1. How do they link to the poem?
Ozymandias 4 square
How do they link to the poem?

2. To use MITSL to develop a response to the poem
My Last Duchess
Objectives:
To explore the poem My Last Duchess focusing on how Browning has used poetic devices to portray the theme of power and conflict
To use MITSL to develop a response to the poem

3. What can you tell about this woman just from the picture?

4. What does the title suggest?
Think about what we may learn from the title.
What kind of information does the title provide?
What is the significance of the personal pronoun ‘my’ or indeed the past tense ‘last’?
MY LAST DUCHESS

5. What is this poem about?
This is a dramatic monologue ‘spoken’ by the Duke of Ferrara. Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara, was a real Duke in the sixteenth century. He married Lucrezia de Medici when she was 14 years old. She died three years later, perhaps as a result of poisoning. In this poem the Duke describes a painting of his dead wife to a messenger from the nobleman who is arranging his second marriage.

6. My Last Duchess
Whilst listening to the poem, underline anything that might link to idea of the Duke being powerful or showing his power. (Look out for punctuation too.)
What is the conflict in this poem?
How is it shown?

7. FERRARA
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. 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.” 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.

8. 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. 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. 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—

9. E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop. 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. 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. 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!

10. Reader response How does this poem link to conflict and power?
What is the poet’s message about conflict and power?

11. Group work In groups of 4… Act out the plot within the poem
The Count showing the servant around
The description of the painting
The flashback to the events of the Duchess’ life
The reason why Ferrara has her killed
The Murder
The return to the present day

12. Success Criteria
Body Movement, Gesture and facial expressions that accurately present the characters.
Tone and volume of voice that accurately presents characters.
An accurately presentation of the plot.
A presentation of the key themes within the poem.

13. Compare the ways poets present ideas about power in ‘My Last Duchess’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and Conflict’ (Ozymandias) 30 marks

14. Now write a comparison PEEL to go with this PEEL on My Last Duchess.
In the poem Ozymandias Shelley presents the idea that power cannot last for ever, with the Pharaoh's statue left in in a state of ruin at the end of the poem. “Round the decay/Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,/The lone and level sands stretch far away.“ Shelley uses enjambment after the word ‘decay’ to increase the tempo and emphasise that time has moved forward at a pace, Ozymandias is no longer relevant or in control. Also the contrasting image of the ‘colossal wreck’ demonstrates how the mighty have fallen and what remains is useless or pathetic. Finally the alliteration of B and L sounds at the end of the poem creates a clear sound linking to the harsh reality of the situation; power isn’t infinite and time is always the real winner. In my opinion this is an effective end to the power because it creates a melancholic tone that makes the reader question their own existence. Furthermore, it successfully highlights the idea that power is fleeting.
Extension: Reader ‘Tissue’ – What links to power/conflict are there?

15. In the poem Ozymandias Shelley presents the idea that power cannot last for ever, with the Pharaoh's statue left in in a state of ruin at the end of the poem. “Round the decay/Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,/The lone and level sands stretch far away.“ Shelley uses enjambment after the word ‘decay’ to increase the tempo and emphasise that time has moved forward at a pace, Ozymandias is no longer relevant or in control. Also the contrasting image of the ‘colossal wreck’ demonstrates how the mighty have fallen and what remains is useless or pathetic. Finally the alliteration of B and L sounds at the end of the poem creates a clear sound linking to the harsh reality of the situation; power isn’t infinite and time is always the real winner. In my opinion this is an effective end to the power because it creates a melancholic tone that makes the reader question their own existence. Furthermore, it successfully highlights the idea that power is fleeting.

16. This grew; I gave commands;/ Then all smiles stopped together
This grew; I gave commands;/ Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands/ As if alive.

17. Success criteria Idea about power/conflict. Explanation of evidence.
Poetic technique.
Quote.
Iceberging – linking to power.
Reader evaluation.
(New paragraph) Comparative connective.
In contrast, on the other hand, furthermore, whereas, similarly.

18. C grade or 4/5 B grade or 6 A grade or 7
One clear idea about power/conflict
Relevant quote – not very interesting
One comment on the quote explaining one poetic feature.
One Reader reaction not fully explained.
No more than 3 grammatical errors.
B grade or 6
One detailed idea about power/conflict
One introduction to the example.
Relevant quote – with one or two features
Two comments on the quote explaining two poetic features.
Reader evaluation explained
One or two grammatical errors
Marking your LIT
PEEL paragraph
A grade or 7
One detailed and expanded idea about power/conflict.
A detailed introduction to the example – location or line number
The ‘perfect’ quote
Three comments on the quote explaining poetic features with clear links to power/conflict.
A reader evaluation explained in detail.
Excellent vocabulary throughout.
No errors.

19. DIRT
Dedicated Improvement + Reflection Time Based on your grade and your feedback now for your INT rewrite the weakest error of your PEEL and explain what you have done differently.

20. 30 min response
Using your information from your table or venn diagram write a response to the question: Compare the ways poets present ideas about power in ‘My Last Duchess’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and Conflict’

21. Success criteria Is there:
An introduction which includes both poems outlining their meaning and their titles?
A section on imagery which compares both poems in relation to power using quotes?
A section on tone which compares both poems in relation to power using quotes?
A section on structure which compares both poems in relation to power using quotes?
A section on language which compares both poems in relation to power using quotes?

23. Get students to work on MITSL on their own today.

24. Success Criteria Is there a clear topic sentence?
Is there evidence of quotes?
Is there discussion about language/structure?
Is there a link back to the question?

25. PEEL time
How does Browning use language and structure to portray the Duke? Think about power and conflict.