At the end the Duke is arranging...

• A. A charitable endowment
• B. A new portrait
• C. A tour of the estate
• D. His next marriage

Answer: (D)

The point being tested is the Duke’s need to control people and outcomes to maintain his status. In this dramatic monologue, the Duke speaks with calm, calculating precision about the power he holds and the way he uses marriages to secure his position.

At the end, the duke is arranging his next marriage. He’s talking with an envoy from a noble family about marrying the daughter of that family, a dynastic move meant to keep or raise his standing. The tone makes clear that this is not about romance or personal affection but about power, reputation, and control. The painting of the Duchess, his previous wife, underlines this pattern: he shaped the narrative of her life, and now he wants to orchestrate a new alliance in the same merciless way. The other options don’t fit the moment or the speaker’s focus on building status through marriage—the poem’s driving impulse is control through arranged alliances rather than charity, a new portrait, or a simple tour of the estate.