Stanza 150 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'In vain,' quoth she, 'I live, and seek in vain
Some happy mean to end a hapless life.
I fear'd by Tarquin's falchion to be slain,
Yet for the self-same purpose seek a knife:
But when I fear'd I was a loyal wife:
So am I now: O no, that cannot be;
Of that true type hath Tarquin rifled me.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down stanza 150 of The Rape of Lucrece line by line, identifying literary devices and then arriving at an overall understanding.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "In vain,' quoth she, 'I live, and seek in vain"

  • 'In vain' (Anaphora): The repetition of "In vain" emphasizes Lucrece's despair and feelings of futility. She believes her existence is now pointless and all her efforts to find a solution are fruitless.
  • "quoth she": An archaic way of saying "said she," adding to the poem's elevated and dramatic tone.
  • Meaning: Lucrece declares that she sees no purpose in her continued existence, and her search for a way out of her suffering seems hopeless.

• "Some happy mean to end a hapless life."

  • "Happy mean": This refers to a balanced or ideal way to end her life. She's not just looking for death, but a death that preserves some semblance of honor or dignity. This is highly Ironic.
  • "Hapless life": This emphasizes the unfortunate and miserable state her life has become because of Tarquin's actions.
  • Alliteration: of 'h' in "happy" and "hapless" emphasizes her situation.
  • Meaning: She is seeking a dignified way to end her life, one that won't further stain her reputation, which is now ruined.

• "I fear'd by Tarquin's falchion to be slain,"

  • "Falchion": A type of sword; its use is to provide an elevated way to reference Tarquin's attack.
  • Meaning: Ironically, she had feared being killed by Tarquin during his assault, but now she desires death as a means of escaping the shame.

• "Yet for the self-same purpose seek a knife:"

  • "Self-same purpose": Referring back to the previous line, the purpose is death.
  • Meaning: While she feared Tarquin's sword, she is now actively seeking a knife as a tool for her own death, driven by the shame and dishonor inflicted upon her.

• "But when I fear'd I was a loyal wife:"

  • Meaning: She refers to the past when she was afraid of losing her life to Tarquin, she was comforted by her belief that she was a faithful and virtuous wife. This was her shield against her fear.

• "So am I now: O no, that cannot be;"

  • Internal Conflict: This line shows her internal struggle. She desperately wants to believe she is still a loyal wife, untainted by Tarquin's act, but immediately recognizes the impossibility of it.
  • Meaning: She initially asserts that she is still a loyal wife, but then immediately contradicts herself, recognizing that the rape has changed everything.

• "Of that true type hath Tarquin rifled me."

  • "True type": Refers to the ideal of a virtuous, loyal wife.
  • "Rifled": Means robbed, plundered, or violated. It's a strong and evocative word that emphasizes the violence and completeness of Tarquin's assault, as well as the permanence of her loss.
  • Meaning: Tarquin's rape has stripped her of her identity as a virtuous wife, leaving her feeling empty and irrevocably changed. He has stolen her status as the "true type" of a loyal wife.

Overall Meaning:

This stanza captures Lucrece's profound despair and internal conflict following the rape. She is contemplating suicide as a means of escaping the unbearable shame and dishonor that Tarquin has inflicted upon her. She initially sought a way to end her life with honour. She wrestles with her identity as a loyal wife, desperately wanting to cling to that ideal but recognizing that Tarquin's violence has irrevocably changed her and stripped her of that virtue. The stanza highlights her sense of hopelessness, her desire for death, and the complete devastation she feels as a result of the rape. The repetition, stark imagery, and internal conflict effectively convey Lucrece's agonizing emotional state. The stanza foreshadows her impending suicide.

Literary Devices Highlighted:

• Anaphora: Repetition of "In vain" to emphasize futility.
• Alliteration: Repetition of 'h' in "happy" and "hapless"
• Irony: Ironic as she sought a 'happy mean' to her end.
• Internal Conflict: The "So am I now: O no, that cannot be;" line demonstrates her struggle.
• Metaphor: "Rifled" compares Tarquin's action to a complete and violent robbery of her virtue.
• Imagery: The "falchion" and "knife" create vivid images of violence and death.