Stanza 105 - Explanation

Original Stanza

Even in this thought through the dark night he stealeth,
A captive victor that hath lost in gain;
Bearing away the wound that nothing healeth,
The scar that will, despite of cure, remain;
Leaving his spoil perplex'd in greater pain.
She bears the load of lust he left behind,
And he the burden of a guilty mind.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down stanza 105 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line and then discuss the overall meaning and literary devices.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "Even in this thought through the dark night he stealeth,"

  • Meaning: Collatine, driven by the thought of Lucrece, sneaks, driven by his lust, through the dark night. The "thought" refers to the obsessive desire that consumes him. The imagery of "dark night" emphasizes the secrecy, evil, and moral darkness of his actions.
  • Literary Device: The darkness of the night is metaphorical and represents the moral darkness of Tarquin's intentions.

• "A captive victor that hath lost in gain;"

  • Meaning: This is a paradox. Tarquin sees himself as the victor in this encounter, but in reality, he is a prisoner to his own lust. Even though he believes he has gained something (Lucrece's submission), he has actually lost something of far greater value (his honor, conscience, and potential for peace).
  • Literary Device: Paradox and Oxymoron are used here, showing contradictory terms side by side to display Tarquin's victory is also his downfall.

• "Bearing away the wound that nothing healeth,"

  • Meaning: Tarquin takes away the damage to Lucrece, but he will never be able to get rid of the guilt from the act.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor - The "wound" symbolizes not only the physical violation of Lucrece but also the irreparable damage to her spirit and honor. Also, the lack of healing represents his permanent guilt.

• "The scar that will, despite of cure, remain;"

  • Meaning: This line elaborates on the previous one. The consequences of his actions will be a permanent blemish on his soul, no matter what he tries to do to erase it. "Cure" here can refer to any attempt at repentance or justification.
  • Literary Device: Imagery - The scar is a strong visual representation of the lasting impact of the rape. It emphasizes the permanence of the damage done.

• "Leaving his spoil perplex'd in greater pain."

  • Meaning: Tarquin abandons Lucrece after violating her, leaving her utterly confused and in far worse emotional and physical pain than she was before. "Spoil" refers to Lucrece.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor - Lucrece is referred to as "spoil," dehumanizing her and highlighting Tarquin's selfish, predatory view of her.

• "She bears the load of lust he left behind,"

  • Meaning: Lucrece is now burdened with the shame, dishonor, and trauma caused by Tarquin's lust. She is the one who must live with the consequences of his action. "Load of lust" refers to the psychological and social consequences of the rape.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor - The "load" signifies the heavy burden of shame and dishonor that Lucrece now carries.

• "And he the burden of a guilty mind."

  • Meaning: Tarquin, though he might try to deny it, now carries the weight of his own guilt and conscience. He is burdened by the knowledge of what he has done.
  • Literary Device: Parallelism - This line directly mirrors the previous line, emphasizing the symmetrical but unequal distribution of the consequences. Lucrece bears the shame, while Tarquin bears the guilt.

Overall Meaning:

This stanza encapsulates the immediate aftermath of the rape of Lucrece and the psychological and emotional burdens carried by both victim and perpetrator. Tarquin, despite achieving his immediate lustful desires, is not a true victor. He is a captive to his own desires and now carries the weight of guilt that will haunt him. Lucrece, the victim, is left with an even greater burden of shame and dishonor. The stanza highlights the destructive nature of lust and the lasting consequences of violence and the inequality in power between the two characters. It emphasizes that both Tarquin and Lucrece are, in their own ways, prisoners of the event.

Key Literary Devices:

• Metaphor: "Wound," "scar," "spoil," "load," "burden" are all used metaphorically to represent intangible emotional and psychological states.
• Imagery: The descriptions of "dark night," "wound," and "scar" create vivid sensory experiences that evoke the darkness, pain, and lasting impact of the rape.
• Paradox/Oxymoron: "Captive victor that hath lost in gain" is a powerful example of how Tarquin's apparent triumph is actually a self-destructive defeat.
• Parallelism: The last two lines ("She bears the load..." and "And he the burden...") create a sense of balance and contrast, emphasizing the shared burden of the event but also the unequal distribution of suffering.
• Alliteration: Occurs throughout the stanza, like the repetition of the 'l' in "load" and "lust" in line 6.