Stanza 140 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'Disturb his hours of rest with restless trances,
Afflict him in his bed with bedrid groans;
Let there bechance him pitiful mischances,
To make him moan; but pity not his moans:
Stone him with harden'd hearts harder than stones;
And let mild women to him lose their mildness,
Wilder to him than tigers in their wildness.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down stanza 140 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line and then discuss the overall meaning and literary devices.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "Disturb his hours of rest with restless trances,"

  • Meaning: She hopes that Tarquin's sleep will be plagued by disturbing, unsettled visions or nightmares. He won't find peace even in his sleep.
  • Literary Devices: Alliteration (repetition of the 'r' sound in "rest" and "restless") emphasizes the disruption.

• "Afflict him in his bed with bedrid groans;"

  • Meaning: Even in the supposed comfort of his bed, she wishes him to suffer as if he were bedridden with illness, writhing in pain and groaning. The bed, usually associated with rest and intimacy, becomes a site of torment.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor - Comparing Tarquin to being bedridden to emphasize the physical suffering he should endure.

• "Let there bechance him pitiful mischances,"

  • Meaning: She desires that unfortunate and regrettable events should occur to him. "Mischances" here means accidents, calamities, or misfortunes. The word "pitiful" is ironic as she will later show no pity.
  • Literary Devices: None.

• "To make him moan; but pity not his moans:"

  • Meaning: She wants him to suffer so much that he cries out in pain and regret, but she insists that no one should have any sympathy for him.
  • Literary Devices: Juxtaposition, the contrast between making him "moan" and "pity not his moans" highlights the severity of her anger and determination for revenge.

• "Stone him with harden'd hearts harder than stones;"

  • Meaning: She wants people to be so cold and unforgiving towards him that their hearts are harder even than literal stones. This evokes the image of a public stoning, a brutal form of punishment.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor (comparing hearts to stones), Hyperbole (hearts harder than stones), Allusion (to stoning as punishment)

• "And let mild women to him lose their mildness,"

  • Meaning: She calls for even the most gentle and compassionate women to abandon their usual kindness towards Tarquin.
  • Literary Devices: Irony (contrast between "mild women" and their expected behavior)

• "Wilder to him than tigers in their wildness."

  • Meaning: She wants these women to become more fierce and savage towards him than even wild tigers in their natural habitat.
  • Literary Devices: Simile (comparing women to tigers), Hyperbole (the extreme degree of wildness), Alliteration (repetition of the 'w' sound in "wilder" and "wildness")

Overall Meaning of the Stanza:

This stanza is a powerful expression of Lucrece's intense anger and desire for revenge. She is not merely seeking justice; she wants Tarquin to suffer immensely, both physically and emotionally. She calls for universal condemnation and a complete reversal of expected behaviors. Even the most compassionate people should turn against him with a ferocity that is almost inhuman. The stanza emphasizes the depth of her pain and the shattering of her innocence and trust. It highlights the transformative power of trauma, as she imagines even the mildest of women becoming vengeful figures. The repetition and use of extreme language (hyperbole) contribute to the stanza's forceful and emotionally charged atmosphere. It's a visceral representation of the destructive power of rape and the consuming desire for retribution. It shows the depths of despair and anger Lucrece feels, not only for herself but for all womankind.