Far from the purpose of his coming hither,
He makes excuses for his being there:
No cloudy show of stormy blustering weather
Doth yet in his fair welkin once appear;
Till sable Night, mother of Dread and Fear,
Upon the world dim darkness doth display,
And in her vaulty prison stows the Day.
This stanza from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece sets the scene and establishes the deceptive nature of Tarquin's presence. Let's break it down line by line:
"Far from the purpose of his coming hither," This opening line immediately establishes a sense of deception. Tarquin's stated reason for being at Lucrece's house is a pretense; his true intentions are hidden. "Hither" is an archaic word for "here."
"He makes excuses for his being there:" This reinforces the deception. Tarquin is actively constructing justifications for his presence, masking his sinister plan.
"No cloudy show of stormy blustering weather / Doth yet in his fair welkin once appear;" This uses vivid imagery and personification. "Welkin" refers to the sky, presented here as "fair," suggesting a calm and peaceful atmosphere, contrasting sharply with the storm brewing within Tarquin and the impending violence. The "cloudy show" and "stormy blustering weather" are metaphorical foreshadowing of the approaching rape.
"Till sable Night, mother of Dread and Fear, / Upon the world dim darkness doth display," This introduces night as a key player. Shakespeare uses personification again, portraying Night as a "mother" of dread and fear, highlighting its association with violence and hidden actions. "Sable" (black) emphasizes the darkness and the ominous nature of the approaching night. The line also uses strong verbs: "display" and "stows" to create a sense of power and inevitability.
"And in her vaulty prison stows the Day." This continues the personification of Night, depicting it as a jailer that imprisons the "Day." The "vaulty prison" imagery evokes a sense of confinement and secrecy, ideal conditions for Tarquin's nefarious plan to unfold. The "Day" represents virtue and light, which is being forcibly concealed by the approaching darkness of night.
Literary Devices:
Overall Meaning:
The stanza masterfully sets the stage for the rape. It highlights the deceptive nature of appearances, contrasting the outwardly peaceful atmosphere with Tarquin's hidden, malicious intentions. The arrival of night, personified as a sinister force, provides the cover of darkness necessary for Tarquin's crime, emphasizing the vulnerability of Lucrece and the inevitability of the impending tragedy. The stanza is a microcosm of the poem's central theme: the destructive power of hidden desires and the deception that allows violence to flourish.