大学英语英国文学Robert Browning.ppt

你并非第一个人回头这样问我。 先生，不仅仅是她丈夫的在座 使公爵夫人面带欢容，可能 潘道夫偶然说过：“夫人的披风 盖住她的手腕太多，”或者说： “隐约的红晕向颈部渐渐隐没， 这绝非任何颜料所能复制。” 这种无聊话，却被她当成好意， 也足以唤起她的欢心。她那颗心—— 怎么说好呢？——要取悦容易得很， 也太易感动。她看到什么都喜欢， 而她的目光又偏爱到处观看。 先生，她对什么都一样！她胸口上 佩戴的我的赠品，或落日的余光； 过分殷勤的傻子在园中攀折 给她的一枝樱桃，或她骑着 绕行花圃的白骡——所有这一切 都会使她同样地赞羡不绝， 或至少泛起红晕。她感激人．好的！ 但她的感激（我说不上怎么搞的） 仿佛把我赐她的九百年的门第 与任何人的赠品并列。谁愿意 屈尊去谴责这种轻浮举止？ 即使 你有口才（我却没有）能把你的意志 给这样的人儿充分说明：“你这点 或那点令我讨厌。这儿你差得远， 而那儿你超越了界限。”即使她肯听 你这样训诫她而毫不争论， 毫不为自己辩解，——我也觉得 这会有失身份，所以我选择 绝不屈尊。哦，先生，她总是在微笑， 每逢我走过；但是谁人走过得不到 同样慷慨的微笑？发展至此， 我下了令：于是一切微笑都从此制止。 她站在那儿，像活着一样。请你起身， 客人们在楼下等。我再重复一声： 你的主人——伯爵先生闻名的大方 足以充分保证：我对嫁妆 提出任何合理要求都不会遭拒绝； 当然，如我开头声明的，他美貌的小姐 才是我追求的目标。别客气，让咱们 一同下楼吧。但请看这海神尼普顿 在驯服海马，这是件珍贵的收藏， 是克劳斯为我特制的青铜铸像 My Last Duchess In this poem, Browning creates a character of chilling coldness and cruelty. The speaker is a Duke who is conducting negotiations for a bride, a new duchess. He is talking with the representatives of potential father in law. Almost casually, he shows them the picture of the last duchess whom he had killed because he could not dominate her. Imagine this scene… A stately home A rich, devastatingly handsome Duke, flowing dark hair, bright blue eyes, a velvet jacket, an ornately embroidered waistcoat with gold buttons, a walking cane adorned with jewels. An envoy – a man sent to meet the Duke – a lesser man, smartly dressed but does not have the Duke’s money or charisma and the Duke knows it. The Duke takes the envoy around his home to show off his art collection, including a portrait of his late wife, the Last Duchess. The picture is kept hidden Behind a curtain Where the Duke can enjoy it by himself Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” (1842) A contemporary painting of a “Victorian Portrait” (Niagra Art Collection) Other depictions of the duchess: Questions Why is the Duchess not smiling in the painting? Ferrara That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now: Immediate sense of