killed the wife,the author puts it like she smiles at every man but then one day she stop smiling which the reader is to suppose to catch that the wife got killed. this a perfect example of Dramatic monologues.
KB per.1
Rain Bethel-Cooper
ReplyDeleteRBC
Period 1
1. As the duke looks onto the painting it's like he basks into her grace elagence and beauty, But then he remembers why he killed her. He begins to have bad memories and coers her painting with the curtain. He covers the painting with the curtain so even in death him and only him would have her. So this painting is like a reminder, a relife(that she can only smile at him now), and a painful past.
2. I as the reader definately caught the tone of the poem quickly! I easily pointed out the jealousy and sniffed out that he killed her. You could tell he loved and adored her deeply, maybe a little bit too much! You could depict that he was controlling and often tried to suffocate her (metaphorically speaking) with his love.
Ex- “Oh sir, she smiled…I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together.”
Like he was her master. He gave commands and she just obeyd like she had no rights, no say-so, etc. The author demonstraits a controlling and closed relationship
N.K.
ReplyDeleteperiod 6/7
1. It has no effect on him, as if it didn’t bother him at all. He talked about it so calmly and easily. I believe he didn’t care because hes the one who said “he gave a command and all her smiles stopped together.” He wanted this to happen so now hes satisfied.
2. It qualifies to "My Last Duchess" because the author made me wonder where is jealousy was going to lead to killing for example when he said “This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. There she stand as if alive” I didn't know that meant he killed her until it all came to me about how jealous he was of her. He didn’t like her heart that was to easily impressed, so he got rid of her.
1.When duke looks at the painting of the duchess it gives him a reminder of his angry that he had for her, about her smile of gratefulness towards everything . He really didn’t appreciate the fact that she showed the same attitude towards everyone, and he basically wanted her to only do those types of things towards him.
ReplyDelete2.I honestly believe that this qualifies as a dramatic monologue cause basically it makes u feel as though u are the counts envoy taking everything in and listening to the story he tell to u about his duchess. It also gives you the feeling of conflict on how he really doesn’t like the fact of his wife having the same gratitude towards everything, and the smiling, which makes him end up killing her
Anthony S. AKA.SANDO
A.R
ReplyDeletePeriod 6/7
1. The Duke spends most of his energy talking about the late Duchess and her image. What effect does the painting have (or not have) on him as he views it?
It doesn’t really have an effect on him; it didn’t seem to bother him at all. He talked calm and easy sort of a nonchalant attitude about everything. Now he is trying to substitute not having her by dealing with this picture to comfort him. Which makes him even more upset with the fact that other man can make her smile and he couldn’t.
2. Looking at the definition of Browning's dramatic monologues above, explain why "My Last Duchess" qualifies as such (meaning, does it fit this criteria? why?).I didn't know that meant he killed her until it all came to me about how jealous he was of her. He didn’t like her heart that was to easily impressed, so he got rid of her.
1) The painting had some sort of effect on The Duke. Like a reminder that was his wife and he killed her and that was his “last duchess”
ReplyDelete2) Dramatic Monologue relates to this poem because it makes you feel like you are in the poem
M.T.S period:6/7
1.the painting gives him a reason to keep talking about his wife because he realizes that he had a really great wife and he shouldeve let her be proud of the way she was and he really shouldnt have killed her because he was jealous
ReplyDelete2.the author makes the audience think about why he killed his wife .he makes the readers think if she did anything to push him into killing her other than her not stopping her smiling towards other people mainly guys.the author really makes people think about what happened
km period 9.
TOrbert
ReplyDelete1 to me it seems like the duke regrets what he did to his wif and he realizes his ways of treating her was bad.
2 the author makes the audience think, thatlife is to short to gripe about the little things in life, especially if sum one just gives another person friendly looks and smiles, it never affected the way she treated the duke for him to kill her over his jealousy
1). When the Duke starts talking about the painting he begins to get mad as he starts to remember the things the late duchess use to do. He starts to recap on how she use to smile at people the same way she use to smile at him so he explains how he got jealous and kills hers so he can have her for himself .
ReplyDelete2). Yes this fit the criteria because as readers we can picture and imagine the things he do and as he
-Raven Mozee
1. I think the duke regretted killing his dutchess just because he was jealous of how the other men looked at her. The portrait, by a master painter, is of far more value to the duke, and he wasn’t pleased to show this off the portrait so he put a curtain in front of it.
ReplyDelete2. Yes it qualifies that we get to hear it from the dukes point of view but as the audience we got to read in between the line he didn’t come straight out and say that he killed her
a. “Oh sir, she smiled…I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together.” He spoke as if he was in charge of what she did. She smiled when she was alive, then he killed her. Now she wasn’t able to smile again.
DB PERIOD ONE
1.the painting has a huge effect on his emotions, because it is so great of value.
ReplyDelete2. yes it fits because the author definitely paints a picture in the readers heads as to what is going on in the story.
Ashlea Carson
per. 9