In groups you discussed:
- What are the new words you need to define in order to make meaning of this poem?
- What do you notice about poetic form?
- Who is the speaker of this poem and to whom is he speaking? What are the two of them negotiating at the end of the poem?
- They are looking at a painting -- who is featured in this painting? Where is this painting hung?
- What are the subtle suggestions about the poem's narrator? What does his monologue reveal about his anxieties?
- What might have happened to the last Duchess?
- What connections can you make to The Awakening?
This is a really creepy poem once you spend time considering it. If you like it, Browning has another one about a woman who is punished by her lover (Porphyria's Lover).
Tomorrow is Seminar #4. You should be read through the end of chapter 30. In addition to reading, your assignment is to select three passages that you find important and worth discussion tomorrow. Come ready with page numbers, comments and questions for the group.
