Robert Browning

Robert Browning
1812-1889
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This lesson contains 52 slides, with interactive quizzes, text slides and 3 videos.

time-iconLesson duration is: 320 min

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Robert Browning
1812-1889

Slide 1 - Slide

Today's goal
Get to know Robert Browning
Understand his poem "My Last Duchess"
Know the background of this poem. 
Improve note making + listening skills. 

Slide 2 - Slide

Robert Browning
  • wealthy and well-read parents
  • taught himself Greek, French and Latin
  • began writing poetry at a young age
  • he was inspired by Shelley's poetry
  • married Elizabeth Barrett, also a poet 
  • her poetry was then far more popular than Robert's, but a few decades later completely forgotten. 
  • Christian but not into preaching morals and ethics. 
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and son Robert Wiedemann Barrett Browning, 1860

Slide 3 - Slide

Characteristics of Browning's poetry: 
  1. pleasure in observing people
  2. optimism
  3. human progress
  4. individualims
  5. rarely shows the poet's emotions
  6. Italian Renaissance 

Slide 4 - Slide

Slide 5 - Slide

My Last Duchess is based on a true story!

Slide 6 - Slide

Slide 7 - Video

bough
countenance
durst
forsooth
dowry
avowed
courtesy
Neptune
munificence
money paid to a man by his wife's family. 
indeed
branch
dare
said
face
politeness
Roman god of the sea
generosity

Slide 8 - Drag question

5

Slide 9 - Video

As used in lines 43-44, what does the word “stoop” mean?
A
to lower oneself
B
to instruct someone
C
to flirt with someone
D
to change one’s mind

Slide 10 - Quiz

Why does the Duke most likely point out his statue of “Neptune... Taming a sea-horse” to his visitor? (Lines 54-55)
A
to impress the Count’s servant with his ability to purchase expensive art
B
to emphasize the control he expects to exert over his second wife
C
to make himself appear sophisticated and well-educated
D
to distract from his accidental admission of wrongdoing

Slide 11 - Quiz

Which statement best summarizes the plot of the poem?
A
The Duke becomes so emotional looking at his last wife’s portrait that it is clear he is still grieving and not ready to marry again.
B
The Duke’s last wife offended his sense of self-importance with her friendliness to others, eventually resulting in her untimely death.
C
The Duke’s last wife was disloyal, so he meets with the Count’s servant in order to stress how important it is that his next wife be faithful to him.
D
The Duke’s last wife vanished under mysterious circumstances, so the Count takes extra precautions before approving the Duke’s marriage to his daughter.

Slide 12 - Quiz

03:00
What does the phrase “some officious fool” reveal about the Duke’s attitude towards his wife’s admirers? (Line 27)
A
He is amused by them.
B
He is unaware of them.
C
He is intimidated by them.
D
He is contemptuous of them.

Slide 13 - Quiz

03:14
What does the description of the last Duchess’ behavior in lines 25-31 reveal about her?
A
She was friendly and kind to everyone she met.
B
She kept a proper distance from people of lower rank.
C
She preferred other people’s company to her husband’s.
D
She purposely acted in a way that irritated her husband.

Slide 14 - Quiz

03:27
“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.”
What do these lines reveal about the way the Duchess’ behavior affected the Duke? (Lines 31-34)
A
His heart was broken because he realized that she loved another man.
B
His reputation was ruined because his court knew she was unfaithful.
C
His pride was wounded because she did not regard him as superior.
D
His love grew because he admired her kindness and generosity.

Slide 15 - Quiz

04:30
How does the enjambment between lines 47-48 affect the meaning of these lines?
A
It emphasizes the phrase “There she stands,” showing how the Duke is haunted by her memory.
B
It demonstrates the strained, jerky way the Duke speaks, showing readers how nervous he is.
C
It emphasizes the phrase “As if alive,” alerting readers to the Duchess’s death.
D
It allows the poet to maintain the rhythm and rhyme scheme of the poem.

Slide 16 - Quiz

05:00
What effect do lines 49-54 have on the mood of this poem?
A
They create a melancholy mood by reminding readers of the Duke’s lost love.
B
They create a hopeful mood by foreshadowing a new love for the lonely Duke.
C
They create an ominous mood by indicating that the murderous Duke seeks to marry again.
D
They create a celebratory mood by indicating that there may be a wedding in the near future.

Slide 17 - Quiz

Let's dig deeper! 
Make notes while you watch. 
Make sure you include: dramatic monologue, enjambment, iambic pentameter, metaphor and context. 
After the video, upload your notes. 

Slide 18 - Slide

0

Slide 19 - Video

Upload your notes!

Slide 20 - Open question

Slide 21 - Slide

Slide 22 - Slide

Slide 23 - Slide

Slide 24 - Slide

Slide 25 - Slide

Slide 26 - Slide

What poetic device is used throughout the poem?

Slide 27 - Open question

Assignments
Reader pages 9+10

Slide 28 - Slide

assignment 1: 
pride
jealousy
cruelty
lines 33, 34
lines 21-24
line 47
lines 43, 44

Slide 29 - Drag question

Assignment 2: Why does the duke refer to his dead wife as 'Duchess' in line 1?

Slide 30 - Open question

Assignment 3: The word 'now' in line 3 is separated from the rest of the sentence. What does this suggest?

Slide 31 - Open question

Assignment 4: Why did the duke refer to the artist who painted the wall on purpose (by design)?

Slide 32 - Open question

Assignment 5: what do lines 9+10 uncover?
A
The painting is not finished.
B
That the duke is the only person who is permitted to open the curtain which hides the painting.

Slide 33 - Quiz

Assignment 6a: What does the duke suggest in lines 15-19?
A
The blush on the duchess' face was caused by the artist's flirting.
B
The blush on the duchess' face was exaggerated in the painting.

Slide 34 - Quiz

Assignment 6b: With which word does he sum up these lines?
A
courtesy
B
spot
C
stuff
D
joy

Slide 35 - Quiz

stuff
This suggests that he considers it all nonsense, and that the duchess was a fool to listen to it.

Slide 36 - Slide

Assignment 7: What does the duke say was his wife's main problem (lines 21-24)?

Slide 37 - Open question

Assignment 8a: Which of these four things that pleased the Duchess was the most significant to the Duke?
A
the brooch
B
the sunset
C
the mule
D
branch of cherries

Slide 38 - Quiz

Assignment 8a: why does the duke thinks so?

Slide 39 - Open question

Assignment 8B: Which lines express his frustration at this?
A
Lines 33-35
B
Line 47
C
Line 25
D
Lines 56,57

Slide 40 - Quiz

Assignment 9: How do we call a question to which the answer goes without saying?

Slide 41 - Open question

Assignment 9: What is the answer?

Slide 42 - Open question

Assignment 10: What contradiction appears in line 37?

Slide 43 - Open question

Question 11 answer: 
Firstly, that he is not good at having such conversations. However, he also suggests that she would not be taught a lesson. And in the event that she were to give in and apologise to him, then he would still consider the whole matter shameful. He considers himself by far superior!

Slide 44 - Slide

Assignment 12: What does the duke mean when he says 'this grew'?
A
He became aroused.
B
Her friendliness became too extreme.

Slide 45 - Quiz

Assignment 12B: What consequence did he draw as a result?

Slide 46 - Open question

Assignment 13: What the duke's true intention? (lines 50-52)
A
He wants a male heir.
B
He wants a young wife.
C
He wants a large dowry.
D
He wants to get away with murder.

Slide 47 - Quiz

Assignment 14: Which typical Browning characteristic is apparant?
A
Pleasure in observing people.
B
optimism
C
individualims
D
human progress

Slide 48 - Quiz

Assignment 15: To what extent is My Last Duchess a product of the Victorian Age?

Slide 49 - Open question

Assignment 16: which of the first ten lines of verse are run-on lines (or: enjambment)?
A
Lines 2-3, 3-4, 5-6, 6-7 and 8-9.
B
Lines 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7 and 9-10.
C
Lines 2-3, 3-4, 5-6, 6-7 and 9-10.
D
None of the lines contain run-on lines.

Slide 50 - Quiz

That's it :-)
Bye, bye!!

Slide 51 - Slide

Slide 52 - Slide