Stanza 166 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'To kill myself,' quoth she, 'alack, what were it,
But with my body my poor soul's pollution?
They that lose half with greater patience bear it
Than they whose whole is swallow'd in confusion.
That mother tries a merciless conclusion
Who, having two sweet babes, when death takes one,
Will slay the other and be nurse to none.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down stanza 166 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line and then discuss its overall meaning and literary devices.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• Line 1: 'To kill myself,' quoth she, 'alack, what were it,'

  • 'To kill myself,' quoth she: This establishes that Lucrece is contemplating suicide. "Quoth she" is an archaic way of saying "said she."
  • 'alack, what were it,': "Alack" is an exclamation of sorrow or regret. This phrase means: "What would suicide accomplish?" Lucrece is questioning the purpose or effect of taking her own life.
  • Device: Apostrophe: Addressing the abstract concept of suicide.

• Line 2: But with my body my poor soul's pollution?

  • But with my body: Suggests that suicide is an act affecting only the physical body.
  • my poor soul's pollution?: This is the core of the argument. Lucrece believes that suicide would further taint her already "polluted" soul, which she feels has been stained by the rape, despite her innocence.
  • Device: Metaphor: "Pollution" is used metaphorically to describe the stain of shame and the perceived sin associated with her experience.

• Line 3: They that lose half with greater patience bear it

  • They that lose half: This introduces an analogy. "Half" refers to a partial loss or misfortune.
  • with greater patience bear it: People who experience partial losses are able to endure their situation with more fortitude.

• Line 4: Than they whose whole is swallow'd in confusion.

  • Than they whose whole: This contrasts with the previous line. This refers to those who have lost everything.
  • is swallow'd in confusion: Their entire being or situation is consumed by chaos and disorientation.
  • Device: Contrast: The comparison between losing "half" and losing "whole" highlights the difference in the ability to cope.

• Line 5: That mother tries a merciless conclusion

  • That mother tries a merciless conclusion: This introduces a more specific and shocking analogy.
  • merciless conclusion: This refers to the "solution" or action of a mother who kills her remaining child.

• Line 6: Who, having two sweet babes, when death takes one,

  • Who, having two sweet babes: Sets the scene with a mother who has two children.
  • when death takes one: One of her children dies.

• Line 7: Will slay the other and be nurse to none.

  • Will slay the other: She kills her remaining child.
  • and be nurse to none: As a result of her actions, she is no longer a caregiver to any children.
  • Device: Analogy/Extended Metaphor: The entire analogy of the mother and her children serves as a extended metaphor. Lucrece equates suicide to killing the remaining child.

Overall Meaning:

In this stanza, Lucrece grapples with the idea of suicide. She questions its value, suggesting that it would not cleanse her soul but instead further pollute it. She then argues that it's better to endure partial loss than to be completely overwhelmed and lose everything. She supports this with a disturbing analogy of a mother who, after losing one child, kills the other. The overall meaning is that suicide, while tempting, is ultimately a destructive act that offers no true resolution and only compounds the initial tragedy. She fears that it will leave her soul even more stained and without hope, similar to a mother who has needlessly destroyed her entire family line. Lucrece is arguing that life, even with its burdens, is worth preserving.

Literary Devices:

• Apostrophe: Direct address to an abstract concept.
• Metaphor: "Pollution" is a metaphorical representation of her dishonor and internal conflict.
• Analogy/Extended Metaphor: The analogy of the mother and her children is a powerful and sustained metaphor that represents Lucrece's own situation. She sees suicide as destroying the potential for any future good or redemption.
• Contrast: The contrast between losing "half" and losing "whole" emphasizes the difference in the ability to cope and underscores the importance of preserving what remains.
• Imagery: The imagery is both abstract (soul's pollution, swallowed in confusion) and concrete (two sweet babes, death takes one), creating a vivid and emotionally resonant effect.

This stanza is a crucial point in the poem because it showcases Lucrece's internal struggle and her rationale for the difficult path she eventually chooses.