Part-A
Q.1. In what year the poem was written and where the poem occurs?
Ans. The poem was written in 1842 and published in Bells and Pomegranats III under dramatic lyrics with the title 'Italy'. It was later included in Dramatic Romances in 1868.
Q.2. What type of poem is My Last Duchess?
Ans. My last Duchess is a dramatic monologue.
Q.3. Where is Ferrara ? Why was it important?
Ans. Ferrara is a fortified city of Lower Lombardy. It was for long the seat of one of the most cultured Italian Courts of the Renaissance.
Q.4. Can you identify the Duke in the poem?
Ans. The Duke in the poem might be Alfanso II, the fifth Duke of Ferrara. He had three wives and was thought to have poisoned the first.
Q.5. "My Last Duchess." Who says this? What does it imply?
Ans. The Duke says this to the envy of a foreign court. He shows to him the painting of the last duchess.
Q.6. 'Fra Pandolf by design. "Who is Fra Pandolf?
Ans. He is an imaginary character. Fra means Friar, monk. By making the painter a friar Browning, probably wanted to emphasise that there was no causes for jealousy.
Q.7. How does the Duke describe the painting of the last duchess?
Ans. The painter captures the depth and ardent look of the duchess. No stronger could read how they came to the painted face.
Q.8. Does the Duke in describing the character of the duchess describes himself?
Ans. The Duke describes his narrowness, jealousy and possessiveness. He did not like his wife's gracious behaviour to others.
Q.9. What is meant by 'officious'?
Ans. 'Officious' means importunate in offering service. 'Officious fool means a servant who brings gifts unsought.
Q.10. Why did not the Duke scold his wife for his dislike of her favours to all?
Ans. The Duke was proud and considered rebuking the wife for this trifling beneath his dignity.
Q.11. "Or that in the disgusts me, here you miss or there exceed the mark". What does the speaker mean here?
Ans. The Duke is the speaker. He is proud of his position and ancestry. He could not stoop like other common husbands to find fault with her wife.
Q.12. "This grew". Who is the speaker? To what does it refer?
Ans. The Duke is the speaker. The speaker means that the joyous nature of the duchess continued.
Q.13. "There she stands alive." Who is the speaker? About what is it said?
Ans. The Duke is the speaker. The Duke dismisses the memory of his wife and turns to the living painting of his wife.
Q.14. What is meant by 'known munificance'?
Ans. Munificance means generosity, bounty. The count where ambassador comes to negotiate a marriage with the widowed duke is well-known for his bounty.
Q.15. Pretence of mine for dowry.What is meant here? What aspect of the character of the speaker is revealed here?
Ans. Pretence of mine for dowry means my claim for marriage-gifts. This reveals the greed of the speaker.
Q.16. "Nay, we'll go together down." Who says this? Does it reveal any aspect of the character of the speaker ?
Ans. The Duke asks the visitor who is an ambassador of a count to go down together below. The Duke here renounces his position as the Duke and agrees to go down with one who is much below his rank.
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