My Last Duchess

In this activity, students write from the point of view of the duchess to communicate in poetry or prose her thoughts about the duke.

Although “My Last Duchess” derives its title from and is based on a woman, the woman herself has no voice in the poem; her story is told entirely from the duke’s perspective, with his own biases and justifications.

• Place yourself in the duchess’s shoes and pen a monologue, in verse or prose, recounting your side of the story. Consider what your married life was like. What was your perception of the duke and your relationship with him? What conflicts arose? How did you feel about him?
• Perform the monologue for the group; you can use props, costume, and mannerisms to aid your delivery.
• As time allows, discuss with peers the connections between the performed monologues and the theme of The Interplay of Pride, Power, and a Need for Control.

Differentiation Suggestion: Learners who are more comfortable expressing themselves in a visual medium or who may be uneasy performing in front of an audience may choose to retell the duchess’s story through visual artwork, such as a comic strip, graphic presentation, collage, video, or another format.