Stanza 118 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'Let my good name, that senseless reputation,
For Collatine's dear love be kept unspotted:
If that be made a theme for disputation,
The branches of another root are rotted,
And undeserved reproach to him allotted
That is as clear from this attaint of mine
As I, ere this, was pure to Collatine.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 118 of Shakespeare's 'The Rape of Lucrece' line by line, highlighting literary devices, and then provide an overall meaning.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "Let my good name, that senseless reputation,"

  • Meaning: Lucrece is calling her "good name" or reputation something "senseless" because it is now ruined. She is dismissing it as something meaningless now that she has been raped.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Apostrophe: Lucrece is directly addressing her "good name," which is an abstract concept.
    • Epithet: "Senseless" is an epithet modifying "reputation."
    • Metaphor: The "good name" represents her social standing and honour, but it is also a "senseless reputation" as she now values truth above societal perception.

• "For Collatine's dear love be kept unspotted:"

  • Meaning: She hopes that Collatine's love for her will remain pure and untainted, despite what has happened to her. She wants him to continue to value her despite her tarnished reputation.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Alliteration: The repetition of the 'd' sound in "dear love" adds emphasis.
    • Irony: There's a deep irony here. She's concerned about his love being "unspotted" when she's the one who has been physically violated.

• "If that be made a theme for disputation,"

  • Meaning: If her situation becomes a subject of debate or argument. She's anticipating that people will discuss and judge what has happened.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Alliteration: The 't' sound in "theme" connects the words and emphasises the importance of the concept.

• "The branches of another root are rotted,"

  • Meaning: The "branches of another root" are a metaphor for Collatine's reputation, lineage, or family. If Lucrece's reputation is questioned, it will damage him and his family as well.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Metaphor: The "branches of another root" are not literally rotting; it is a symbolic representation of the damage to Collatine and his family's reputation.
    • Synecdoche: "Branches" can be seen as a synecdoche, where a part (branches) represents the whole (the tree/family).

• "And undeserved reproach to him allotted"

  • Meaning: Collatine will be unfairly blamed or criticised. He'll suffer the consequences of something he didn't do.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Alliteration: The repetition of the 'r' sound in "reproach" adds emphasis.

• "That is as clear from this attaint of mine"

  • Meaning: Collatine is as innocent of this crime (the rape) as she is. "Attaint" means stain or dishonour.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Metaphor: "Attaint" is a metaphor for the stain of dishonour.

• "As I, ere this, was pure to Collatine."

  • Meaning: Just as she was pure and faithful to Collatine before the rape, Collatine is completely innocent of the crime. This emphasises her innocence and Collatine's innocence.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Simile: Using "as" to compare her past purity to Collatine's innocence.
    • Irony: Now that she is raped, her idea of "purity" has forever been tainted and changed.

Overall Meaning:

In this stanza, Lucrece is deeply concerned about the impact of her rape on Collatine's reputation and love for her. She believes that if her good name is questioned or debated, it will inevitably damage Collatine and his family's honour. She insists that he is as innocent of this crime as she once was pure in her love for him.

The stanza reveals Lucrece's noble character. Even in her own suffering, she is thinking about the consequences for her husband and his family. She wants to protect him from the scandal and shame that will result from her rape, recognising that his reputation will also be tainted by the event. The use of metaphors like "branches of another root" and "attaint" creates a powerful image of the potential for reputational damage and highlights the unfairness of the situation for Collatine.