Stanza 122 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'Why should the worm intrude the maiden bud?
Or hateful cuckoos hatch in sparrows' nests?
Or toads infect fair founts with venom mud?
Or tyrant folly lurk in gentle breasts?
Or kings be breakers of their own behests?
But no perfection is so absolute,
That some impurity doth not pollute.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down stanza 122 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line and then discuss the overall meaning and literary devices:

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "Why should the worm intrude the maiden bud?"

  • Meaning: This is a rhetorical question. Why should something vile (the worm) invade something pure and innocent (the maiden bud, representing Lucrece's virginity and potential)? The "bud" has a symbolic connection to feminine purity.
  • Literary Device(s):
    • Metaphor: "Maiden bud" is a metaphor for Lucrece's innocence and untouched state.
    • Symbolism: Worm is symbolic of decay, corruption, and evil.

• "Or hateful cuckoos hatch in sparrows' nests?"

  • Meaning: Another rhetorical question. Cuckoos are known for laying their eggs in other birds' nests (like sparrows') forcing the sparows to raise their young. Why should treachery (cuckoo's parasitic behaviour) violate the natural order of things?
  • Literary Device(s):
    • Analogy: It's an analogy for Tarquin's betrayal and usurpation of Lucrece's honour and Collatine's trust.
    • Symbolism: Cuckoos are symbolic of treachery and usurpation. Sparrows represent innocence and vulnerability.

• "Or toads infect fair founts with venom mud?"

  • Meaning: Yet another rhetorical question. Why should something ugly and poisonous (toads and venom mud) contaminate something beautiful and life-giving (fair founts – springs or fountains, representing purity and life)?
  • Literary Device(s):
    • Metaphor: "Fair founts" can be a metaphor for Lucrece's virtuous nature.
    • Symbolism: Toads and venom mud symbolize corruption, ugliness, and poison.

• "Or tyrant folly lurk in gentle breasts?"

  • Meaning: Why should foolishness or tyranny (Tarquin's lustful and destructive impulse) exist within those of noble character? "Gentle breasts" refers to both the emotional centre of a kind person, and also the more literal association with women and their traditional representation as innocent and virtuous.
  • Literary Device(s):
    • Metaphor: "Gentle breasts" is a metaphor for people of good character.
    • Personification: "Tyrant folly" is personified as something that can "lurk."

• "Or kings be breakers of their own behests?"

  • Meaning: Why should rulers (kings), who are supposed to uphold justice and order, violate their own laws and oaths (bestests)? This refers specifically to Tarquin's violation of his social role and his oath as a guest to Collatine.
  • Literary Device(s):
    • Irony: Kings are supposed to be upholders of law and morality, not breakers of them.

• "But no perfection is so absolute,"

  • Meaning: A statement that no state of perfection is entirely immune to corruption or imperfection.
  • Literary Device(s):
    • Generalization: A broad statement about the nature of perfection.

• "That some impurity doth not pollute."

  • Meaning: Continues the idea that imperfection inevitably taints even the most perfect things.
  • Literary Device(s):
    • Alliteration: The repetition of the 'p' sound in "purity" and "pollute" emphasizes the relationship between the two concepts.

Overall Meaning of the Stanza:

The stanza explores the universal presence of evil and corruption in the world. It poses a series of rhetorical questions asking why innocence, virtue, and order are so easily violated by base impulses and moral failings. The stanza suggests that no matter how perfect something seems, it is always vulnerable to being corrupted. It sets the stage for understanding the tragedy that befalls Lucrece, showing that even she, a paragon of virtue, cannot escape the pervasive presence of evil.

Key Literary Devices Employed:

• Rhetorical Questions: The primary device used to express the poet's lament and to engage the reader in contemplating the injustice of the events.
• Metaphor: Used to represent abstract concepts like innocence, virtue, and corruption in concrete terms.
• Symbolism: The worm, cuckoo, toads, and founts all act as powerful symbols representing decay, treachery, corruption, and purity.
• Analogy: The examples drawn from nature (cuckoo in sparrow's nest) help the reader understand the violation that Lucrece is about to experience.
• Irony: The idea of a king breaking his own laws highlights the betrayal of trust and the perversion of order.
• Alliteration: Adds emphasis and musicality to the lines.

In essence, this stanza is a philosophical reflection on the nature of evil and its ability to undermine even the most seemingly perfect and virtuous aspects of life. It foreshadows the tragedy to come and invites the reader to ponder the inevitable presence of corruption in the world.