My Last Duchess Question Answer (6 Mark)। Robert Browning। Class 11 2nd Semester । Long Question Answer ।WBCHSE
My Last Duchess Question Answer (6 Mark)
(1) “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,” -Who is the speaker and who is addressed to ? Why is the Duchess called “last”? What happened to her ?
(“ওই আমার শেষ ডাচেস দেয়ালে আঁকা”- বক্তা কে, ও কাকে উদ্দেশ্য করে এই কথা বলা হয়েছে ? ডাচেসকে “শেষ” বলার কারণ কী? তার কী হয়েছিল ?)
Answer –
✍ The Duke of Ferrara in Italy in Robert Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess” is the speaker here. He says this to an emissary sent to the Duke by a Count.
✍ The Duchess being dead, the Duke calls her his last Duchess.
✍ The Duchess was an innocent lady. She was soft and sweet in temper. She liked all. The Duke could not tolerate her easy manners. He began to suspect her. A time came when the Duke got her killled out of great rage and jealousy. Thus ended the life of a guiltless Duchess.
(2) “I call / That piece a wonder, now:” -Who calls “that piece” a wonder ? To whom is the speaker speaking ? What does the speaker mean by “that piece” ? How does the speaker describe “that piece” ?
(“আমি বলি/এক টুকরো বিস্ময়”- ‘দ্যাট পিস’কে বিস্ময় বলে কে অভিহিত করেন ? কার উদ্দেশ্যে বক্তা এ কথা বলেছেন ? ‘দ্যাট পিস’ বলতে বক্তা কী বোঝাতে চেয়েছেন ? বক্তা কীভাবে ‘দ্যাট পিস’-এর বর্ণনা দেন ?)
Answer –
✍ The speaker, the Duke of Ferrara, calls “that piece” a wonder.
✍ The speaker, the Duke of Ferrara, is speaking to an emissary from the Count, who wishes to arrange a marriage between his daughter and the Duke.
✍ “That piece” must mean “that portrait,” surely, though, there is something intangibly common, almost vulgar, in his expression. Obviously the “piece” is something hand-made, a painting, a wondrous good one.
✍ The painting Is beautiful and life-like. The glance of the Duchess is intense and passionate, and it amazes the strangers. The cheeks of the Duchess are tinged with a peculiar blush of happiness that disappears along the throat. The picture is usually curtained and none but the Duke may draw aside the curtain from the picture to show it to the visitors.
(3) Why does the Duke appear to be unhappy with his last Duchess in the poem “My Last Duchess” ? 6
(‘মাই লাস্ট ডাচেস’ কবিতায় কেন ডিউককে তার শেষ ডাচেসের ব্যাপারে অসুখী বলে মনে হয় ?)
Answer –
✍ The Duke appears to be unhappy with his last Duchess because he strongly believes that his wife had not given him the respect he deserved. He complains that she was too friendly and insufficiently dignified. In the course of conversation with the envoy, the Duke claims that the Duchess had a childish heart which can be ‘too easily impressed’ by anything she sees or little acts of favours done by others. He even goes to the extent of accusing her of tarnishing his nine-hundred-years-old good name with low standards. She failed to value and respect his precious gift and never considered him above others. He got fed up with the same smile and blush on her face whenever she passed by him and so he ordered his guards to kill her. The Duke seems to be absolutely cold, unloving, insensitive, hard-hearted and cruel person. He is always dissatisfied with the Duchess regardless of what she was. He tried to portray her in a negative light but unconsciously revealed his controlling attitude and cruel nature.
(4) What type of a lady was the last Duchess ? Why was she killed ? 2+4
(শেষ ডাচেস কী ধরনের মহিলা ছিলেন ? কেন তাকে হত্যা করা হয় ?)
Answer –
✍ The last Duchess was a lady of free and frank disposition. She was very opposite to the manners of her husband, the Duke.
✍ Being a Duke, her husband tried to prevent her from doing common activities. But the lady was easily pleased with anybody else. And she received gifts from her husband as well as common people. It was clear to her husband that he had no special value in the eyes of his wife. Moreover, she had the habit of smiling at everybody. But this was too for the strict Duke to tolerate. So he ordered her to be killed. The Duchess’ humdrum nature was brutally murdered by the Duke.
(5) Assess “My Last Duchess” as a dramatic monologue.
(“My Last Duchess” কবিতাটিকে নাটকীয় একাঙ্কিকা হিসেবে মূল্যায়ন করো ।) [WBCHSE Textbook]
[OR]
Consider the poem “My Last Duchess” as a dramatic monologue. 6
(নাট্যময় স্বগতোক্তি রূপে ‘মাই লাস্ট ডাচেস’ কবিতাটি ব্যাখ্যা করো।)
Answer –
✍ Robert Browning is the chief exponent of dramatic monologue. His “My Last Duchess” is an ideal example of this form.
A dramatic monologue is cast in the form of a speech. The speech must be made by one person and addressed to a silent listener. By the speech the speaker either knowingly or unknowingly reveals his/her character. The aim of a dramatic monologue is “psycho-analysis” of the character.
“My Last Duchess” is the narrative of one man. He is the Duke. His silent listener is the Count’s emissary. Through the speech of the Duke he reveals his character. He speaks in self-justification. In his process of self-defense we see the inner man in the Duke. His speech exposes just not an individual but the whole class and the epoch he belongs to. So this poem is a fine piece of dramatic monologue.
(6) How does the Duke describe his memory and his last Duchess in “My Last Duchess” ? 6
(‘মাই লাস্ট ডাচেস’ কবিতায় ডিউক কীভাবে তার শেষ স্ত্রী এবং তার স্মৃতিকে ব্যাখ্যা করেন ?)
Answer –
✍ The Duke described his last Duchess as lady of Quite friendly, affectionate, responsive towards others’ emotions and easily impressed. He had complaints that she does not treat him with extra attention despite seeing his noble gestures. She is such a kind of lady who enjoys life by living with others irrespective of their classes. The Duke considered her friendliness as lack of awareness about class and people. He even criticizes her character for not seeing and correcting her faults. She does not possess any special place or attention for the Duke which arises problem in his mind. He does not admire his wife at all for her over friendliness and lack of care attitude. He described about her what he observed with his perspective and from others’ views. When the Duke shows the portrait of the Duchess to a visitor he admires the lifelike painting but he remembers her with complaints and bitterness. We can know about the Duchess from the Duke’s explanation only. He does not give any evidence or instances to prove his point.
(7) Bring out the significance of the title “My Last Duchess” ?
(‘মাই লাস্ট ডাচেস’ শিরোনামটির যথার্থতা নিরূপণ করো।)
Answer –
✍ The title of the poem “My Last Duchess” is derived from the first sentence uttered by the Duke who is showing the painting to an important visitor. His way of describing his late wife characterizes him as egocentric, and this self-characterization continues throughout the entire monologue. The phrase “My last Duchess” is somewhat ambiguous because it suggests that his former wife was not his first wife but that he might have had one or more wives before her. It also suggests a complete lack of feeling for the last wife as a human being, which is what is so chilling about this entire dramatic monologue. If he cared anything about her he would have said, “That’s my first wife” or “That’s my late wife” or something else with at least a hint of love and bereavement. The painting is not his wife but just a representation of his wife, but he does not seem to distinguish between a picture and a living human being whom he unconsciously describes as a warm, gentle, sensitive, charming woman. The phrase “My last Duchess” also implies that he is more concerned about his “next” Duchess, the young woman he has set his sights on because she will bring him a big dowry. Such a contrast reveals that the poem is ironically titled.
(8) Paint a picture of the Duke’s character based on the poem “My Last Duchess.” 6
(‘মাই লাস্ট ডাচেস’ কবিতার অনুসরণে ডিউকের চরিত্রের চিত্রায়ণ করো।)
Answer –
✍ The poem ‘My Last Duchess’ penned by Robert Browning is about the Duke of Ferrara who has skillfully portrayed the Duchess in a negative shadow while conversing with the envoy of the Count whose daughter he intends to marry. As the Duke tries to defend his own rights with his skillful words and language, a lot of his evil traits are revealed. His jealous and possessive natures are revealed when he narrates of how the Duchess found joy all around her and favoured others besides him with her blush and smile. He despised the Duchess for having a childish heart which was ‘too soon made glad’. His arrogance is also seen where he praises the work of Fra Pandolf instead of appreciating the beauty of the Duchess. He is also a suspicious husband where he blames that the Duchess has flirted with all the men including the painter.
(9) Bring out the character of the last Duchess in the poem “My Last Duchess.” 6
(‘মাই লাস্ট ডাচেস’ কবিতায় লাস্ট ডাচেসের চরিত্রটির ব্যাখ্যা দাও।)
Answer –
✍ In Robert Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess”, the picture of the Duchess emerges from the Duke’s own words. The Duchess was an innocent, good-natured lady who simply could not adopt the arrogance of her husband. Devoid of cunning and unscrupulousness of the Duke, she could not hide her true carefree innocence. She had a smile for everyone and enjoyed life’s little joys. She is frank and is readily pleased. Her child-like nobility was inevitably overcome by the tyrant Duke for her marriage with the Duke was a clash of personalities. The Duchess was respectful and appeared to be very nice to the Duke, but the Duke, according to his own words, was not the only source of her joy. She found pleasure in nature and people who would do small favours for her. The Duke was not her only source of joy, therefore, he ordered her to be killed.
(10) Summarise the poem “My Last Duchess.”
(“My Last Duchess” কবিতার সারমর্ম লেখো।)
Answer –
✍ This poem is partially based on historical events of a Duke in Italy during the Renaissance. He is supposed to be Alfanso, the Duke of Ferrara. He is the speaker of the poem. He entertains an emissary from a Count. The emissary has come to negotiate the Duke’s marriage to the daughter of the Count. The widowed Duke shows to the guest the portrait of his last Duchess. Pulling the curtain the Duke starts reminiscing about the portrait sessions, then about the Duchess herself. He seems to be highly irritated with a blush and spot of joy appearing on his Duchess’s cheek. He expresses his strong dislike to her disgraceful behaviour. He complains that she would appreciate anything and anybody. She had no special regard for her husband and his aristocracy. As his monologue continues, we realise that the Duke is going to reveal the most sinister thing. The Duke soon states without any regret that he had killed his Duchess. Having made his disclosure in a cool and unconcerned way the Duke shifts his speech to his next marriage. He expects to have a handsome dowry in the marriage. But his chief aim is to get the Count’s daughter. Finally the Duke shows the envoy a statue of Neptune taming a sea-horse. He t”k’s pride in possessing the rare art piece.
(11) How does the conclusion of the poem “My Last Duchess” continue the theme of power and control shown by the Duke in the earlier part of the poem ?
(“My Last Duchess” কবিতার উপসংহার কীভাবে কবিতাটির আগের অংশের ডিউকের ক্ষমতা এবং নিয়ন্ত্রণের বিষয়বস্তু অব্যাহত রেখেছে ?) [WBCHSE Textbook ]
Answer –
✍ From the very beginning of the Duke’s tale of his Duchess he poses as a man of sovereign power. His pride and arrogance are hinted at. The Count’s emissary has already been aware of the Duke’s commanding personality. To the end of the poem, the envoy comes downstairs with the Duke. It is now the time for him to leave the palace. But the Duke once again asserts his power. He shows to the envoy a statue of Neptune. That’s a piece of rare art. The Duke calls the attention of the envoy to the sea-god, Neptune taming a sea-horse. He wants to find a parallel to himself in this statue. As a Neptune he had already tamed his last Duchess and will do so in future. It is just a warning sent through the Count’s envoy to his prospective bride. Thus the theme of power and authority the poem highlights continues upto the end of the poem.
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