Review the Dramatic Monologue Form
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Pro Tip: It's Like a Little Play
A dramatic monologue sounds pretty much like what it is. It's a monologue, meaning that it's a long speech spoken by one person to an audience who says nothing directly quoted in the poem. It's also dramatic, meaning that the speech occurs during a point of change or tension for the speaker. Something has happened to make them speak here at length, and part of the pleasure of reading a dramatic monologue is figuring out that situation as we learn more about the speaker.
Like in a play, a monologue's function is often to reveal character. As we hear a speaker speak, we learn the inner workings of their mind, the choices they made that brought them to that point, and the possible future ending of their lives as they live it. Robert Browning is widely considered to be the greatest writer of dramatic monologues in English poetry. This poem, "My Last Duchess," is one of his greatest. |
Prereading Questions
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Read and Annotate the Poem
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My Last Duchess
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 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 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, 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 pretense 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! |
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Look at the Details
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Questions About Detail
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Find the Message
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Look at the End
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Student Assessment: Write a Multiple-Choice Section for This Poem
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Write Your Own!
Using the directions on this page, students will get in a group of about 5 or so to write a multiple-choice section using the MC question stems and the Auden poem. As a reminder, here are some of the most common stems. Students should come up with at least 5 different questions covering all parts of the poem and using 5 different stems. They should generate at least two distracters and one correct answer for a total of three answer choices per question. Multiple-Choice Stems In order to write an effective multiple-choice passage, you will need to use multiple-choice "stems." Those are the basic questions most AP passages include as part of their question set. Stems (Certain words are underlined for emphasis)
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