Stanza 119 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'O unseen shame! invisible disgrace!
O unfelt sore! crest-wounding, private scar!
Reproach is stamp'd in Collatinus' face,
And Tarquin's eye may read the mot afar,
How he in peace is wounded, not in war.
Alas, how many bear such shameful blows,
Which not themselves, but he that gives them knows!

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 119 from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line, and then discuss its overall meaning and literary devices.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "O unseen shame! invisible disgrace!"

  • Analysis: This line sets the tone with a powerful exclamatory cry. The shame Lucrece feels after the rape is not something tangible or visible to the public. It is deeply internal and personal, therefore "unseen" and "invisible." "Disgrace" is a synonym, emphasizing the social damage the event has caused, even if no one knows about it yet.
  • Literary Devices: Apostrophe (addressing the abstract concepts of shame and disgrace), Exclamation, Parallelism (similar structure and meaning).

• "O unfelt sore! crest-wounding, private scar!"

  • Analysis: Here, the feeling of shame is compared to a wound. However, this wound is "unfelt" in a physical sense; it is a deep emotional and psychological injury. "Crest-wounding" implies that it damages a person's reputation, honor, or pride (the "crest" symbolizing nobility and status). The "private scar" reinforces the idea that the wound is hidden and personal.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor (comparing shame to a wound and scar), Alliteration ("crest-wounding").

• "Reproach is stamp'd in Collatinus' face,"

  • Analysis: This line shifts the focus to Lucrece's husband, Collatinus. Even though he is unaware of the specific details of the rape at this point in the narrative, Lucrece feels that the shame and dishonor are somehow visible in his face, as if marked or "stamped" there. The word "reproach" refers to the shame and blame associated with a wrongdoing.
  • Literary Devices: Imagery (the image of "reproach" being stamped), Synecdoche (Collatinus' "face" represents his entire being and reputation).

• "And Tarquin's eye may read the mot afar,"

  • Analysis: This refers to Tarquin, the rapist. Lucrece imagines that even from a distance ("afar"), Tarquin's sharp and knowing gaze ("eye") would be able to discern the message ("mot") of Collatinus's wounded honor. The "mot" is the unspoken truth of the violation.
  • Literary Devices: Metonymy (Tarquin's "eye" represents Tarquin's awareness and perception), Imagery.

• "How he in peace is wounded, not in war."

  • Analysis: This explains the "mot" or message that Tarquin's eye can read. Collatinus has been injured and dishonored in a situation of peace and trust, not in honorable battle or war. This emphasizes the treachery and unexpected nature of Tarquin's act.
  • Literary Devices: Irony (war is typically associated with wounds, but here, peace is the setting for the injury), Juxtaposition (contrasting "peace" and "war").

• "Alas, how many bear such shameful blows,"

  • Analysis: This line broadens the scope. It is a lament ("Alas") about the fact that many people endure similar "shameful blows" - secret wounds and violations that impact their lives and honor. This connects Lucrece's personal tragedy to a more universal suffering.
  • Literary Devices: Exclamation, Rhetorical question.

• "Which not themselves, but he that gives them knows!"

  • Analysis: This final line highlights the secrecy and loneliness of the victim's experience. The victims suffer silently, but only the perpetrator truly understands the full extent of the damage they have caused. This underscores the power imbalance between victim and abuser.
  • Literary Devices: Irony (the perpetrator knows more about the victim's suffering than the victim might even realize), Understatement (downplaying the severity of the act by simply saying "he that gives them knows!" instead of describing the impact).

Overall Meaning:

Stanza 119 encapsulates the profound and hidden consequences of the rape. It explores the internal shame and disgrace Lucrece feels, the damage to Collatinus's honor, and the contrast between outward appearances and inner reality. The stanza also emphasizes the isolating nature of the experience, where the victim suffers in silence, while the perpetrator holds the knowledge of the deed. It shifts from Lucrece's personal pain to a broader meditation on the widespread occurrence of such secret traumas, making it a powerful and haunting reflection on the nature of honor, shame, and abuse. It also highlights the imbalance of power and the perpetrator's sole awareness of the full extent of the damage caused. The stanza establishes a sense of injustice and foreshadows the tragic events to come.