Worksheets"My Last Duchess" Annotation
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
What form is “My Last Duchess” written in?
Sonnet
Free verse
Dramatic monologue
Ode
Who is the speaker in the poem?
Fra Pandolf
The Duchess
The Count
The Duke of Ferrara
What does the Duke reveal about the Duchess’s portrait?
It is a copy of an older painting
Only he is allowed to draw the curtain to reveal it
The Duchess painted it herself
It is hidden behind a locked door
What does the Duke suggest was the Duchess’s flaw?
She was unfaithful
She was vain about her beauty
She valued everyone and everything equally
She refused to speak
What literary device is most strongly used in “Her looks went everywhere”?
Simile
Hyperbole
Euphemism
Metaphor
Why does the Duke mention Fra Pandolf’s name deliberately?
To highlight the cost of the painting
To impress the Count’s envoy with the painter’s reputation
To hint at impropriety between the Duchess and the painter
To downplay the Duchess’s reaction
What does the Duke imply by “I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together”?
He imprisoned the Duchess
He sent her away to a convent
He had her silenced or killed
He painted over the smile
Which of the following best describes the Duke’s tone throughout the poem?
Joyful and proud
Calm but controlling
Sad and regretful
Nervous and uncertain
The Duke's attitude toward the Duchess’s gratitude suggests he:
Appreciated her humility
Thought her emotions were excessive
Believed she disrespected his noble heritage
Understood her innocence
What is ironic about the Duke’s criticism of the Duchess?
He pretends to be humble but boasts about his name
He claims to dislike art but shows off her portrait
He accuses her of vanity while admiring her appearance
He condemns her kindness, revealing his own cruelty
The Duke mentions “Neptune… taming a sea-horse” at the end of the poem. What does this symbolize?
His interest in art
His desire for peace
His need to dominate and control
His fear of the sea
What is the significance of the Duke saying “Who’d stoop to blame / This sort of trifling?”
He is making an excuse for the Duchess
He refuses to confront her because he thinks it is beneath him
He is asking the envoy for advice
He is unaware of how his words sound
Why does the Duke emphasize his “nine-hundred-years-old name”?
To show he is well educated
To justify his jealousy
To highlight his social superiority
To mock the Duchess
What poetic meter is used throughout the poem?
Trochaic tetrameter
Dactylic hexameter
Iambic pentameter
Anapestic trimeter
Which of the following is a key theme in the poem?
Romantic love
Artistic inspiration
Power and control
Faith and destiny
What does the Duke suggest about the Duchess’s reaction to simple pleasures?
She was too shy to express herself
She was too easily pleased
She hated nature and beauty
She only liked gifts from him
What effect does Browning create by using enjambment in the poem?
It emphasizes the Duke’s control
It creates a sense of rushed urgency and uninterrupted thought
It gives equal weight to every word
It adds rhyme to the lines
Why does the Duke likely bring up the portrait to the envoy?
To brag about his wealth
To explain his character and expectations
To delay the meeting
To confess his guilt
What does the phrase “as if alive” suggest about the Duke’s perception of the painting?
He cannot tell it’s not real
He believes it has spiritual power
He prefers the painting’s silence and stillness
He wants the Duchess back
Which best summarizes the Duke’s view of marriage?
A loving partnership
An arrangement to be negotiated
A spiritual bond
A tool for social advancement
