Stanza 156 - Explanation

Original Stanza

Revealing day through every cranny spies,
And seems to point her out where she sits weeping;
To whom she sobbing speaks: 'O eye of eyes,
Why pry'st thou through my window? leave thy peeping:
Mock with thy tickling beams eyes that are sleeping:
Brand not my forehead with thy piercing light,
For day hath nought to do what's done by night.'

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 156 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece, line by line, before analyzing the overall meaning and literary devices.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• Line 1: "Revealing day through every cranny spies,"

  • Revealing day: The coming of daylight, associated with truth and exposure.
  • through every cranny spies: Personification; the day is given the human action of "spying," suggesting an intrusive and unwanted observation. "Every cranny" suggests the thoroughness of the daylight's intrusion; it's inescapable.

• Line 2: "And seems to point her out where she sits weeping;"

  • And seems to point her out: More personification; the daylight is actively drawing attention to Lucrece. It's not just present; it's accusatory.
  • where she sits weeping: Lucrece is in a state of intense grief and sorrow.

• Line 3: "To whom she sobbing speaks: 'O eye of eyes,"

  • To whom she sobbing speaks: Lucrece is addressing the day (personified), highlighting her desperation and vulnerability.
  • O eye of eyes: A complex metaphor referring to the sun as the ultimate eye, all-seeing and all-knowing. It's a plea for mercy and understanding, but also highlights the overwhelming scrutiny Lucrece feels. It is also an apostrophe, addressing something inanimate as if it were alive.

• Line 4: "Why pry'st thou through my window? leave thy peeping:"

  • Why pry'st thou through my window? leave thy peeping: Further personification and intensified diction. "Pry'st" and "peeping" convey a sense of unwanted voyeurism and violation of privacy. This reinforces the idea that the day is intruding upon her most private and painful moment.

• Line 5: "Mock with thy tickling beams eyes that are sleeping:"

  • Mock with thy tickling beams: Personification again, but with a contrasting image. Day's light, represented by "tickling beams," mocks those who are sleeping, who can enjoy it in ignorance. This suggests that it is not a welcome sight for her, as she wishes to remain hidden and ignorant.
  • eyes that are sleeping: Symbolically, this can represent innocence, ignorance, or those who are unaware of the tragedy that has occurred. The eyes sleeping also refer to those that are dead, whose eyes remain eternally closed.

• Line 6: "Brand not my forehead with thy piercing light,"

  • Brand not my forehead with thy piercing light: The strongest imagery in the stanza. The light is likened to a branding iron, searing her forehead with shame and marking her as guilty. "Piercing" emphasizes the pain and intensity of the light. A metaphor is present, light to branding iron.
  • Forehead: Symbolically represents reputation and honor.

• Line 7: "For day hath nought to do what's done by night."

  • For day hath nought to do what's done by night: A concise statement of the central conflict. The day (representing justice, truth, and the public sphere) should have no involvement in the deeds committed in the secrecy and darkness of the night (representing evil, sin, and private violation). This is a powerful statement of the disconnect between public and private shame.

Overall Meaning:

The stanza captures Lucrece's agonizing transition from the horror of the night to the stark reality of the morning. She feels exposed and violated by the encroaching daylight, which she perceives as a judgmental observer. She is consumed by shame and fears that the light will reveal her disgrace to the world, branding her with the mark of her dishonor. Lucrece wants to hold onto her secret shame, as she believes that there should be no involvement of the day in what has been done in the night. The stanza expresses Lucrece's internal conflict between her desire for justice and her fear of public humiliation. She wishes the day would simply ignore her and focus on those who can innocently enjoy its light.

Literary Devices:

• Personification: Giving human qualities to the day and sun.
• Metaphor: Comparing the light to a branding iron. The "eye of eyes" is also a metaphor for the sun's all-seeing power.
• Apostrophe: Addressing the day as if it were a person who could understand and respond.
• Imagery: Vivid descriptions that create a strong sensory experience for the reader (e.g., "tickling beams," "piercing light").
• Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds for emphasis, can be seen in: "Why pry'st thou through my window? leave thy peeping:"

The stanza is a powerful and evocative depiction of Lucrece's psychological state, using figurative language to convey her profound shame, fear, and sense of violation.