Stanza 100 - Explanation

Original Stanza

Look, as the full-fed hound or gorged hawk,
Unapt for tender smell or speedy flight,
Make slow pursuit, or altogether balk
The prey wherein by nature they delight;
So surfeit-taking Tarquin fares this night:
His taste delicious, in digestion souring,
Devours his will, that lived by foul devouring.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 100 of The Rape of Lucrece line by line and then look at the overall meaning.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• Line 1: "Look, as the full-fed hound or gorged hawk,"

  • Look is an imperative, drawing the reader's attention to the following comparison.
  • Full-fed hound or gorged hawk introduces the analogy. A hound (dog) and a hawk, both predators, are described as having eaten too much. "Full-fed" and "gorged" are strong verbs implying overindulgence.
  • Literary Device: Simile (using "as") - comparing Tarquin to an overfed animal.

• Line 2: "Unapt for tender smell or speedy flight,"

  • Unapt means unsuitable or incapable.
  • Tender smell refers to the hound's inability to pick up faint scents. Their sense of smell, usually sharp, is dulled by being overly full.
  • Speedy flight refers to the hawk's inability to fly quickly. Their agility in the air is impaired due to overeating.
  • Literary Device: Imagery - Creates a clear picture of animals incapacitated by gluttony.

• Line 3: "Make slow pursuit, or altogether balk"

  • Slow pursuit reinforces the idea of diminished capability. The hound and hawk are not functioning at their usual predatory level.
  • Altogether balk means to completely avoid or refuse. Because of being full, they no longer feel the need or capability to pursue what they desire.
  • Literary Device: Contrast - highlights the difference between their natural state and their current state.

• Line 4: "The prey wherein by nature they delight;"

  • The prey refers to the animals that the hound and hawk naturally hunt.
  • By nature they delight emphasizes that hunting is an innate and pleasurable drive for these animals. They should want to hunt.
  • Literary Device: Irony - their current state prevents them from fulfilling their natural desires.

• Line 5: "So surfeit-taking Tarquin fares this night:"

  • So marks the transition from the animal analogy to Tarquin.
  • Surfeit-taking means indulging to excess, similar to "full-fed" and "gorged." This describes Tarquin's mental and physical state this night.
  • Fares means "behaves" or "proceeds."
  • Literary Device: Simile - the culmination of the comparison. Tarquin is like the overfed hound/hawk.

• Line 6: "His taste delicious, in digestion souring,"

  • His taste delicious refers to Tarquin's initial pleasure in contemplating and committing the rape. He finds the idea of possessing Lucrece appealing.
  • In digestion souring foreshadows the guilt and regret that will follow the act. The "taste" is now turning bitter.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor - uses the concept of digestion to represent the experience of desire and its aftermath. Juxtaposition of "delicious" and "souring" to highlight the contrast.

• Line 7: "Devours his will, that lived by foul devouring."

  • Devours his will means that the guilt and consequences of his actions are destroying his capacity to act.
  • That lived by foul devouring refers to how Tarquin’s will previously thrived off of impure and evil desires. His will, which fueled his lust, is now being consumed by the consequences of its own actions.
  • Literary Device: Personification - Tarquin's will is given the ability to "live" and "devour." Repetition - "devouring" emphasizes the destructive nature of Tarquin's desires.

Overall Meaning:

This stanza vividly portrays Tarquin's state of mind and foreshadows the consequences of his lust. The simile of the overfed hound and hawk illustrates that his desire, initially appealing, will turn to disgust and self-destruction. Just as the overfed animals are incapable of their natural actions, Tarquin is becoming incapable of rational thought and action. The stanza suggests that his "delicious taste" (the pleasure he anticipates) will "sour in digestion" (become bitter and ruinous after the act). Ultimately, his lust, which once drove his actions, will ultimately destroy his very will. This destruction of the will foreshadows his inevitable despair and eventual demise. The stanza highlights the theme of the destructive nature of uncontrolled desire and the inevitable consequences of immoral actions.