London – people are trapped and
oppressed due to abuse of power My Last Duchess – Duke shows ideas
from higher ups. of control and abuse of power.
“I wander through each chartered Wants to control every aspect of her
street/ Near where the chartered even her smile and who she blushes
Thames does flow” at.
Adjective “chartered” suggests “Her husband’s presence only, called
streets are controlled. Causes reader that spot/Of joy into the Duchess’
to consider how far control would go cheek:”
if even nature is being controlled. Duke seen as controlling and
“Chartered” repeated highlighted unreasonable – only expects her to
extent of government authority have happinesses from only her
even have control of rivers. husband. Presents him as paranoid
Blake may have intended to criticise that he will lose her, wants to
higher ups of London and how completely dominate her life.
power has effects on both nature He saw he lost control of his wife
and people. and retaliated and killed her.
Ideas about power in London and MLD
My last Duchess- duke seen as
London- subject to the abuse of oppressor and uses power to abuse
power as the people in London and Duchess and take control of her and
the abusers are the government, kills her. Duchess seen as a subject
higher ups, the monarchs and even to the abuse rather than the people
the luxurious popes from the like in the poem ‘London’.
churches as “every black’ning church Browning uses structure and form as
appals”. a way to enhance portrayal of duke
Could indicate how even people of as power hungry person, structure
church are causing abuse of power and form also emphasise sense of
on the people even if they should be the duke’s power as wants only him
morally good due to role in church. to be voice in the poem. Implies he
Throughout poem changes focus on in fact wants to be only one with
who is to blame, uses cyclical power and so when he start to lose
structure as first and second stanza control he does anything to gain
focus on impact of people, third back the power. Can also suggest he
explores sources of suffering and doesn’t ant anyone to interrupt his
fourth goes back to impact again, narrative.
effect of this is to suggest suffering is When duke is talking about his
never ending and implies to reader duchess he asks if “Will’t please you
that suffering will continue unless sit and look at her”. Duke posing this
they rebel against the monarch and as a question, but we can infer can
higher ups like the French did during be seen as a command, emphasises
the revolution. his power and pride, could also
suggest how he wants to be in
control constantly and abuses power
to do so.
oppressed due to abuse of power My Last Duchess – Duke shows ideas
from higher ups. of control and abuse of power.
“I wander through each chartered Wants to control every aspect of her
street/ Near where the chartered even her smile and who she blushes
Thames does flow” at.
Adjective “chartered” suggests “Her husband’s presence only, called
streets are controlled. Causes reader that spot/Of joy into the Duchess’
to consider how far control would go cheek:”
if even nature is being controlled. Duke seen as controlling and
“Chartered” repeated highlighted unreasonable – only expects her to
extent of government authority have happinesses from only her
even have control of rivers. husband. Presents him as paranoid
Blake may have intended to criticise that he will lose her, wants to
higher ups of London and how completely dominate her life.
power has effects on both nature He saw he lost control of his wife
and people. and retaliated and killed her.
Ideas about power in London and MLD
My last Duchess- duke seen as
London- subject to the abuse of oppressor and uses power to abuse
power as the people in London and Duchess and take control of her and
the abusers are the government, kills her. Duchess seen as a subject
higher ups, the monarchs and even to the abuse rather than the people
the luxurious popes from the like in the poem ‘London’.
churches as “every black’ning church Browning uses structure and form as
appals”. a way to enhance portrayal of duke
Could indicate how even people of as power hungry person, structure
church are causing abuse of power and form also emphasise sense of
on the people even if they should be the duke’s power as wants only him
morally good due to role in church. to be voice in the poem. Implies he
Throughout poem changes focus on in fact wants to be only one with
who is to blame, uses cyclical power and so when he start to lose
structure as first and second stanza control he does anything to gain
focus on impact of people, third back the power. Can also suggest he
explores sources of suffering and doesn’t ant anyone to interrupt his
fourth goes back to impact again, narrative.
effect of this is to suggest suffering is When duke is talking about his
never ending and implies to reader duchess he asks if “Will’t please you
that suffering will continue unless sit and look at her”. Duke posing this
they rebel against the monarch and as a question, but we can infer can
higher ups like the French did during be seen as a command, emphasises
the revolution. his power and pride, could also
suggest how he wants to be in
control constantly and abuses power
to do so.
