Question

what does it mean by "the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum"

Answer 1

In ‘The Portrait of a Lady’, the ‘the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum’ refers to the poor and worn out condition of the drum being played by the grandmother.

It refers to the old and broken drum and this has been used as a simile to the weathered condition of the grandmother who was once young but is now old and haggard.

Answer 2

The "the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum" shows the poor and old condition of the drum just like the grandmother is right now

Not much to wonder about this one

Hope it helps

:)