Stanza 171 - Explanation

Original Stanza

'Dear lord of that dear jewel I have lost,
What legacy shall I bequeath to thee?
My resolution, love, shall be thy boast,
By whose example thou revenged mayest be.
How Tarquin must be used, read it in me:
Myself, thy friend, will kill myself, thy foe,
And for my sake serve thou false Tarquin so.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down this powerful stanza from The Rape of Lucrece line by line and then discuss the overall meaning and literary devices at play.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

"Dear lord of that dear jewel I have lost,"
- Dear lord: This refers to Lucrece's husband, Collatine. "Lord" emphasizes his position and authority.
- of that dear jewel: The "dear jewel" is Lucrece's chastity and honor, which she considers her most precious possession. The use of the word "jewel" is a metaphor, comparing her chastity to something valuable and beautiful.
- I have lost: A direct statement of the core tragedy - she has lost her honor due to Tarquin's rape.
- Meaning: Lucrece is addressing her husband, Collatine, acknowledging that she has been robbed of her most precious possession, her honor.
"What legacy shall I bequeath to thee?"
- Legacy: Lucrece is contemplating what she can leave Collatine since she believes she is now tainted and unworthy of him. A legacy is usually something of value left to someone after death.
- Bequeath: The verb "bequeath" emphasizes the act of leaving something in a will, suggesting finality and death.
- Meaning: Lucrece is asking what she can possibly leave her husband, given that she feels she has nothing of value left to give.
"My resolution, love, shall be thy boast,"
- Resolution: This refers to her firm decision to take her own life. It's her unwavering determination to restore honor.
- Love: This is her way of addressing Collatine.
- Shall be thy boast: She believes her act of suicide, driven by honor, will be something Collatine can be proud of. It will be a source of strength and a call to action.
- Meaning: She offers her firm resolve to die for her honor as the legacy she will leave to her husband. It will be an inspiring example for him.
"By whose example thou revenged mayest be."
- By whose example: Her act of suicide will serve as an example for Collatine.
- Thou revenged mayest be: Her death is meant to inspire and justify his revenge against Tarquin.
- Meaning: Lucrece explicitly states that her suicide is meant to be an example that will motivate Collatine to seek revenge on Tarquin.
"How Tarquin must be used, read it in me:"
- How Tarquin must be used: This is a powerful and somewhat ambiguous phrase. "Used" implies Tarquin should be treated or dealt with in a certain way. In this context, it means that Tarquin should be punished.
- Read it in me: She wants Collatine to understand the depth of Tarquin's crime and the need for retribution by witnessing her death. Her body becomes a text, a visual representation of Tarquin's wickedness.
- Meaning: The sight of my body, the visual of my death will speak volumes and inspire you to understand the depth of Tarquin's crime and the need to punish him.
"Myself, thy friend, will kill myself, thy foe,"
- Myself, thy friend: She emphasizes her love and loyalty to Collatine. The "myself" highlights that she is sacrificing her own life.
- Will kill myself, thy foe: She sees her "self" (the dishonored Lucrece) as an enemy to Collatine's honor and happiness. She is killing the part of herself that has been defiled by Tarquin. This is a complex idea, showing the internal conflict she feels.
- Meaning: She is taking responsibility for her own dishonor, believing that her death will eliminate the tainted part of herself that she sees as an enemy to Collatine.
"And for my sake serve thou false Tarquin so."
- For my sake: She reiterates that her actions are for Collatine and for the sake of their shared honor.
- Serve thou false Tarquin so: This is a direct instruction to Collatine to treat Tarquin in a similar way - to inflict pain and suffering as revenge for the rape. "Serve" here means "deal with" or "treat."
- Meaning: She commands Collatine to avenge her by inflicting similar harm on the treacherous Tarquin.

Overall Meaning of the Stanza:

In this stanza, Lucrece, devastated by the rape, addresses her husband, Collatine. She sees herself as having lost her most precious possession, her honor and chastity. She considers her own death as the only way to restore honor to herself and her family. She offers her resolution to die as a legacy for Collatine, hoping it will inspire him to seek revenge against Tarquin. Her suicide is not an act of despair, but a deliberate and calculated act of defiance and a call to action. She presents her body as a testament to Tarquin's crime and a rallying point for revenge. The stanza is filled with a sense of tragic nobility and a powerful demand for justice.

Literary Devices:

Metaphor: "Dear jewel" comparing Lucrece's chastity to a valuable object.
Irony: Lucrece killing herself, "thy foe," to ultimately help Collatine, "thy friend." Her death, normally a symbol of loss, is presented as a form of empowerment.
Apostrophe: Addressing Collatine directly, even though he is not physically present at the time of her suicide.
Imagery: The stanza evokes vivid imagery of sacrifice, death, and revenge. The idea of "reading" Tarquin's punishment in her body is particularly striking.
Anaphora: There is an element of anaphora or repetition in the use of "thy" and "my" emphasizing ownership and responsibility.
Imperative: the use of the imperative "serve thou false Tarquin so." indicates the command and urgency in her final words.
Alliteration: There is alliteration in the words "dear Lord" and "false Tarquin" which emphasizes those phrases.

This stanza is a crucial turning point in the poem, marking Lucrece's decision and laying the groundwork for the political upheaval and revolution that follows. Her death becomes a catalyst for change, and her words in this stanza resonate with a powerful sense of purpose and tragic determination.