{"id":205,"date":"2014-06-17T21:49:14","date_gmt":"2014-06-17T21:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/?post_type=chapter&p=205"},"modified":"2014-09-26T18:43:35","modified_gmt":"2014-09-26T18:43:35","slug":"my-last-duchess","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/chapter\/my-last-duchess\/","title":{"raw":"My Last Duchess","rendered":"My Last Duchess"},"content":{"raw":"FERRARA<\/em>\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s my last Duchess painted on the wall,\r\n\r\nLooking as if she were alive. I[footnote]The Duke is based upon Alfonso II, fifth Duke of Ferrara (1533-97). In 1558, he married 14-year-old Lucrezia de\u2019 Medici, who died in 1561 under suspicious circumstances.[\/footnote]\u00a0call\r\n\r\nThat piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf[footnote]Brother Pandolf, a fictitious painter from a monastic order.[\/footnote]\u2019s hands\r\n\r\nWorked busily a day, and there she stands.\r\n\r\nWill\u2019t please you sit and look at her? I said\r\n\r\n\u201cFra Pandolf \" by design, for never read\r\n\r\nStrangers like you that pictured countenance,\r\n\r\nThe depth and passion of its earnest glance,\r\n\r\nBut to myself they turned (since none puts by\r\n\r\nThe curtain I have drawn for you, but I)\r\n\r\nAnd seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,\r\n\r\nHow such a glance came there; so, not the first\r\n\r\nAre you to turn and ask thus. Sir, \u2019twas not\r\n\r\nHer husband\u2019s presence only, called that spot\r\n\r\nOf joy into the Duchess\u2019 cheek; perhaps\r\n\r\nFra Pandolf chanced to say, \u201cHer mantle laps\r\n\r\nOver my lady\u2019s wrist too much,\u201d or \u201cPaint\r\n\r\nMust never hope to reproduce the faint\r\n\r\nHalf-flush that dies along her throat.\u201d Such stuff\r\n\r\nWas courtesy, she thought, and cause enough\r\n\r\nFor calling up that spot of joy. She had\r\n\r\nA heart\u2014how shall I say?\u2014 too soon made glad,\r\n\r\nToo easily impressed; she liked whate\u2019er\r\n\r\nShe looked on, and her looks went everywhere.\r\n\r\nSir, \u2019twas all one! My favour at her breast,\r\n\r\nThe dropping of the daylight in the West,\r\n\r\nThe bough of cherries some officious fool\r\n\r\nBroke in the orchard for her, the white mule\r\n\r\nShe rode with round the terrace\u2014all and each\r\n\r\nWould draw from her alike the approving speech,\r\n\r\nOr blush, at least. She thanked men\u2014good! but thanked\r\n\r\nSomehow\u2014I know not how\u2014as if she ranked\r\n\r\nMy gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name\r\n\r\nWith anybody\u2019s gift. Who\u2019d stoop to blame\r\n\r\nThis sort of trifling? Even had you skill\r\n\r\nIn speech\u2014which I have not\u2014to make your will\r\n\r\nQuite clear to such an one, and say, \u201cJust this\r\n\r\nOr that in you disgusts me; here you miss,\r\n\r\nOr there exceed the mark\u201d\u2014and if she let\r\n\r\nHerself be lessoned so, nor plainly set\r\n\r\nHer wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse\u2014\r\n\r\nE\u2019en then would be some stooping; and I choose\r\n\r\nNever to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,\r\n\r\nWhene\u2019er I passed her; but who passed without\r\n\r\nMuch the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;\r\n\r\nThen all smiles stopped together. There she stands\r\n\r\nAs if alive. Will\u2019t please you rise? We\u2019ll meet\r\n\r\nThe company below, then. I repeat,\r\n\r\nThe Count your master\u2019s known munificence\r\n\r\nIs ample warrant that no just pretense\r\n\r\nOf mine for dowry will be disallowed;\r\n\r\nThough his fair daughter\u2019s self, as I avowed\r\n\r\nAt starting, is my object. Nay, we\u2019ll go\r\n\r\nTogether down, sir. Notice Neptune[footnote]Roman sea god, here depicted as subduing a mythical beast, half horse, half fish.[\/footnote], though,\r\n\r\nTaming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,\r\n\r\nWhich Claus of Innsbruck[footnote]An imaginary sculptor. The reference may be an indirect compliment to Frederick of Innsbruck, Count of Tyrol, whose daughter Alfonso married in 1565.[\/footnote]\u00a0cast in bronze for me!\r\n\r\n\u20141842\r\n
<\/div>","rendered":"

FERRARA<\/em><\/p>\n

That\u2019s my last Duchess painted on the wall,<\/p>\n

Looking as if she were alive. I[1]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0call<\/p>\n

That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf[2]<\/sup><\/a>\u2019s hands<\/p>\n

Worked busily a day, and there she stands.<\/p>\n

Will\u2019t please you sit and look at her? I said<\/p>\n

\u201cFra Pandolf ” by design, for never read<\/p>\n

Strangers like you that pictured countenance,<\/p>\n

The depth and passion of its earnest glance,<\/p>\n

But to myself they turned (since none puts by<\/p>\n

The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)<\/p>\n

And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,<\/p>\n

How such a glance came there; so, not the first<\/p>\n

Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, \u2019twas not<\/p>\n

Her husband\u2019s presence only, called that spot<\/p>\n

Of joy into the Duchess\u2019 cheek; perhaps<\/p>\n

Fra Pandolf chanced to say, \u201cHer mantle laps<\/p>\n

Over my lady\u2019s wrist too much,\u201d or \u201cPaint<\/p>\n

Must never hope to reproduce the faint<\/p>\n

Half-flush that dies along her throat.\u201d Such stuff<\/p>\n

Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough<\/p>\n

For calling up that spot of joy. She had<\/p>\n

A heart\u2014how shall I say?\u2014 too soon made glad,<\/p>\n

Too easily impressed; she liked whate\u2019er<\/p>\n

She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.<\/p>\n

Sir, \u2019twas all one! My favour at her breast,<\/p>\n

The dropping of the daylight in the West,<\/p>\n

The bough of cherries some officious fool<\/p>\n

Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule<\/p>\n

She rode with round the terrace\u2014all and each<\/p>\n

Would draw from her alike the approving speech,<\/p>\n

Or blush, at least. She thanked men\u2014good! but thanked<\/p>\n

Somehow\u2014I know not how\u2014as if she ranked<\/p>\n

My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name<\/p>\n

With anybody\u2019s gift. Who\u2019d stoop to blame<\/p>\n

This sort of trifling? Even had you skill<\/p>\n

In speech\u2014which I have not\u2014to make your will<\/p>\n

Quite clear to such an one, and say, \u201cJust this<\/p>\n

Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,<\/p>\n

Or there exceed the mark\u201d\u2014and if she let<\/p>\n

Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set<\/p>\n

Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse\u2014<\/p>\n

E\u2019en then would be some stooping; and I choose<\/p>\n

Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,<\/p>\n

Whene\u2019er I passed her; but who passed without<\/p>\n

Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;<\/p>\n

Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands<\/p>\n

As if alive. Will\u2019t please you rise? We\u2019ll meet<\/p>\n

The company below, then. I repeat,<\/p>\n

The Count your master\u2019s known munificence<\/p>\n

Is ample warrant that no just pretense<\/p>\n

Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;<\/p>\n

Though his fair daughter\u2019s self, as I avowed<\/p>\n

At starting, is my object. Nay, we\u2019ll go<\/p>\n

Together down, sir. Notice Neptune[3]<\/sup><\/a>, though,<\/p>\n

Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,<\/p>\n

Which Claus of Innsbruck[4]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0cast in bronze for me!<\/p>\n

\u20141842<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
  1. The Duke is based upon Alfonso II, fifth Duke of Ferrara (1533-97). In 1558, he married 14-year-old Lucrezia de\u2019 Medici, who died in 1561 under suspicious circumstances. ↵<\/a><\/li>
  2. Brother Pandolf, a fictitious painter from a monastic order. ↵<\/a><\/li>
  3. Roman sea god, here depicted as subduing a mythical beast, half horse, half fish. ↵<\/a><\/li>
  4. An imaginary sculptor. The reference may be an indirect compliment to Frederick of Innsbruck, Count of Tyrol, whose daughter Alfonso married in 1565. ↵<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":17,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":["robert-browning"],"pb_section_license":"public-domain"},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[57],"license":[78],"class_list":["post-205","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","contributor-robert-browning","license-public-domain"],"part":200,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/205\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1816,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/205\/revisions\/1816"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/200"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/205\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=205"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=205"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/englishliterature\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}