My Last Duchess - An Analysis

A brief analysis of My Last Duchess by Robert Browning.

In the poem the story is largely told through characterization and point of view. Browning has used an interesting combination of the two in which they both greatly influence the other.

The narrator throughout the poem is a wealthy Duke. We know this from the title and his wealth is insinuated throughout the poem. By using repetition of the name (line 46)  to name drop he lets the reader know the individual is an impressive connection. This name dropping also tells the reader that the character is arrogant. 

The poem the Duke recalling memories of his last duchess to a messenger belonging to the family of his future wife. In this description the characterization and point of view greatly feed of of one another. This is because the characterization creates his point of view; this therefore gives the reader an impression of his last Duchess from his perspective.

Browning has also used metaphors to represent the story. (line 54) 'Notice Neptune though, taming a sea horse, thought a rarity' referring to a bronze statue that has been made for him. This is a metaphor for the relationship between him and his wife. He thinks of himself as Neptune, powerful and his wife as the sea horse small but feisty and difficult to control. Browning has structured it by placing this near the very end of the poem, means it acts as summary for the stories he has just told about his wife. It also gives perspective into what he thinks of his Last Duchess; it suggests that he views her as less significant than him.

1st September - Reading Journal

- Irregular rhyme scheme
- Free verse
- Hints of both objectivity and subjectivity
- Enjambment, combined with subjectivty makes it feel more like the narrator is saying the words as he thinks them.
- First scene sets the scene
- Name dropping gives an idea of time and context

O What Is That Sound - Reading Journal

A type question

• Ballad
• Regualr metre
• Stanzas develop time
• In first person
• Use of imagery (red colours)
• Call and Response
• "O" is always at the start of the stanza
• Use of rhyme in every stanza
• Phonetic effects
• AB structure within each stanza
• Quatrain 4 line verse
• Subjective Voice

B type question

• Binary opposition with "brightly" and "weapons"
• Language "dear" is intimate, combined with "the vows you swore" and "I promised to love you, dear" suggets the voices are husband and wife
• Possible wife (1st voice) is in denial and that's why she seems naive / curious
• Possibly about conscription or he's wanted for deserting
• "I must be leaving" goodbye due to execution or conscription?
• The army is deindividualised in the last stanza
• The repeated O seems like and expression of dispair

Musee des Beaux Arts - Reading Journal

Type A question

• Enjambment over different stanzas
• Exphrastic
• Voice of the narrator is the voice of Auden
• Setting - Art gallery
• 3 stanzas, 1 stanza is only 1 line long
• Being subjective about the art (observing and being opinionated)
• Irregular rhyme
• Free verse
• Humorous
• Descriptions of the art create some imagery
• No characters (different to his other poems)

Miss Gee - Reading Journal

Type A

• A comment on religion
• Ideas of irony
• 1st person - partial voice change to 3rd?
• Quatrain - regular metre
• Stanzas develop time in the poem (Similar to 'O what is that sound?')
• Blues tune sets the mood
• Repetition of certain words / phrases
• Clear ABCB structure
• Black comedy
• Objective and omniscient voice

Type B

• Jingle like, Auden wants the poem to be memorable
• Irony about religion and death
• Since she has a deep connection with god maybe this is why she doesn't mind what's done with her body after death
• Main themes; sex, religion, death/life

Possible History Boys essay questions

- Within the comedy there's tragedy and an air of sadness

- Is the play a story about powerplay? E.g Dakin trying to come across as complex, the headmaster needing league table results and

- Links between religion and love, do they intertwine? E.g Scripps talking about god and Posner who is jewish

- Who is the most important character in the play? Posner / Irwin?

- What importance does the music have in the play? Would the play be significantly different without?

How is the comedy created in Act One of 'The History Boys'?

Think about possible essay questions and shape your comments around them. You could consider the serious issues in the play and how characters and themes are developed to explore them.

- Eccentric teachers, flourish and flamboiance can be comedic
- Slapstick humour
- Rivalry between Hector and Irwin

Themes:
- Abuse, violence and sexual
- Elitism / status
- References to shakespearian tradgedies e.g. King Lear, Hamlet

Is the comedy used as a medium for serious issues?
Why do we like Hector even though he's a paedophile?
Are hector and Irwin more similar than they seem?
Are attitudes and reactions the same now and in the 80's (when the play is set)?



 

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 9

Nick describes himself as alone, even though he's met so many people in the book

He starts the book alone and ends it alone

He Imagines the voice of Gatsby (personification) even though he's just a dead body, showing that he hasn't accepted his death yet 

Through time, two years later and still remembers the summer in detail

Chapter is told through telephone

"his eyes leaking isolated and unpunctual tears" Nick has lost his ability to connect with people since Gatsby's death 

Nick's descriptions of things are duller in colour and vigor now showing how since the death the tone of the story has changed

The end of the novel but many references to the beginning

Multi voice narration through phone, Nick and Wolsheim

Father son link with the trembling hands; links different parts of the novel

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 8

Chapter is made up of 8 phrases, each one very different tone

Represents Nick's personality changing and developing dependent on who is is in company with

Idea of a countdown (To Gatsby's Death)

Time jumps e.g to a conversation Nick had in chapter 6, fragmented instead of constant chronology

2nd phase jumps to Daisy and Gatsby's last night together 

Overall in the chapter tension is built and there is  growing sense of danger 

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 5

Imagery:
Tension tells the story - foreshadowing the tension at the start of the chapter

Gatsby is usually calm and cool but in this chapter he is different, more worried, and appears weak " pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets"

Story told through use of emotive imagery

Themes:
Time

Gats Knocks the clock of the mantle piece, almost like time stop when he is arguing with daisy

Clear chronology in this chapter

"A pause is endured horribly" builds the tense atmosphere and suspense

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 3

Structure:

There’s a split in the structure of the chapter

It divides the narration into section 1 (recollection of the party but largely conversation) and section 2 (a short recap and Nick’s views on West Egg which is mostly in 1st person).

The divide changes times

Structure tells the story by creating a time frame for the story to be based upon. 

Narration:

Nick has the main voice of the narrator

Chapter is built up with narrated conversation form the other characters

This narration tells the story because it gives the chapter a voice and points of time.

By having a voice it gives the reader an understanding of the story’s origins, influences and tone. 

Imagery:

Nick compares Gatsby’s party guests to moths, moths are drawn to light and find this interest compulsive.

Metaphor saying how ‘bright’, ‘flashy’ and interesting the party is and people find it compelling to attend.

Insects usually thought of as coming in swarms, represented by the sheer amount of guests.

This imagery is used to tell the story because it gives the reader a detailed description of the party.

Language:

Uses  the word “all” gives an idea of the volume of people and size of the party.

Tells the reader how great the party’s are, because no one turns up to an awful party.

An appearing theme seems to be insects.

Language is also used by Fitzgerald to tell the story, he uses singular words to slightly change the way the chapter is interpreted and to mediate to the reader how he wants the scene to be imagined. 

Character:

First introduced to Gatsby

Description of his party gives the reader an idea of his character before we meet him

Reader thinks of him as a glamorous and lavish person in the same style of his parties

When we finally meet him there is some mild disappointment to the reader, he seems rather reserved, doesn't drink and separates himself from the party for most of the night

“one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it.” A gleaming smile is closely related to the world of Hollywood, and it is thought that all the big stars has perfect smiles, this trait shows the reader his ’star like quality’ and makes the reader want to find out more about him.

The difference between substance and appearance

Nick see’s the city’s beauty and enchantment, saying it has an “adventurous feel”, but he also calls it “racy” which makes it sound sleazier and more negative than his original view

Theme returns when describing his interest in Jordan

how he’s attracted to her but also knows she is a liar and selfish

differences are made further apart by the fact that his values from the Midwest are rather different to those held by the people of New York

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 7

• Move in genre from romance to tragedy

How's the story told?

Pages 108 - 112

• Personification of the cars
• Use of telephone, converstaions tell story
• Weather, makes you feel physically uncomfortable
• Dialogue, 'Daisy comes over quite often' says Gatsby-alot of detail in small amount of dalogue
• Narrator, Nick knows the story so can set situations up how he wants
• Repetition of the word hot from the conductor

Pages 113-117

• Weather representation of moods, as Tom's anger grows weather gets hotter or could be sexual tension between daisy and Gatsby-heat representing climax
• Colour, repetition of green references-jealousy
• Dialogue, more dialogue than description
• Time

Pages 118-122

• Irony, Wilson talking to Tom about Myrtle being unfaithful
• Silence/Lack of/Increase     Representing a change in genre ---> tragedy
• Narrated voice, Nick getting more confident as saying 'we' instead of 'they'

Pages 123-127

• Juxtaposition, Tom rude > Gatsby polite
• Power, Gatsby loses power 'I used to laugh sometime, but there was no laughter in his eyes' later says how tom was filled with laughter
• What people say contradicts the descriptions of appearence given by Nick

Pages 128-133

• Cars, Myrtle gets run over (Tom still doesn't care)
• Dramatic scene, casually described though
• Very Linear
• 'We drove on towards death'

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 4

• Double narration, Nick narrating Jordan's reaction
• Sense of movement, car journey-Nick describes journey like scenes in a film
• Chapter gives greater insight into the pasts of the characters and helps the reader understand the characters and story more especially Gatsby
• Narrator, Nick is seen as more of a narrator than a character as he doesn't usually involve himself in the story-Fitzgerald projecting his voice through a character
• Neither Daisy or Gatsby drink alcohol, interesting and maybe a reference to their past?
• Cars, seem to be iconic throughout
• Ideology, themes of inequality
• Understand why Gatsby needs Nick and his help
• What is it about Daisy?
• Theme of mystery
• Nick appears to live through other people

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 1

• Contrast between Midwest and Eastern Coast and the difficulties Nick is having adjusting
• Theme of trust running throughout, Tom and Mrs Wilson, Mr Wilson and his wife, the reader and Nick, Nick and Gatsby
• Use of speech- gossip (Jordan)

• Contrast Between Tom and Gatsby as they are both showing people one thing but being another. Tom Is trying to come across like Gatsby's nature whereas Gatsby hides his wealthy background
• Meet Gatsby- longing for something across the water

Much Ado About Nothing - Reading Journal Act 1

Elements/Ideas Found in Act 1

• The war is over but the war has only begun

The soldiers are back from the war and all is good and merry but this could dramatic irony. It creates a juxtaposition between the calm after the war and the war that is going on within the characters and their relationships, e.g Beatrice and Benedick's feisty banter

• Introduction of comedic aspects

Beatrice and Benedick again with their banter is comedic 

• Introduction of some main themes

 Love, War

• Basic character profiles and descriptions

 First scene helps to introduce many of the main characters and understand how they portray themselves

• Questioning the comedy? 

Don John shows a combination of mixed views to the reader

• Jealousy
• Afraid to show real self to others
• Spoilt for attention
• Disagrees with brothers morals

Much Ado About Nothing - Scene One Lesson Plan

Thoughts and Ideas as to what we as teachers want to portray :-

The Acts that are of more Significance in Act One Scene One.
The moment where Claudio sees Hero and falls instantly in love with her.

Looking back at the English Literature Objectives and linking them to Much Ado.

Act One Scene One 

• The introduction to the Ended Wars.
• Then the apparent war between Benedict and Beatrice
• Claudio seeing Hero and falling madly in love with her
• Leonato hearing the potential marraige proposal for his daugther from his broter Antonio
• Don John's sudden hatred, realised and that for his brother Don Pedro.

Questions

What would us as teachers want to class to focus on - link questions to the objectives ( Covering all the Assessment Objectives).

• The fact that the roles are reversed in theme,where the war has ended but begins between both Beatrice and Benedict but Don John towards Don Pedro ( the differenc in Don John being it's towards his brother)
• Obvious Malice and disdainful opinions from Don John towards his the feelings he has of his brother( and for and unknown reason?)- but what caused it?. - Did the war make him become a man who's heart turned to stone having no empathy towards the fact that they are brothers despite him being a "Bastard". 
• To what extent is the civil war between the characters the most importnt part of the play (ask class to find instances where the war in hate or evn mere jest is shown, with opinions) of this could be the most vital part of the whole of the play.

- (Teachers) Relate these comments to the war between Beatrice and Benedict same with Don John towards Don Pedro.

• How would Shakespeare's language affect the way the charcter portray those moments of anger or hate, even the moment of comedic jest?
• The Emotions emotions he might have used to make the characters come to life?

(Teachers) - What is the Chracter of Beatrice like, how does she seem different from the ladies back then and how they would be back then in that time/era?.
- How the ladies back then would have been more ladylike in speech and in manner of presenting themselves as delicate creature, much like Hero's character whom to that effect seems to be portrayed as being fragile, and not as assertive or loud mouthes as her "Dear Cousin".
- Beatrice's character does not follow the sterotypical roles that women carried in those times. She seems more outgoing,fiesty,abrupt in speech 

-The question that should also be asked is - Why would Beatrice as someone who hates Benedict ask for him, even if it be in jest?.

At the start of the play Act one Scene One - (Teachers ask Students) - who has the upper hand in the play Beatrice or Benedict?! And why does it matter throughout the course of the play?, Does it unravel anything?.

• But in the fact that in trickery Siginior Benedick is love struck by the possible fact that Beatrice might love him, therefore showing signs of sensitivity. This shows how the role is reversed where Beatrice denies her love for much longer than him, with him wanting to requite her, of that love.

• Here is where there might be a possible role reversal, where Benedict in anger and jest talks to Claudio: - "That i niether feel how she should be loved, nor know how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me; i will die in it at the stake".

The point being tht there could be and underlying meaning in him talkin so manly trying to hide his own feelings for one woman in particular i.e Beatrice. it makes his character seem in denial of the fact that there could be some buried feelings towards Beatrice and yet still refuses to acknowledge it.

Lesson Plan 

• Students finding Quotes representing conflict between the characters
• The Focus Point should be the Conflict- Tha civil war between the characters
• Is the main war more significant part of the play or is the war between the characters?
• What is the comedic aspect of the war within the play, the playful banter between Beatrice and Bendict?
• Is the war more on the lines of comedy or is it more serious? If both argue as to why Shakespeare made it this way? ( Reasons, Quotes to back up arguement)
• Make a point as to how the characters seem to fight their own wars within the progression of the play and how this affects the development of the play- how Shakespeare harnesses this to his advantage evolving the play, the Emotions used when th characters act etc?.

How is the narrative told within Lines 200~295 of the poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning?

How is the narrative told within Lines 200~260 of the poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning?

By writing the whole poem in rhyme Browning has created a childlike feel to the poem. This and the fact that it based upon a traditional children's story makes is accessible to children. I think that this is has been purposely done by Browning to make it a cautionary tale for children. By having it in rhyme and a well known story it means that a more serious message about the government can be passed onto children without being too severe.

Browning has used enjambment between lines 200-226 to show how excited the children were as they followed the pied piper and how frantic the parents were as they ran after their children. He has also shown a frantic and excited feeling in line 200 'like fowls in a farm yard when barley is scattering' representing how greedy the children were. This makes the children's need to follow the piper seem as strong hunger and a need for food. Since you need food to survive it makes the act appear more instinctive as opposed to of their own free will.

Browning has used the voice of the lame boy between lines 235-255 to tell the story. In this the lame boy describes what happened to the children who followed the pied piper. The place the children go to could possibly be a metaphor for heaven, reflecting some of the social and political issues of Browning time. This representation could be what happened to Victorian children that died due to the government’s ignorance, and lack to look after the lower classes. This idea is supported in line 258 'Horses born with eagles wings' which is rather angelic and links with Pegasus a winged horse created by the gods in Greek mythology.

Lines 250-254 'My lame foot would have been speedily cured, The music stopped and I stood still, And found myself outside the hill, left alone against my will, To go now limping as before'. By using lame boy as the narrator for this part of the poem is really effective because it gives him the role of speaker for the children. The fact that he is lame creates empathy from the reader and set the mood for the rest of the poem; you feel especially sorry for the lame boy because he not only alone now the other children have gone but he was the one child who needed the heaven the most as it would have cured his legs. The quote is a good example of Browning describing how the poor were left poor whereas those with better fortunes (able bodied children) were able to move on and go to better places.

The point about the rich being given help/opportunity easier is supported in lines 258-259 'A text which says that heaven's gate Opes to the rich an easy rate' as it says how the gates to heaven open easier for the rich, an important aspect of the themes (social and historical context) that Browning has included.