Analyzing and Interpreting Literature / Unit 5 AIL 0409 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Weight of "Last"
Captions available
The idea
My last Duchess means the previous one, and it implies a next one. With an envoy standing beside him arranging that next marriage, the possessive and the ordinal do a great deal of work. The Duke's first three words already establish what he thinks a wife is.
In practice
Last implies a next.
Where people slip
Three words establish the whole attitude.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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