Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess”

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/podcasts/74769/my-last-duchess
Ah . . . another suspicious death! Real-life mystery and intrigue riddle this dramatic monologue in which a
Renaissance Italian duke talks to a messenger about a painting of his former wife, who died mysteriously!
Some thoughts to ponder as you explore this poem: What do YOU think happened to the duchess--and why?
Did she deserve the accusations from her husband that you read about? What advice would you give the
duke's soon-to-be new wife? Just how reliable is this narrator, and does his tone change over the course of his
monologue? How do you view the duke and also his “last” wife by the end of the poem (story)? Once you have
finished acquainting yourselves with this classic mystery poem, take a few minutes to ponder its nuances
before you begin writing! (Hint: Don't be too quick to judge the lady in question!).