Stanza 129 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'When wilt thou be the humble suppliant's friend,
And bring him where his suit may be obtain'd?
When wilt thou sort an hour great strifes to end?
Or free that soul which wretchedness hath chain'd?
Give physic to the sick, ease to the pain'd?
The poor, lame, blind, halt, creep, cry out for thee;
But they ne'er meet with Opportunity.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 129 of "The Rape of Lucrece" line by line and then discuss the overall meaning and literary devices:

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "When wilt thou be the humble suppliant's friend,"

  • Breakdown: "Thou" refers to Opportunity (addressed as if it is a person). A "humble suppliant" is someone who is begging or pleading earnestly. The line asks when Opportunity will be a friend to those who are pleading for help.
  • Meaning: When will Opportunity help those who humbly ask for it?

• "And bring him where his suit may be obtain'd?"

  • Breakdown: "Suit" refers to the request or plea. "Obtain'd" means granted or received. The line asks when Opportunity will lead the suppliant to a place where their request can be fulfilled.
  • Meaning: When will Opportunity guide the person pleading for help to a place where their request can be granted?

• "When wilt thou sort an hour great strifes to end?"

  • Breakdown: "Sort an hour" means to find or arrange a time. "Great strifes" refers to significant conflicts or struggles.
  • Meaning: When will Opportunity find a time to end major conflicts or struggles? When will it make things right?

• "Or free that soul which wretchedness hath chain'd?"

  • Breakdown: "Wretchedness" means misery, suffering, or despair. The line refers to souls burdened by sorrow.
  • Meaning: When will Opportunity liberate souls imprisoned by their misery and suffering?

• "Give physic to the sick, ease to the pain'd?"

  • Breakdown: "Physic" is old term for medicine. "Pained" means those who are suffering physically or emotionally.
  • Meaning: When will Opportunity provide healing and relief to those who are sick and in pain?

• "The poor, lame, blind, halt, creep, cry out for thee;"

  • Breakdown: This line paints a vivid picture of suffering humanity. "Lame," "blind," "halt" (limping), and "creep" all describe physical disabilities. "Cry out for thee" emphasizes the desperate pleas directed toward Opportunity.
  • Meaning: Those who are suffering – the poor, the disabled, those barely able to move – are all desperately calling out for Opportunity's help.

• "But they ne'er meet with Opportunity."

  • Breakdown: "Ne'er" means never. This line expresses the sad truth that those who need Opportunity the most rarely find it.
  • Meaning: Despite their desperate pleas, those who need Opportunity never seem to encounter it.

Overall Meaning of the Stanza:

The stanza is a lament, a cry of despair about the elusiveness of Opportunity, particularly for those who need it most. It highlights the suffering of the world and criticizes the unfairness of a system where the vulnerable are constantly denied the chance to improve their situations. Opportunity is personified and questioned about its absence. The stanza underscores the idea that Opportunity is not equally available to everyone and that those who are already disadvantaged often remain trapped in their suffering.

Literary Devices:

• Personification: Opportunity is treated as a human being and is addressed as "thou." This personification allows the speaker to directly question and criticize Opportunity's actions (or lack thereof).
• Anaphora: The repetition of "When wilt thou..." at the beginning of several lines emphasizes the speaker's frustration and the seemingly endless wait for Opportunity to act.
• Imagery: The line "The poor, lame, blind, halt, creep, cry out for thee" creates a powerful image of suffering and evokes pity in the reader.
• Alliteration: There is some subtle alliteration, such as "sick" and "soul" and "sort" and "strifes." These devices help the sounds connect and make the stanza more appealing.
• Irony: There is a certain irony that Opportunity seems to be available to those who least need it and not to those who are desperate.

In conclusion, this stanza powerfully expresses the injustice of a world where opportunity is unevenly distributed, leaving the most vulnerable individuals to suffer without hope of relief.