Exercise 1 Page 23.

THE SPEAKER:

    He has been drawn from history  or legend or he has been created by the writer?

      He is or he isn't delineated against a precise setting in time and place?

The story refers to a real event that was happened: it is setting in Ferrara. There is no a exactly time, but probably it happens during the Renaissance.

Exercise 2 Page 25.

THE LISTENER:

The presence of the silent listener can be inferred by the words: “you”, “strangers like you”, or “Sir”.

THE PRESENT SITUATION:

     Is the situation or the event the speaker hints at of crucial importance for his life?

The speaker hints to the behaviours of his wife towards  other people and to the death of her, she is murdered by him.

THE SUBJECT MATTER:

     The monologue refers to a past and a present situation. Is there any relationship between the two?

Yes, there is. In fact if the death of the Duke’s wife wouldn’t have happened, the present situation wouldn’t take place.

     The monologue reveals the temperament and character of the speaker. How would you characterize the Duke?

     Is there any discrepancy between how the Duke sees himself and how you see him? 

The Duke is jealous and possessive husband who wants to own his wife. But, maybe, he doesn’t recognize that he is too much possessive towards her wife, so he seems different in front of the situation.

THE LANGUAGE:

     The monologue displays various characteristics of the spoken language such as?

1. anaphoric features: “twas”; “will’t”
2. reference to the situation i8n which the speaker and listener find themselves: “the company below”
3. direct address: “will’t pleaseyou sit…”
4. contracted forms: “that’s”; “we’ll”

THE TONE:

The tone is determined by the speaker’s character and his history. The form chosen from he poet reveals the character’s possessive attitude towards the Duchess.