Identify Key Themes in 'My Last Duchess'

Want to revise some key themes in 'My Last Duchess'?

You've come to the right place!

To quickly recap: The poem is a dramatic monologue, set in the Renaissance period, in which a wealthy man of high nobility- the Duke of Ferrara-shows a marriage broker a painting of his late wife- his 'last Duchess'. The Duke defames his ex-wife, portraying her as someone who is easily impressed and seems to smile too much! Long story short, the Duke is awful, controlling and domineering- it's quite clear that, as the poem unveils, the Duke is revealed to have killed his wife.

Throughout the entire poem, the Duke emphasises how powerful he is. However, to a reader, his delusion and thirst for authority becomes more and more apparent.

The activity set-up will be quite straightforward. You'll get a quote- just identify the theme that you think is being presented.

It'll help if you write down whatever new or important information you learn along the way!

You should always refer to your own text when working through these examples. These quotations are for reference only.