That's my last duchess painted on the wall.
-- Duke (Line 1)

Importance: This line establishes the theme of the poem, its speaker, its setting, and the plot immediately. It places the speaker and his listener in a gallery, looking at a portrait of the speaker's deceased wife, and indicates that the speaker is a duke (as he had a duchess). It also introduces critical themes, like the idea of art and the duke's misogyny. The duke speaks of his wife with casual possessiveness, as "my" duchess (1). By calling her "my last duchess," he further indicates that she is disposable and replaceable to him (1).

None puts by / the curtain I have drawn for you, but I.
-- Duke (Lines 9 – 10)

Importance: This speech further positions the reader in front of the portrait, imagining a curtain being drawn to reveal it. It clarifies the duke's position of power and ownership, as well as introducing his possessive attitude towards his wife. Only...