london and my last duchess comparison essay

What Would Iago Do?

Aqa power and conflict- ‘my last duchess’ and ‘london’.

This series of blogs is based around the incredible tweets posted by Macbeth Insights (@Gcse_macbeth) on poems to compare with ‘My Last Duchess’. I don’t intend to go into the minutiae of structure and language analysis but intend to focus on the higher order comparative ideas that I want my Year 11s to use to enhance their analysis. Any mistakes are my own (as are any brilliant sparks of analytical genius. Just saying.)

Both poems show how inequalities in power always seem to victimise women . It is women who suffer in the transaction of power with men who want ownership over their bodies — whether aristocracy or street prostitutes .

• In ‘MLD’, the Duke portrays his misogynistic tendencies through his biased depiction of his hapless “last duchess”.
• He tells us “[t]hat’s my last duchess”, immediately evoking his sense of ownership through the possessive pronoun “my”. He believes she belongs to him and his tone presents how his victimisation of her is a result of him being a product of a patriarchal society where his authority over his wife would have been absolute.
• The pronoun “that” implies the Duke sees her as an object, which she now literally is, having been reduced to a piece of art that viewers can admire. Arguably, she has become subject to the male gaze, a feminist concept presenting the dehumanisation of the female as she no longer has agency and must be viewed through the lens of the male and admired for her beauty, physique, aesthetic or other narrative that allows the male to control the viewer’s perception of her. Here, the Duke presents her as unfaithful, even unmanageable to the viewer thereby justifying his “commands” that resulted in her “smiles” being “stopped altogether.”
• The adjective “last” implies she’s one of a number: we notice that it makes a sham of his “as long as we both shall live” marriage vows and indicates the life and death power he has over the woman in his life.

Whilst the Duke exerts his power over a ristocratic women signifying that even the wealthy and well-born women are not exempt from the power and victimisation of the patriarchy , Blake depicts the plight of the more obvious victims of society.

• In Blake’s ‘London’, his reference to the “youthful harlot” is almost grotesquely despairing as it implies her lack of a future before she has even had a chance for one. Her youth should represent her on the cusp of womanhood, making choices that lead to a socially acceptable future involving marriage and motherhood. Instead, Blake criticises the poverty, desperation and lack of opportunity due to the rising unemployment caused by the industrial revolution that have colluded to lead her into a life of early prostitution; a hard life and one usually foreshortened by disease, violence or childbirth.
• The “harlot’s curse” reflects her anger at her fate. A “curse” could mean she is swearing- a rather ‘unladylike’ attribute indicating her outcast status: what need does she have of ladylike attributes when the doors to a lady’s future are closed to her? Alternatively, it could foreshadow a blight on future generations as she “[b]lasts the new-born infant’s ear” indicating Blake’s criticism of the vicious cycle of prostitution young women were forced into as what hope would a “new-born” have bred in such circumstances?
• Both the “harlot” and the “Duchess” are victims of inequalities between men and women in terms of circumstance and society. In both cases, the patriarchy has the absolute power to manipulate perceptions of them so that viewed through the lens of the male gaze, they are simply receptacles of male desire to be outcast or even killed when they no longer conform to the ideals desired by society. Despite the Duke’s attempt to manipulate the audience, it becomes evident that the duchess is a victim of an abuse of power and a result of the inequality in society, just as the “harlot” is.
• Their lack of names further dehumanises them, referencing only the roles they occupy from the highest in the land to the lowest. They should be world’s apart yet their fates unite them as victims.

Both poems show how power that is gained through title or heritage typically ends up in the hands of the wrong people — the monarchy behind their “palace walls” in ‘London’ and the Duke in his castle.

• In ‘MLD’, the Duke mounts his “last Duchess”, she is “painted on the wall”, as a trophy and symbolic of the power he wields over his wife. By positioning her there, he directs and controls those who see her and controls the narrative his chosen audience is fed. Being “painted” could be the Duke’s belief that his wife was a harlot too- paint being a reference to make-up, worn more often by whores- not in the literal sense where she sold her body for money, but in his belief that she was unfaithful to him. Perhaps Browning is criticising the blatant abuses of power in the wrong hands as the Duke’s evidently are. His “nine-hundred-years-old name” is symbolic of the family’s long-standing wealth and status but being born into power clearly does not equate to being good with power and this lack of goodness results in the victimisation of women- those most vulnerable to the vicissitudes of patriarchal power.
• In contrast, in ‘London’, Blake’s criticism of the monarchy is more pointed but equally symbolic of the power and responsibility it holds. He states that the monarchy’s responsibility “[r]uns in blood down palace walls”, suggesting its culpability, in his view, for the state of the city that he loves. However, whilst the Duke proudly displays his “painted” trophy, the monarchy hunkers down and hides behind its walls but its guilt is painted on those outer walls nonetheless. Whilst the Duke accepts and even flaunts his power over his dependent, the monarchy holds its silence but the “blood”, symbolic of its failings, represents its accountability regardless.
• The walls of the buildings both the Duke and the monarchy occupy are symbols of their power, therefore, anything represented on each, becomes a symbol of the abuses of their power and the victimisation they enact upon those who depend upon them for their very lives.

That’s it for this time, let me know your thoughts. Next up will be ‘My Last Duchess’ with ‘Ozymandias’.

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4 thoughts on “aqa power and conflict- ‘my last duchess’ and ‘london’”.

what grade is the writing above written at? I’m in year 10 and doing my GCSEs next year and wanted to get the higher marks, so I was wondering.

Hi, I’m an English teacher and have written it to extend the knowledge of Y11 students. This blog would be very useful to help reach for the top grades.

can anyone help on writting how the poems london and my last duchess present the abuse of power i am really stuck

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London and My Last Duchess: GCSE Poetry Comparison and Sample Essay

London by William Blake and My Last Duchess by Robert Browning both feature in the AQA Power and Conflict anthology for GCSE English literature. They are fascinating poems containing some difficult themes, not least poverty, corruption, murder, gender-based violence… and the conflict that arises from the misuse of power.

London is often seen as one of the most difficult poems to analyse and compare in the entire anthology. While it certainly can be challenging, there are loads of links you can make with the other poems. To help kickstart your thinking, I’ve written a sample essay comparing London with My Last Duchess .

If you’re feeling uncertain about either of these poems, it’s helpful to listen to a reading first (there’s plenty on YouTube ). After you’ve listened to the poems, there’s a great guide to My Last Duchess available on SparkNotes as well as a fab discussion of London and it’s themes by the rapper Akala.

Here it is:

Once you’ve familiarised yourself with the poems, come back to this essay. Have a read through and think about how you’d improve it. Does it meet the AQA assessment objectives ? And if not, why not?

Ready? Let’s go.

In London , William Blake explores ideas about the abuse of power. Compare this with one other poem of your choice ( My Last Duchess ).

In London by William Blake and My Last Duchess by Robert Browning, both poets delve into the theme of the abuse of power. While Blake focuses on the misuse of power by individuals in “palaces” and “churches” through his depiction of London, Browning presents a personal exploration of a wealthy Duke’s potential involvement in the murder of his wife.

In London , as the narrator walks through the “chartered” streets, he observes “marks of weakness, marks of woe” on every face he encounters. This powerful statement suggests the people of London are trapped in a perpetual state of misery. The word “mark” can also be interpreted metaphorically as a brand, symbolising how people are forcibly marked and confined to their societal positions. Instead of a powerful capital, London becomes a backdrop for widespread suffering with people held-back by their own “mind-forged manacles” as well as those in power. The repetition of words like “every” emphasizes the scale of this affliction, while auditory imagery captures the cries and fears of every individual, regardless of age or social standing.

Similarly, My Last Duchess explores the misuse of power, but from a gender-based violence perspective. The poem begins with the possessive pronoun “my” in reference to the Duke’s deceased wife. This indicates his desire to claim her as a possession, much like the artwork adorning his walls showcasing his wealth and control. The Duke’s focus on the reputation of artists, such as “Fra Pandolf” and “Claus of Innsbruck, reveals his prioritisation of their fame over the woman in the painting. While Blake presents the abuse of power in terms of economic and social divisions, Browning portrays it through gender dynamics. The Duke’s description of the “faint half-flush that dies along her throat” creates a sinister tone, employing fricative alliteration and words (such as “dies” and “throat”) semantically associated with murder.

Blake’s narrator expresses shame over the stark contrast between the powerful and the impoverished within the city. In contrast, the speaker in My Last Duchess exudes pride and arrogance about his own power. Browning skilfully reveals the Duke’s underlying insecurities with his long monologue, however, leaving readers questioning the extent of his true power. He ironically states that even if he had “skill in speech”, he wouldn’t stoop to say “just this or that in you disgusts me; here you miss, or there exceed the mark”. His inability to express his emotional needs suggests the woman held true power in their relationship. Sadly, this conflict culminates in the ultimate abuse of power, when the Duke recalls “then all smiles stopped together”. This short, declarative statement implies the Duchess was killed at his behest.

In Blake’s poem, short declarative sentences also highlight the abuse of power. When he describes how “the hapless Soldier’s sigh / runs in blood down Palace walls,” the vivid metaphor of dripping blood symbolises the sacrifices of the poor to safeguard privileged palace residents. The additional juxtaposition between the “cries” of child chimney sweepers and the ringing of church bells further reinforces the image of the powerful (in this case, religious elites), suppressing the populace.

Both poets also use structural devices to reinforce themes of power and its misuse. Blake’s meticulous observations of London are heightened by the regular alternate rhyme scheme and carefully constructed quatrains. The ABAB rhythm mirrors his fastidious steps as he observes each street and its inhabitants. Moreover, each stanza builds on the previous one. The first stanza focuses on misery, the second on people’s inability to challenge power, the third on the sacrifices made by the poor, and the final stanza presenting a bleak view of the destructive power of corruption (“How the youthful Harlots curse / Blasts the new-born Infants tear / And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse”). Similarly to London’s strong narrative voice, in My Last Duchess , Browning uses caesura and enjambment to create a dramatic monologue that vividly mimics the flow of the Duke’s thoughts. Despite his apparent lack of self-control (ranting at length), the poem maintains a regular rhyming structure with rhyming couplets and iambic pentameter. This adds another layer of facade to the Duke’s character. Like the poem itself, he appears carefully-composed on the surface but harbours more sinister intentions and abuses of power beneath.

Over to you…

This essay is missing a conclusion and context about each poem. How would you finish it off?

Here are some notes on context to help… good luck!

My Last Duchess: Context

Robert Browning was a poet in the Victorian period. His family were very wealthy, but he never felt comfortable with elite London society. Despite the disapproval of both sets of parents, Browning travelled to Italy to marry his love and fellow poet Elizabeth Barrett. They were unable to marry in England because of Elizabeth’s overprotective father in particular.

• Can you link controlling male figures with the events in My Last Duchess?

My Last Duchess is loosely based on the real Duke of Ferrara (Alfonso II d’Este). In 1558 (at the age of 24), he married Lucrezia di Cosimo de’ Medici, the 13-year-old daughter of Cosimo I de’ Medici. Lucrezia was well-educated, and the Medicis were considered “nouveau riche” in comparison to the venerable Este family.

• How does this deepen your understanding of the poem? Hint – Alfonso II d’Este’s remark regarding his gift of a “nine-hundred-years-old name” clearly indicates he considered his bride beneath him socially.

Lucrezia came with a sizeable dowry . Despite this, the Duke of Ferrara abandoned her two years before she died on 21 April 1561, at age 16. Although there was a strong suspicion of poisoning, it’s likely the cause of death was tuberculosis. The poem is written from the Duke’s perspective, spoken to an unknown messenger about his next marriage.

• What does this reveal about the conflicts in the Duke’s character and how much he really cared for his wife?

London: Context

William Blake was a Romantic poet in the Victorian/Georgian period. He wrote many poems in two anthologies titled Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience . The Songs of Innocence poems were often simple, naive and positive. Conversely, the Songs of Experience poems were often cynical, bitter and pessimistic.

• Can you guess which anthology London featured in? Why do you think this?

London was published in 1794, when child labour, poverty, death, disease and malnutrition were all high in English industrial cities. Women also had very little rights and the poorest in society were often forced into prostitution to earn a small living. The industrial revolution resulted in many people moving from the countryside into cities, to work in large factories for low wages. William Blake’s poetry often angrily argued against this capitalist corruption and exploitation.

• What references to exploitation, corruption and problems in society do you see in the poem?

This period witnessed the French Revolutionary Wars: a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802, resulting from the French Revolution. During this revolution, the French people overthrew and executed their king. The revolution was meant to ensure equality and freedom for all in society. This contrasted with Britain, a country with an established monarchy and aristocratic classes firmly in power. The wars pitted France against Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and several other monarchies.

• Do you think William Blake is encouraging people in England to throw off their “mind forged manacles”, just like the French?

More  Power and Conflict  sample poetry essays:

• A comparison of  Exposure  and  Charge of the Light Brigade
• A comparison of  Storm on the Island  and  The Prelude
• A comparison of  Ozymandias  and  Kamikaze
• A comparison of Tissue and The Émigrée

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Comparing the presentation of power in 'My Last Duchess' and 'Ozymandias'

I can evaluate sample responses to an essay question and use them to help me write my own comparative response.

Lesson details

Key learning points.

• Comparative introductions should give equal weighting to both poems and explore the big ideas in both poems.
• Introductions should use correlative and comparative conjunctions to actively compare poems.
• Introductions need not focus heavily on biographical details of poets or language devices.
• An effective essay compares two poems on big ideas in question, weaving in comparison throughout paragraphs.
• An effective comparative essay explores language, form and structure to support comparisons.

Common misconception

Essay introductions should focus heavily on the poets and/or literary devices.

Essay introductions should focus heavily on big ideas relevant to both poems and related to the question.

Undermine - lessen the effectiveness or power of something or someone

Defiance - behaviour in which you refuse to obey someone or something

Despotic - typical of a despot - a ruler who holds absolute power and exercises it in a cruel way

Content guidance

• Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited ( 2024 ), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Starter quiz

6 questions.

Both 'Ozymandias' and 'My Last Duchess' -  

explore the abuse of power by despotic indiviudals.

Neither Shelley or Browning -  

commend mankind's power.

The statue of Ozymandias is akin to -  

the portrait of the Duchess in 'My Last Duchess'.

The "sneer" in 'Ozymandias' is akin to -  

the ''spot of joy'' in the Duchess' cheek.

Additional material

Miss Huttlestone's GCSE English

Because a whole class of wonderful minds are better than just one!

AQA Power and Conflict Poetry – an example comparative paragraph

Morning all,

In today’s lesson I will give you lots of resources to aid your comparison of two poems in the cluster. For today I have penned an example comparative paragraph on how POWER is depicted in ‘Ozymandias’ and ‘My Last Duchess’. The first two sentences acts as my introduction and ‘concept’ (the BIG IDEA) that all of my paragraphs should refer back to:

Both ‘Ozymandias’’ and ‘My Last Duchess’ depict power as being abused by oppressive figures and therefore as being closely aligned with corruption.

Primarily, In ‘Ozymandias’, Shelley presents power in two different ways: firstly, through how a corrupted leader abuses his power and secondly through how power ultimately won’t last and is transient compared to nature. Shelley illustrates the message that powerful leaders can be arrogant when Ozymandias calls himself the “king of kings”. Here Shelley’s use of plosive alliteration for the sharp “k” sound deliberately reflects the overbearing and oppressive power that Ramesses II had over his people when he became a pharaoh at young age. This phrase is poignant in stressing how arrogant and confident the speaker is about his power because he is stating that he is superior to any other ruler. Further to this, the noun “king” carries regal connotations to demonstrate that people in power like Ozymandias may often believe that they are higher to others. The fact that Ozymandias calls himself a king stresses how much the power has dominated his mentality and his thoughts. Similarly, in ‘My Last Duchess’, it focuses on how a Duke, a powerful figure within the social hierarchy, uses his power to control his duchess and thus how he lets power make him arrogant and possessive. Significantly, there is a sense of arrogance attached to power through Browning’s use of possessive pronouns such as “that’s my last duchess hanging on the wall”. Here however, we see how the Duke has let his power over women absorb him and he has become deluded into thinking that he still has power over his dead duchess. The use of the demonstrative “that” is repeated throughout the poem to add to his aggressive and mocking tone whilst showing that he sees his previous wife as an object or possession to him. Browning could be reflecting the conservative attitudes towards women at that time where women were submissive and subservient to their male counterparts and husbands. This arrogance is further shown when the Duke exclaims that he made the curtain and that he had “drawn it for you”. The way Shelley uses the pronoun “you”, when addressing the envoy, reveals how the Duke is deluded enough to think that he has absolute control over who interacts with his late wife. It’s almost as if the Duke finds it thrilling to restrict who can see her because now she has died he is able to have as much control over her than when she was dead.

Red = my perceptive and clear POINT

Green = my carefully integrated evidence

Blue = zooming in on evidence and analysis

Pink = context integrated where appropriate.

More example comparative paragraphs to follow! Please feel free to add your own in the comments for me to check.

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My Last Duchess Summary & Analysis by Robert Browning

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

“My Last Duchess” is a dramatic monologue written by Victorian poet Robert Browning in 1842. In the poem, the Duke of Ferrara uses a painting of his former wife as a conversation piece. The Duke speaks about his former wife's perceived inadequacies to a representative of the family of his bride-to-be, revealing his obsession with controlling others in the process. Browning uses this compelling psychological portrait of a despicable character to critique the objectification of women and abuses of power.

• Read the full text of “My Last Duchess”

The Full Text of “My Last Duchess”

      FERRARA

1 That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall, 

2 Looking as if she were alive. I call 

3 That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands 

4 Worked busily a day, and there she stands. 

5 Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said 

6 “Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read 

7 Strangers like you that pictured countenance, 

8 The depth and passion of its earnest glance, 

9 But to myself they turned (since none puts by 

10 The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) 

11 And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, 

12 How such a glance came there; so, not the first 

13 Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not 

14 Her husband’s presence only, called that spot 

15 Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps 

16 Fra Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps 

17 Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint 

18 Must never hope to reproduce the faint 

19 Half-flush that dies along her throat.” Such stuff 

20 Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough 

21 For calling up that spot of joy. She had 

22 A heart—how shall I say?— too soon made glad, 

23 Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er 

24 She looked on, and her looks went everywhere. 

25 Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast, 

26 The dropping of the daylight in the West, 

27 The bough of cherries some officious fool 

28 Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule 

29 She rode with round the terrace—all and each 

30 Would draw from her alike the approving speech, 

31 Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked 

32 Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked 

33 My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name 

34 With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame 

35 This sort of trifling? Even had you skill 

36 In speech—which I have not—to make your will 

37 Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this 

38 Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss, 

39 Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let 

40 Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set 

41 Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse— 

42 E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose 

43 Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt, 

44 Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without 

45 Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; 

46 Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands 

47 As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet 

48 The company below, then. I repeat, 

49 The Count your master’s known munificence 

50 Is ample warrant that no just pretense 

51 Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; 

52 Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed 

53 At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go 

54 Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though, 

55 Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, 

56 Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

“My Last Duchess” Summary

“my last duchess” themes.

The Objectification of Women

• See where this theme is active in the poem.

Social Status, Art, and Elitism

Control and Manipulation

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “my last duchess”.

That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,  Looking as if she were alive. I call  That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands  Worked busily a day, and there she stands.  Will’t please you sit and look at her?

I said  “Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read  Strangers like you that pictured countenance,  The depth and passion of its earnest glance,  But to myself they turned (since none puts by  The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)  And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,  How such a glance came there; so, not the first  Are you to turn and ask thus.

Lines 13-19

Sir, ’twas not  Her husband’s presence only, called that spot  Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps  Fra Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps  Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint  Must never hope to reproduce the faint  Half-flush that dies along her throat.”

Lines 19-24

Such stuff  Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough  For calling up that spot of joy. She had  A heart—how shall I say?— too soon made glad,  Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er  She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

Lines 25-31

Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,  The dropping of the daylight in the West,  The bough of cherries some officious fool  Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule  She rode with round the terrace—all and each  Would draw from her alike the approving speech,  Or blush, at least.

Lines 31-34

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.

Lines 34-43

Who’d stoop to blame  This sort of trifling? Even had you skill  In speech—which I have not—to make your will  Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this  Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,  Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let  Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set  Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse—  E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose  Never to stoop.

Lines 43-47

Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,  Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without  Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;  Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands  As if alive.

Lines 47-53

Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet  The company below, then. I repeat,  The Count your master’s known munificence  Is ample warrant that no just pretense  Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;  Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed  At starting, is my object.

Lines 53-56

Nay, we’ll go  Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,  Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,  Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

“My Last Duchess” Symbols

The Painting

• See where this symbol appears in the poem.

The Statue of Neptune

“my last duchess” poetic devices & figurative language.

• See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

Personification

“my last duchess” vocabulary.

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Fra Pandolf
• Countenance
• Munificence
• See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “My Last Duchess”

Rhyme scheme, “my last duchess” speaker, “my last duchess” setting, literary and historical context of “my last duchess”, more “my last duchess” resources, external resources.

Robert Browning's Answers to Some Questions, 1914 — In March of 1914, Cornhill Magazine interviewed Robert Browning about some of his poems, including "My Last Duchess." He briefly explains his thoughts on the duchess.

Chris de Burgh, "The Painter" (1976) — Chris de Burgh (a Northern Irish singer-songwriter, best known for "Lady in Red") wrote a song from the perspective of the Duke of Ferrara about his former wife, in which the duchess was having an affair with Fra Pandolf.

My Last Duchess Glass Window — The Armstrong Browning Library and Museum at Baylor University has a stained glass window inspired by "My Last Duchess."

Julian Glover performs "My Last Duchess" — Actor Julian Glover performs "My Last Duchess" with a suitably dramatic tone of voice. Note how he emphasizes the conversational quality of the poem.

Nikolaus Mardruz to his Master Ferdinand, Count of Tyrol, 1565 by Richard Howard, 1929 — This poem by American poet Richard Howard provides the Ferrara's guest's perspective on the meeting between himself and the duke.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Robert Browning

A Light Woman

Among the Rocks

A Toccata of Galuppi's

A Woman's Last Word

Confessions

Home-Thoughts, from Abroad

How they Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix

Life in a Love

Love Among the Ruins

Love in a Life

Meeting at Night

Pictor Ignotus

Porphyria's Lover

Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister

The Bishop Orders His Tomb at Saint Praxed's Church

The Laboratory

The Last Ride Together

The Lost Leader

The Lost Mistress

The Patriot

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Women and Roses

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Ozymandias and London Essay

Q. Compare how the writers present ideas about power in London and one other poem from the anthology.

Both London and Ozymandias explore cruelty. In Ozymandias, Shelley tells the story of a traveller who comes across a statue of an ancient ruler. Shelley makes clear the ancient ruler looked down on his people by writing ‘sneer of cold command’. This imagery helps the reader to imagine the facial expression of the statue, which gives the reader an indication of the kind of ruler Ozymandias was. Shelley’s use of the word ‘sneer’ implies that Ozymandias looked down on his people. Shelley’s use of the words ‘cold command’ suggest that he was a heartless, unkind ruler who did not show any warmth towards his people. Shelley uses Ozymandias as an example of other cruel leaders, such as King George, King of England at the time Shelley was writing, who did not use their power to look after their people. In London, Blake demonstrates that the poor people suffer from the cruelty of their leaders by writing that they are in ‘mind-forged manacles’. This imagery helps the reader to imagine that the poor people are in chains and are trapped. The chains in this image symbolise how trapped the poor people feel as a result of having no money or opportunities. Blake uses his poem to criticise people in power for allowing this cruelty to continue.

Both poems explore misuse of power. In Ozymandias, Shelley makes clear the ruler was arrogant by writing that he had the words ‘king of kings’ written on the base of his statue. Not only did Ozymandias misuse his power and his country’s money to have a statue erected for himself, but he also chose to describe himself as the best king on the base of the statue, which indicates how arrogant he was. Shelley criticises Ozymandias for being arrogant, as this is not a good quality in a leader. Leaders should use their power to help others, not to put up statues that celebrate how powerful they are. Shelley uses the arrogance of Ozymandias to criticise other leaders, such as King George, who was king of England at the time Shelley was writing. In London, Blake criticises the church’s misuse of power by describing it as ‘blackening’. Blake’s use of the word ‘blackening’ associates churches with funerals because black is the colour many people wear when they attend funerals in churches. Perhaps Blake does this in order to criticise the church for not doing enough to help poor people, and poor children especially, who worked in terrible conditions in factories and up chimneys. Many of these people died as a result of the terrible and unsafe working conditions. The colour black could symbolise the church’s responsibility for their deaths. Although he was a religious man, Blake was angry with the church for not doing more to stop poor people from being exploited in this way.

Both poems explore nature and humankind . Shelley makes clear Ozymandias no longer has power by describing his statue as a ‘colossal wreck’. This imagery helps the reader to imagine that the statue has been destroyed and lies in pieces on the sand. Shelley’s use of the word ‘colossal’ represents how huge Ozymandias’s power was when he was still alive. Shelley’s use of the word ‘wreck’ not only helps the reader to imagine the destroyed statue but also refers to how little power Ozymandias still has. Shelley gives the reader a very clear message about the power of nature versus the power of humankind.Through the fact that the statue has been destroyed by nature, Shelley clearly indicates that nature is far more powerful. In contrast, humans are more powerful than nature in London. In the opening stanza, Blake describes the River Thames as ‘chartered’, which indicates that even the river, which is something natural and should be owned by everyone, is owned by the wealthiest people in London. Blake’s repetition of the word ‘chartered’ emphasises the anger he feels about the charter system, which resulted in large parts of the city, including the river, being owned and managed by the wealthy people, leaving nothing for the poor. Blake uses his poem to challenge inequality in London at the time.

Both Blake and Shelley use their poems, ‘London’ and ‘Ozymandias’, to expose the ways that power has been abused by leaders of Empires new and old.

Both writers highlight how the populace suffer under cruel leaders. In ‘Ozymandias’, Shelley tells the story of a traveller who comes across a statue of the ancient ruler, Ozymandias (better known as Rameses II). Shelley conveys a sense of the pharoah’s superiority over his people when he describes the statue with a ‘sneer of cold command’. This vivid imagery helps the reader to imagine the disdainful facial expression of the statue, and therefore the supercilious attitude of the ruler himself. Shelley’s choice of the word ‘sneer’ implies that Ozymandias looked down on his people. Furthermore, the 'sharp 'C' sound in the alliterative phrase ‘cold command’ actually makes the words sound cruel, reflecting the idea of a heartless, unkind ruler who showed no warmth or compassion towards his own people. Shelley cleverly highlights the cruelty of Ozymandias’ rule through his pondering of the ancient statue; arguably though, he also uses the image of ‘Ozymandias’ to reflect on the cruelty of contemporary leaders, such as King George. George III was King of England at the time Shelley (and Blake) was writing; King George was criticised for his reckless spending and failure to look after his people. Unlike Shelley however, Blake does not focus on the cruelty of one ruler but instead highlights the numerous ways that people suffer because of an imbalance of power with the monarchy, church and financial institutions. In the opening stanza of ‘London’ Blake describes the River Thames as ‘chartered’, which indicates that even the river, which is something natural and should be owned by everyone, is owned by the wealthiest people in London. Blake’s repetition of ‘chartered’ emphasises the anger he feels about the charter system, which resulted in large parts of the city, including the river, being owned and managed by the wealthy people, leaving nothing for the poor.

Like Shelley, Blake uses his poem to criticise the people in power who cause or allow this cruel inequality to continue.

Both Shelley and Blake explore the misuse of power in their poems. In Ozymandias, Shelley emphasises the pharaoh's pride and arrogance through the declaration ‘My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings’ written on the base of his statue. Not only did Ozymandias misuse his power and his country’s money to have a statue erected for himself, but the blasphemous boast ‘King of Kings’ suggests that he saw himself as a god-like figure of irreproachable power and status. Perhaps Shelley draws attention to Ozymandias’ self-consumed arrogance in order to emphasise the traits of a tyrant. Good leaders use their power to help others, yet history is full of tyrants who erect great monuments but abuse their power and people. In London, Blake shows that he is appalled by the church’s misuse of power by describing it as ‘blackening’. Blake’s choice of the word ‘blackening’ connotes.death, despair and corruption, in sharp contrast to the light, goodness and hope that Christianity is supposed to represent. Perhaps Blake does this in order to criticise the church for not doing enough to help the poor people (and children) who worked, suffered and sometimes died in terrible conditions in factories and up chimneys. Interpreted this way, the colour black could also symbolise the church’s responsibility for their deaths. Although he was a religious man, Blake’s damning imagery makes it clear that he was angry with the church for not doing more to stop poor people from being exploited in this way.

Whereas Shelley shows that Ozymandias’ power was in the past, Blake’s poem emphasises the ongoing oppression of the poor. For all the pride and arrogance conveyed through Shelley’s portrayal of the great ruler, the bitter irony is that Ozymandias no longer has power. The ancient statue is a ‘colossal wreck’. This oxymoronic imagery perfectly conveys both the ‘colossal’ scale of Ozymandias’s power when alive, and the desolate ‘wreck’ of his statue’s (and Empire’s) remnants. Shelley gives the reader a very clear message that the power of nature and time is more powerful than humankind, and even the most powerful leaders and Empires (Eygptian or British) will fade eventually. This idea of time and nature breaking down man’s power and pride is also reflected in the structure of the poem, as Shelley’s choice of a sonnet with tight rhymes could be seen to reflect Ozmandias’ tight control; however Shelley subverts the conventional rhyme scheme at points perhaps to show that nature and time are beyond humankind’s control. In contrast, Blake’s ‘London’ is very much in the present. He uses four regular quatrains and a tight ABAB rhyme scheme to reinforce the sense of oppression and to show how people feel that the control in London is neverending. Furthermore, Blake demonstrates how the poor are oppressed by the ongoing cruelty of the rich and powerful through the metaphor of ‘mind-forged manacles’. This emotive imagery helps the reader to imagine and pity the poor people in chains. Because Blake describes the chains as ‘mind-forged’ he draws attention to the mental anguish of a multitude who suffer due to social and financial constraints. Unlike physical chains, these bonds cannot be easily removed; the poor are so accustomed to hardship and poverty that they see no possibility of change. Perhaps Blake creates this sense of control and ongoing oppression to expose the imbalance of power in late 18th century London and maybe to provoke the reader’s sense of injustice. Unquestionably, the two poems show that the abuse of power has always been an issue, as those in power continue to oppress the poor for their own gain.

Mr Hanson's English

Discovering english and film, comparing my last duchess with ozymandias.

Here are the slides from this week’s lessons. The PPT is available here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8c2fmlz1vqopfv7/My%20Last%20Duchess%20form%20and%20structure.pptx?dl=0

We began with a short refresher on the poem:

The next lesson was centred on the use of structural features – caesura in particular, so it’s worth thinking about what we mean by structure and form. This analogy was useful:

This was a useful activity in getting students to think about punctuation and line breaks.

We selected a few lines from the poem and explored the ways in which caesura contributes to meaning:

This is the slide I showed to explain dramatic monologue. Thank you to  http://www.rlwclarke.net/Courses/LITS2002/2001-2002/LN12Browning.htm

Finally, here is a grid which contains some details for comparison. One thing I’ve added here is the idea that the Duke is emasculated by his wife. He cannot cope with what he sees as her wandering eyes and it is interesting that he makes a big deal about the ‘bough of cherries some officious fool/Broke in the orchard for her’. Now cherries are a symbol of sexuality and so there is a clear suggestion here that the Duke felt, well, incompetent around his wife.

https://victoriangenderandsexuality.wikispaces.com/My+Last+Duchess+–+notes Some other web-sites:

http://les-drt.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/sublime-power-of-art-in-shelleys.html

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Comparing Poems My Last Duchess by Robert Browning and Remains by Simon Armitage Worksheet

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

26 August 2024

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We are pleased to present a comprehensive teaching resource for the comparison of two seminal poems in English literature: “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning and “Remains” by Simon Armitage. This resource is designed to facilitate a deep exploration of thematic similarities and differences between the two poems, providing students with a nuanced understanding of the poetic techniques employed by these esteemed poets.

Key Features of the Resource:

Detailed analysis of the themes present in both poems, including power, violence, and the consequences of actions. In-depth examination of the imagery, tone, and structure of each poem to aid students in developing their close reading skills. Comparison of the historical and social contexts in which the poems were written, offering valuable insights into the influences shaping the poets’ works. Engaging discussion questions and critical thinking prompts to encourage active participation and analytical thinking among students. Please Note:

The teaching resource does not include a copy of the poems “My Last Duchess” and “Remains” due to copyright restrictions. However, both poems can be easily sourced online or accessed in any standard poetry anthology. Please be advised that the PDF is not editable to maintain the integrity of the content provided.

We believe that this resource will serve as a valuable tool in guiding students through a comparative analysis of these two powerful poems, enriching their understanding of poetry and literary analysis.

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Checking Out Me History ( AQA GCSE English Literature )

Revision note.

Each poetry anthology in the GCSE contains 15 poems, and in the poetry question in the exam you will be given one poem on the paper - printed in full - and asked to compare this given poem to one other from the anthology. You will not have access to the other poems in the exam, so you will have to know them very well from memory. Fifteen poems is a lot to learn. However, understanding four things will enable you to produce a top-mark response:

The meaning of the poem

The ideas and messages the poet wanted to convey

How the poet conveys these ideas and messages through their methods

How do these ideas compare and contrast with the ideas and themes of other poems in the anthology

Below is a guide to 'Checking Out Me History' by John Agard, from the Power and Conflict anthology. It includes:

Overview : a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations

Writer’s methods : an exploration of the poet’s techniques and methods

Context : an exploration of the context of the poem, relevant to its themes

What to compare it to : ideas about which poems to compare it to in the exam

In order to answer an essay question on any poem, it is essential that you understand what it is about. This section includes:

The poem in a nutshell

A ‘translation’ of the poem, section-by-section

A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Agard’s intention and message

Checking Out Me History in a nutshell

Checking Out Me History is a modern poem published in 2007 by the poet John Agard, who was born in British Guiana, now called Guyana, in the Caribbean. The poem uses non-standard phonetic  spelling and mixes Guyanese Creole  with standard English to represent the voice of a black man who recounts all of the white historical figures he was taught as a child at school and is frustrated that important figures from black history were not mentioned. He, therefore, resolves to discover more about the history and heritage relevant to him. The title of the poem is thus ironic , as it is not “his” history he is “checking out”.

Checking Out Me History breakdown

“Dem tell me

Dem tell me

Wha dem want to tell me

Bandage up me eye with me own history

Blind me to me own identity”

Translation

The speaker repeats “Dem” meaning “them” or “they”

“Them” or “they” refers to his white teachers

He says that they teach him what they want to teach him, controlling what people learn

They cover up colonised  people’s history from them, blinding people like the speaker to their true history and identity

Agard’s intention

The narrator of this poem is introduced through their voice and the deliberate use of the Guyanese Creole dialect

The poet is referring to the English curriculum taught by British educators, which was written by white people and biased towards white history

The use of non-standard English is used to show his own culture and background, which he feels is not acknowledged by the English curriculum

It also reflects his pride in his own culture and background

“Dem tell me bout 1066 and all dat

dem tell me bout Dick Whittington and he cat

But Toussaint L’Ouverture

no dem never tell me bout dat”

The narrator then references the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and the childhood story of Dick Whittington and his cat

But he was never taught about black historical figures, such as Toussaint L’Ouverture

The poet references white historical figures or events in each quatrain  and contrasts this with a black historical figure who isn’t included in the curriculum

This is to show that these white historical references were irrelevant to him

Toussaint L’Ouverture was a slave and the leader of the Haitian Revolution

He beat back the (white) French emperor Napoleon , which is how Haiti gained independence from the French and became the first black democracy  in the Americas

He transformed the lives of many slaves

Lines 10-21

with vision

and first Black

Republic born

Toussaint de thorn

to de French

Toussaint de beacon

of de Haitian Revolution”

The speaker then “teaches” us about Toussaint L’Ouverture

He was a slave who rose up to beat back Napoleon’s battalions  leading to Haiti’s independence

He was a thorn in the French’s side, meaning a constant pain, and a figure-head of the Haitian revolution

The poet deliberately changes to italics here to contrast the difference between white and black history

Toussaint as a beacon implies he is illuminating the poet’s true historical identity

His history is important to him, as demonstrated by his knowledge of this historical figure more relevant to the speaker and the poet

Lines 22-25

“Dem tell me bout de man who discover de balloon

and de cow who jump over de moon

Dem tell me bout de dish run away with de spoon

but dem never tell me bout Nanny de maroon”

They are taught about trivial things such as the man who discovered the balloon and the nursery rhyme “Hey Diddle Diddle”

But they didn’t teach him about Nanny de Maroon, a Jamaican slave born to the Asante  people in the late 17th century

Even nursery rhymes and English inventors are prioritised over such important black historical figures

Lines 26-31

see-far woman

of mountain dream

fire-woman struggle

hopeful stream

to freedom river”

Nanny was a “see-far” woman, meaning a visionary

She founded her own town for other escaped slaves in the mountains of Jamaica

Today, she is a Jamaican national hero

Again, Agard changes into italics to highlight the difference in historical narratives

Nanny de Maroon’s actions were a source of hope for other enslaved people, like a stream that flows into a deeper river of freedom

The reference to “fire” again suggests illuminating the speaker’s true history

The reference to struggle highlights that her journey and fight were not easy

Lines 32-39

“Dem tell me bout Lord Nelson and Waterloo

but dem never tell me bout Shaka de great Zulu

Dem tell me bout Columbus and 1492

but what happen to de Caribs and de Arawaks too

Dem tell be bout Florence Nightingale and she lamp

and how Robin Hood used to camp

Dem tell me bout ole King Cole was a merry ole soul

but dem never tell me bout Mary Seacole”

The narrator then goes on to list other important figures and events in white history

Admiral Lord Nelson defeated Napoleon in The Battle of Waterloo

Shaka was a Zulu king from Southern Africa, famous for bringing together different nations in order to grow the Zulu kingdom:

The speaker is not taught about him

He is also taught about Christopher Columbus, who came to America in 1492:

However, the indigenous  peoples of the Caribbean, the “Caribs” and the “Arawaks”, were mostly killed and displaced after Columbus’s arrival

The British taught the speaker about Florence Nightingale, who famously nursed injured soldiers by the light of her lamp during the Crimean War

They were even taught about mythological figures  like Robin Hood, and another nursery rhyme, “Old King Cole”

But the British never taught the speaker about Mary Seacole

Shaka is a historical figure who never made any contact with European people

He is a historic figure who revolutionised  African communities alone, and not someone one would expect to learn about in an English school

Agard is indicating that the narrator is very knowledgeable about the type of history that matters to him

Lines 40-49

“From Jamaica

she travel far

to the Crimean War

she volunteer to go

and even when de British said no

she still brave the Russian snow

a healing star

among the wounded

a yellow sunrise

to the dying”

Mary Seacole was from Jamaica and had to travel far to get to the Crimean War

She volunteered to help but initially was denied by the British War Office

She then travelled independently to Russia to help heal the wounded

She gave hope, like a healing star and a bright sunrise, to sick and dying men

Again, Agard deliberately changes the font to teach us about the history that matters more to him

He once again uses the image of illumination to highlight this aspect of history

Lines 50-53

Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me

But now I checking out me own history

I carving out me identity”

The speaker repeats the opening line of the poem, that the British only taught colonised students their version of history

However, the speaker is learning the history of his own people

By doing so, the speaker is creating his own identity

This marks a turning point in the poem, from “dem” to “I”

This shows the speaker taking ownership of his own identity

The poem is now about him, rather than them

Writer’s Methods

Although this section is organised into three separate sections - form, structure and language - it is important to take an integrated  approach to AO2, focusing on the main themes and ideas of the poem and then evaluating how Agard’s choices of language, structure and form contribute to these ideas. In essence, how and why the poet has made the choices they have, in relation to their intentions and message. 

Focusing on the poet’s main ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. In the below sections, all analysis is arranged by theme, and includes Agard’s intentions behind his choices in terms of:

The poem is written as a form of dramatic monologue , in which the speaker uses oral poetry  to teach the reader his history, as opposed to the history imposed upon him

Agard deliberately structures the poem into two distinct styles through the use of italics. This shows the separation between the history he was taught and black history , which is more important to his own identity

Agard uses his choice of techniques and language to contrast the importance and relevance of the British or white history taught in colonised schools with less prominent black history

Examiners are clear that context should not be written about separately. It is therefore important that you do not write about context separately, or include irrelevant biographical information about John Agard or the historical figures mentioned in the poem. The best way to include context is to start with the key themes and ideas in the poem, and then include an exploration of why the writer may have chosen to address these themes and ideas. This section has therefore been divided into two relevant themes that Agard explores:

Cultural identity

Oppression and control

Guyana was a Dutch colony until 1966:

Agard was born there and received a British education

When Guyana became independent, he realised how much of his identity he had been deprived  of

The title of the poem reflects the subject matter

The poem written from the perspective of someone from a Caribbean culture, as the title is written in a Creole dialect

The use of the words “Checking Out” implies a less formal way of learning about history, rather than studying it at school

The poem is filled with historic context:

On both “sides” of the British-colonial story are figures whose contributions to their home, culture or people are significant

Agard examines both sides to shed light on some of the most influential historical figures whose names are overshadowed over and over again

Much of colonial society was about being told what one’s place in the world was by someone else:

The poet is suggesting that colonial education cannot be trusted because it does not have the interests of colonised people in mind

The use of historical figures important to black and colonised peoples’ history shows the poet’s passion and pride towards his own history and identity:

These are people the poet can relate to and wants to learn about

They represent freedom from the oppression of the colonised education system

The poet may also be questioning why people don’t know about minority groups from the Caribbean, such as the Caribs and Arawaks

This suggests that people may be ignorant  to his cultural identity

The poem implies that denying people access to their history is a form of oppression:

It stops people from being inspired by history that is relevant to them and establishing a separate identity (to that of their colonisers)

It is possible that British and other colonised powers deliberately omitted Toussaint L’Ouverture from their teachings:

They might have feared that other oppressed peoples might learn from this example and rise up

In order to reclaim that identity, the speaker argues, colonised peoples must reclaim their history

The key to fighting back is for colonised people to investigate and learn about their own history:

If you control what people learn about the past, then you can control how people think and what they think about themselves

Whoever controls the past controls the present

The poet is therefore arguing that, without a history and a voice, we have no identity

The poem is therefore intended to apply to all people living under oppression and being denied their cultural identity

What to Compare it to

The essay you are required to write in your exam should be an integrated comparison of the ideas and themes explored in two of your anthology poems (the one given on the exam paper and one other). It is therefore essential that you revise the poems together, in pairs, to understand how each poet presents key ideas and themes, in comparison to other poets in the anthology. Given that Checking Out Me History explores ideas of identity, oppression and control , the following comparisons would be a good place to start:

Checking Out Me History and London

Checking Out Me History and The Émigrée

For each pair of poems, you will find:

The comparison in a nutshell

Similarities between the ideas presented in each poem

Differences between the ideas presented in each poem

Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences

Comparison in a nutshell:

This comparison provides the opportunity to compare the poets’ attitudes towards the misuse of power by those in authority. However, while Agard gives a solution, Blake does not, demonstrating their differing viewpoints on the potential for cultural and social change.

Similarities:  

Differences:

This would be an interesting comparison because the speaker’s reflections in The Émigrée are on her own sense of identity, in a similar way as Agard does in Checking Out Me History. Both speakers suffer a loss of identity as a result of circumstances, or what they have or have not been told.

Similarities:

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Author: Deb Orrock

Deb is a graduate of Lancaster University and The University of Wolverhampton. After some time travelling and a successful career in the travel industry, she re-trained in education, specialising in literacy. She has over 16 years’ experience of working in education, teaching English Literature, English Language, Functional Skills English, ESOL and on Access to HE courses. She has also held curriculum and quality manager roles, and worked with organisations on embedding literacy and numeracy into vocational curriculums. She most recently managed a post-16 English curriculum as well as writing educational content and resources.