Stanza 164 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'And for, poor bird, thou sing'st not in the day,
As shaming any eye should thee behold,
Some dark deep desert, seated from the way,
That knows not parching heat nor freezing cold,
Will we find out; and there we will unfold
To creatures stern sad tunes, to change their kinds:
Since men prove beasts, let beasts bear gentle minds.'

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 164 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line and then synthesize its overall meaning:

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "And for, poor bird, thou sing'st not in the day,"
  • Meaning: "And because, poor bird, you don't sing during the day..."
  • Analysis: "And for" means "because". The speaker (Lucrece) is addressing herself, metaphorically represented by a "poor bird," who is now afraid to express joy or happiness publicly.
• "As shaming any eye should thee behold,"
  • Meaning: "...as if it were shameful for anyone to see you."
  • Analysis: The reason the bird doesn't sing during the day is because it feels ashamed, implying a fear of judgment or exposure. Lucrece, after the rape, feels similarly exposed and disgraced.
• "Some dark deep desert, seated from the way,"
  • Meaning: "We will find some dark, remote desert, far from any path..."
  • Analysis: This is a shift in focus to a place of isolation and concealment. The desert is described as "dark" and "deep," emphasizing its remoteness and despair. "Seated from the way" underlines its isolation from society and normal life.
• "That knows not parching heat nor freezing cold,"
  • Meaning: "...that experiences neither extreme heat nor extreme cold."
  • Analysis: This detail about the desert is significant. It suggests a place of emotional numbness or deadness. It's not just isolated, but also devoid of passion or strong feeling. Lucrece is envisioning a place that mirrors her own emotional state.
• "Will we find out; and there we will unfold"
  • Meaning: "We will find such a place; and there we will reveal..."
  • Analysis: The speaker reiterates the intention to find this place of isolation. "Unfold" suggests the revealing of emotions or experiences that have been kept hidden.
• "To creatures stern sad tunes, to change their kinds:"
  • Meaning: "...sad songs to the fierce creatures there, in order to change their natures."
  • Analysis: This is a crucial line. The idea is that even the most savage creatures can be softened or changed by sorrowful music. The "stern" creatures are metaphors for the inhumanity Lucrece has witnessed and, perhaps, a desperate hope for a return to decency. "Change their kinds" implies altering their very essence, making them gentler.
• "Since men prove beasts, let beasts bear gentle minds."
  • Meaning: "Since men have proven themselves to be like beasts, let actual beasts become gentle and kind."
  • Analysis: This is a bitter irony. Men, who should be rational and moral, have acted like brutes (Tarquin's rape of Lucrece), while Lucrece hopes that actual animals can be made more humane through the power of her sorrow.

Literary Devices:

• Metaphor: Lucrece using the "poor bird" as a representation of herself.
• Imagery: The vivid descriptions of the "dark deep desert" and "parching heat nor freezing cold" create a strong sense of place and emotional atmosphere.
• Irony: The final line is deeply ironic, highlighting the perversion of natural order where men are behaving like beasts and Lucrece hopes to change beasts to be more gentle.
• Alliteration: "Stern Sad" - emphasizes the sad nature of the creatures and tunes.

Overall Meaning:

This stanza reveals Lucrece's profound despair and disillusionment after the rape. She feels ashamed and exposed, like a bird that can no longer sing in the daylight. She seeks a place of utter isolation and emotional numbness, represented by the desolate desert. However, within this despair, there's a flicker of hope – the belief that sorrowful music can change even the most savage creatures. The final line, dripping with irony, encapsulates Lucrece's sense of the world turned upside down: men have become beasts, so perhaps beasts can learn to be gentle. It's a plea for a restoration of moral order in a world where humanity has failed. It also underscores the power of grief and trauma to transform one's perception of the world and their place within it. Lucrece, in this stanza, is grappling with the loss of innocence and the corruption of human nature.