Stanza 152 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'Well, well, dear Collatine, thou shalt not know
The stained taste of violated troth;
I will not wrong thy true affection so,
To flatter thee with an infringed oath;
This bastard graff shall never come to growth:
He shall not boast who did thy stock pollute
That thou art doting father of his fruit.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down this stanza from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line, identify the literary devices used, and then arrive at an overall interpretation.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "Well, well, dear Collatine, thou shalt not know"

  • Explanation: This is Lucrece addressing her absent husband, Collatine (in her mind). The repetition of "Well, well" expresses a pained resignation or acceptance of a difficult situation. She is preparing him, though he is not present to hear. She begins by assuring him he will not know the truth.
  • Literary Devices: Apostrophe (addressing an absent person)

• "The stained taste of violated troth;"

  • Explanation: This uses sensory imagery to describe the situation. "Stained taste" refers to the bitterness and defilement of a broken marriage vow (troth). The word "violated" shows the severity of the act.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor (marriage vow is described as something tasted), Imagery (sensory description of a broken marriage vow). Alliteration of "stained" and "taste".

• "I will not wrong thy true affection so,"

  • Explanation: Lucrece says she will not inflict further pain on Collatine by telling him the truth and letting him know he's now a cuckold. She sees his love as something pure and good that she wants to protect.
  • Literary Devices: Irony (She believes she is protecting him, but her silence perpetuates the injustice).

• "To flatter thee with an infringed oath;"

  • Explanation: "Infringed oath" is another term for a broken promise or vow, like their marriage vows. She doesn't want to deceive him by pretending their marriage is still whole when it has been irrevocably broken. "Flatter" here means to deceive with false hope or a pleasing lie.
  • Literary Devices: Euphemism ("infringed oath" softens the harsh reality).

• "This bastard graff shall never come to growth:"

  • Explanation: This is a crucial line. "Graff" refers to a cutting or shoot from one plant inserted into another in grafting. The "bastard graff" represents the child that might result from Tarquin's rape, and she vows that this child will never be born. This is a clear indication that she has decided to kill herself to prevent this.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor (comparing a potential child of rape to a "bastard graff"). Foreshadowing (her suicide is implied).

• "He shall not boast who did thy stock pollute"

  • Explanation: Here, Lucrece continues her thoughts from the previous line, and now begins to discuss Tarquin more directly. "He who did thy stock pollute" refers to Tarquin who has dishonored Collatine by defiling Lucrece. She won't let Tarquin triumph by fathering a child that will carry his (Tarquin's) blood into Collatine's family line.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor ("stock pollute" refers to the family line being tainted).

• "That thou art doting father of his fruit."

  • Explanation: This is the final nail in the coffin. The line ends with the idea that Collatine should never be forced to believe that he is the "doting father" to a child that Tarquin created through rape. The word 'doting' suggests an overfondness for the child, which is a bitter and horrific thought for Lucrece. "His fruit" continues the metaphor.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor ("his fruit" referring to the child). Dramatic Irony (The reader knows she will take her own life, which she knows will prevent this future).

Overall Meaning:

In this stanza, Lucrece is engaged in a painful internal monologue. She is resigned to the fact that her purity has been violated. She declares that she will not burden Collatine with the knowledge of her rape, believing it will spare him further suffering. More significantly, she resolves that she will prevent the birth of a child from the rape, whom she refers to as a "bastard graff." She is determined that Tarquin will not gain the satisfaction of polluting Collatine's lineage. This stanza strongly foreshadows Lucrece's suicide, as it is her death that will ensure the rape has no lasting consequences in terms of lineage. She is taking control of the situation by sacrificing herself. The language is full of bitterness, imagery of corruption and impurity, and a determination to preserve Collatine's honor, even at the cost of her own life. The stanza is full of tragic irony.