Stanza 154 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'I will not poison thee with my attaint,
Nor fold my fault in cleanly-coin'd excuses;
My sable ground of sin I will not paint,
To hide the truth of this false night's abuses:
My tongue shall utter all; mine eyes, like sluices,
As from a mountain-spring that feeds a dale,
Shall gush pure streams to purge my impure tale.'

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 154 from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece. This stanza is crucial as it marks Lucrece's resolve to reveal the truth of what happened to her.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "I will not poison thee with my attaint,"

  • "I will not poison thee": Lucrece is addressing someone (probably her husband, Collatine, or perhaps more broadly, the world/society). She won't metaphorically "poison" them, or taint them, with her shame.
  • "with my attaint": "Attaint" refers to disgrace, dishonor, corruption, or stain of guilt. Lucrece feels utterly corrupted by the rape. She fears she will corrupt others by association.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor. The "poisoning" is not literal, but a metaphorical contamination of her honor and potential corruption of those connected to her.

• "Nor fold my fault in cleanly-coin'd excuses;"

  • "fold my fault": She won't hide or conceal her "fault" (the rape, even though it was committed against her will). She refuses to try and bury what happened.
  • "in cleanly-coin'd excuses": "Cleanly-coin'd" means newly made, polished, or cleverly fabricated. She won't create elaborate, artful, or superficially acceptable excuses to diminish the truth. She will not try to package the horror into something palatable.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor. The excuses are likened to newly minted coins, suggesting they are manufactured and ultimately worthless in representing the true horror.

• "My sable ground of sin I will not paint,"

  • "My sable ground of sin": "Sable" means black or dark, indicating the base, foundation, or canvas of her sin. The event itself is the origin of the sin. This suggests Lucrece blames herself to some degree, or that the act has become ingrained in her sense of self.
  • "I will not paint": She won't try to beautify, disguise, or cover up the dark reality.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor. The rape is conceived as a "sable ground" or dark canvas, something she might try to cover with paint. "Paint" here symbolizes deception and aesthetic alteration for the sake of appearance.

• "To hide the truth of this false night's abuses:"

  • "hide the truth": Emphasizes her intention to be honest, despite the shame.
  • "this false night's abuses": "False" might imply a night of deception or violation of justice and natural order. "Abuses" refers to the violent and wrongful acts committed against her.
  • Literary Device: Alliteration (repetition of the "f" sound in "false" and "abuses") adds emphasis.

• "My tongue shall utter all; mine eyes, like sluices,"

  • "My tongue shall utter all": She promises to speak everything, to fully articulate the horror she endured.
  • "mine eyes, like sluices": Her eyes, in anticipation of speaking the truth, will act as "sluices," or floodgates. This means her tears will flow freely.
  • Literary Device: Simile. Her eyes are directly compared to sluices, emphasizing the forceful and abundant outpouring of tears.

• "As from a mountain-spring that feeds a dale,"

  • "As from a mountain-spring that feeds a dale": The tears are compared to a pure spring originating in the mountains, flowing down to nourish a valley ("dale"). This reinforces the image of abundance and purity.
  • Literary Device: Simile (extending the simile from the previous line) and imagery. The imagery is very evocative, suggesting a natural, cleansing force.

• "Shall gush pure streams to purge my impure tale."

  • "Shall gush pure streams": The tears, again, are described as pure and flowing freely. "Gush" further emphasizes the intensity.
  • "to purge my impure tale": She believes that by telling her story, accompanied by tears, she can somehow cleanse or purify the shame associated with the "impure tale" of the rape. She sees her catharsis tied to the act of speaking truth.
  • Literary Device: Juxtaposition or paradox. The "pure streams" (tears) are meant to cleanse the "impure tale" (the rape). This highlights the conflict between her purity and the defilement she suffered.

Overall Meaning:

In this stanza, Lucrece makes a powerful declaration. She resolves to tell the truth about the rape, refusing to hide it behind deceptive excuses or attempts to beautify the horror. She embraces the painful reality and commits to exposing the truth. She envisions her tears as a cleansing force, a way to purge the shame and dishonor she feels as a result of the crime committed against her. The act of speaking the truth, even the horrible truth, is presented as a form of purification. It is through the truth that Lucrece finds a way to reclaim some agency and control in the face of her utter violation. This stanza is a pivotal moment in the poem, setting the stage for Lucrece's narrative and ultimate act. She will not be silenced by shame. She will use her voice, and her tears, to bear witness.

Key Literary Devices Summary:

• Metaphor: "Poison thee with my attaint," "fold my fault in cleanly-coin'd excuses," "My sable ground of sin I will not paint."
• Simile: "Mine eyes, like sluices, as from a mountain-spring that feeds a dale."
• Imagery: The vivid descriptions of tears as pure streams from a mountain spring.
• Alliteration: "False night's abuses"
• Juxtaposition/Paradox: "Pure streams" to purge an "impure tale."

I hope this detailed breakdown is helpful! Let me know if you have any other questions.