Stanza 134 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'Why hath thy servant, Opportunity,
Betray'd the hours thou gavest me to repose,
Cancell'd my fortunes, and enchained me
To endless date of never-ending woes?
Time's office is to fine the hate of foes;
To eat up errors by opinion bred,
Not spend the dowry of a lawful bed.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Let's break down Stanza 134 of The Rape of Lucrece, line by line, then discuss its overall meaning and literary devices.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "Why hath thy servant, Opportunity,":

  • Analysis: Lucrece is apostrophizing (addressing an absent person or thing) Opportunity. She personifies Opportunity as a servant of Time (implied). She is questioning why Opportunity, which should have served her well, has turned against her. "Hath" is archaic for "has."
  • Literary Devices: Apostrophe, Personification

• "Betray'd the hours thou gavest me to repose,":

  • Analysis: She accuses Opportunity of betraying the "hours" that Time allotted her for rest and peace. This suggests the vulnerability and trust associated with sleep. Opportunity has taken advantage of her defenseless state.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor (hours as something given)

• "Cancell'd my fortunes, and enchained me":

  • Analysis: "Cancelled my fortunes" means her good luck, happiness, and reputation have been destroyed. "Enchained me" implies she is now bound (like a prisoner) to something terrible.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor (fortunes being cancelled like a debt), Metaphor (enchained)

• "To endless date of never-ending woes?":

  • Analysis: This line elaborates on the "enchained" image. She is now bound to an infinite period of suffering and misery. The repetition of "endless" and "never-ending" emphasizes the permanence and hopelessness of her situation.
  • Literary Devices: Hyperbole (exaggeration), Repetition

• "Time's office is to fine the hate of foes;":

  • Analysis: Now Lucrece considers the proper role of time. "Time's office" means Time's purpose or duty. "Fine the hate of foes" means that time is supposed to weaken or refine the animosity enemies feel towards each other, lessening the impact of their hate over time.
  • Literary Devices: None explicit

• "To eat up errors by opinion bred,":

  • Analysis: Time should also "eat up" (diminish or erase) mistakes caused by misunderstandings or incorrect beliefs ("errors by opinion bred"). Time should heal and correct misjudgments.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor (time eating errors)

• "Not spend the dowry of a lawful bed.":

  • Analysis: This line provides a direct contrast to the previous two. Time should not destroy the benefits and blessings ("dowry") of a legitimate and honorable marriage ("lawful bed"). Lucrece's rape has effectively robbed her of the sanctity and security of her marriage to Collatine.
  • Literary Devices: Juxtaposition, Metaphor (dowry of a lawful bed)

Overall Meaning:

In this stanza, Lucrece is lamenting the injustice of her situation. She accuses Opportunity (acting as Time's servant) of betraying her and turning against her. She feels her life, happiness, and honor have been irrevocably destroyed, and she is condemned to endless suffering. She highlights the irony that Time, which should heal wounds, diminish hatred, and correct mistakes, has instead ruined the sanctity of her marriage. The stanza is a powerful expression of grief, anger, and despair. It highlights the unfairness of the violation she has suffered and the destruction it has wrought upon her life.

Key Literary Devices:

• Apostrophe: Addressing Opportunity as if it were a person.
• Personification: Giving human qualities to Opportunity and Time.
• Metaphor: Used extensively to describe abstract concepts like time, fortune, and her situation (e.g., "cancelled my fortunes," "enchained me," "dowry of a lawful bed," "eat up errors").
• Hyperbole: Exaggerating the extent of her suffering ("endless date of never-ending woes").
• Repetition: The repetition of "endless" and "never-ending" emphasizes the unending nature of her despair.
• Juxtaposition: Contrasting what Time should do with what Time has done to her marriage.