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A Woman’s Last Word
Key:
Woman speaking out against society
Argument
Affair / Unrequited Love
Death
Browning’s Own Experiences

We found five possible different themes that the poem could relate to: woman
speaking out against society, affair / unrequited love, Death, Browning’s Own
Experiences and a possible argument
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‘Contend no more’ – argue no more
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– They want to metaphorically put the argument to bed,
which also links to the quote ‘only sleep’ on the same stanza
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– This could imply eternal rest because the speaker is ‘only sleep[ing]’
and will never wake
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There is almost a question asked – can we go back to before you decided to end
the affair? – Tell me that you didn’t love me and I will believe you
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words",
that he refuses to accept them
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Robert is questioning the words of others
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‘Wild’ – Their words are ‘wild’
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The words are ‘wild’ – the whole affair was wild and crazy
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‘Birds’ – They have lost the meaning to their argument
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–
It’s more meaningless noise than a conversation
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They must 'hide' and 'hush' so he will not
know they are meeting
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‘Creature stalking’ – The ‘creature stalking’ is his wife – someone who has the
power to come between them and tear them apart
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A Woman’s Last Word
The ‘creature’ is the impending death, one that is ‘stalking’ ever closer
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He wants to end – ‘hide’ – their affair but she didn’t
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Stanza 4
Serpent - a bad omen! It could be referring to Elizabeth's severe health issues OR
the serpent could be Browning's portrayal of Mr Barrett - a bad omen in their
relationship
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She is questioning his commitment
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What are they arguing about any more? – The meaning to the argument has been
lost
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– ‘false’
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Eve went into the garden of
Eden and took the forbidden fruit - this was the one thing God told her not to do
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Browning here is referencing supposedly mans worst act
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Browning
ran away with a woman leaving her family behind
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Browning could be stating that he
doesn't want to lose his "Eden" - his sanctuary (Elizabeth)
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– The tradition of men
being the masters in the relationship means she cannot say what she wishes to
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Comparing the affair to what Eve did – she committed the first sin
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They should stop now before they ‘lose’ their ‘Edens’
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– They wish no one would ‘pry’ into
their personal affairs
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Robert could have based the 'woman' in the poem on
his wife, using her mannerisms and language to form the female speaker
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Wants the arguments just to stop so they can love each other again
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The woman may want to speak out but she still wants the man to hold her and
love her
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– She wants him to ‘hold’
her
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– Fits with title
‘woman’s last word’
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Also, when
Robert was starting to get into poetry, she had been writing for years
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" They later met up and thus started their courtship
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He is teaching her how to love
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– She wants to learn from him
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Tradition states that she must think as he thinks and speak as he does
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– ‘as I ought’ – as she is supposed to
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– Unrequited love
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'laying
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Robert is giving his spirit to Elizabeth to help her: he is laying his spirit
in her hands to do as she will with it
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If he wants it he can have ‘both’ her body and her soul
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It’s the man and woman’s final night together – they may never have another one
and so they want to make the most of it
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Mr Barrett
saw Robert as a lower-class 'gold-digger'
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He must be strong – ‘bury sorrow’ – for the dying one
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Stanza 10
After they eloped Elizabeth's brother and father refused to associate with her
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Robert could be saying here
that she is allowed to cry as she will be safe in his arms, she can fall asleep loved
by Robert
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– She reflects on her foolishness
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Foolish her for believing she can speak out
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– She feels
‘foolish’ for wishing that she could change tradition so she gives up trying
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She wanted him but he is either refusing her or ending their affair – she is telling
him that even if he won’t have her, she will always love him, and he will fall
asleep loved by her

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