Starter What do you think of when you

encounter the word below?

T
MY LAS DUCHESS
Epic thinking – Make a prediction about what
the poem will be about
My Last Duchess

Lesson Aims:
• To use evidence from
the text to determine
what happened to the
Duchess and why
The poet: Robert Browning
My stress lay on the incidents
in the development of a soul:
little else is worth study."
Robert Browning was an
English poet and playwright
writing in the Victorian period.
He was particularly renowned
for his dramatic monologue
poems.
As a chronicler of "the
incidents in the development
of a soul," Robert Browning
often allowed a speaker's own
words to reveal, and condemn,
his or her own behavior.
The form: Dramatic monologue
A dramatic monologue means the poem is written
in the voice of a single character. In this case, it is in
the voice of the Duke. There is also an implied
auditor (listener). The reader often perceives a gap
between what that speaker says and what he or she
actually reveals. Browning’s dramatic monologues
have three requirements:

The reader takes the part of the silent listener.

The speaker uses a case-making, argumentative

tone.
e
What can w
fo r e e xp e c t We complete the dramatic scene from within, by
there
om t he po em ? means of inference and imagination.
fr
Reading the poem

We are going to read the poem together as a

class and become the silent listener. We need to
use the text to guide our actions accordingly and
to make inferences throughout to get a deeper
reading of the text.

The first thing we need to do is stand up!

The context
Whilst there are very few
biographical details in the poem the
word ‘Ferrara’ underneath the title is
enough to let the reader know what
event is being referred to in the
poem.

Duke Alfonso II of Ferrara was

suspected of killing his wife in 1561.
Lucrezia de Medici was 14 when she Epic thinking – Does
married the duke and 17 when she this knowledge shape
died in suspicious circumstances. The your interpretation of
Duke later went on to court and the poem?
marry the niece of the count of Tyrol.
What happened to the Duchess and why?

In your groups, you have

ten minutes to prepare
your case to explain your
answer to this question.
You need to use quotes
from the poem to support
your interpretation.

Epic thinking – Are there multiple interpretations? Can you

identify them and prove them with textual references?
 Acting challenge
ess “I call
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number
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“
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ed wha “Sir, ‘twas not / Her
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three
everyw
ks wdifferent
en t interpretations
ca lle d th a t sp
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re.” of thethDuke’se Duchess’ cheek” “…T
“ – as his gre
character. Take it in turns to if she g av e co w; I
/ gift of r a n ke d m mands
present o p to b la m e a / M Th e ;/
“Who’d stoyour work to the y ears-orest niof
n e- h undred y n all sm
iles
so r t o f tr if lin g ? ” ld n - stoppe
This class.
the a ny bo am e / d toge
ther.”
dy’s gi W ith
ft.”
“ … an “Oh si “There
dI r, s t w h o she
choose n o he smi “ … b u sta
/ d led ut / nds / A
to stoo Never I p oubt, / When , passe d w it h o
alive.” s if
p .” assed h e’er e sa m e
er;” M u c h t h
smile?”
Plenary

Lesson Aims:
• To use evidence from
the text to determine
what happened to the
Duchess and why