Stanza 183 - Explanation

Original Stanza

“But tell me, girl, when went”—and there she stayed
Till after a deep groan—“Tarquin from hence?”
“Madam, ere I was up,” replied the maid,
“The more to blame my sluggard negligence.
Yet with the fault I thus far can dispense:
Myself was stirring ere the break of day,
And, ere I rose, was Tarquin gone away.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down stanza 183 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line and then discuss its overall meaning and literary devices.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "But tell me, girl, when went”—and there she stayed"

  • Meaning: Lucrece is questioning her maid about when Tarquin left the house. The phrase "and there she stayed" indicates that Lucrece hesitates, pauses, or is interrupted in her question, likely overwhelmed by grief and shame, making it difficult for her to speak. It also creates suspense.
  • Literary Devices: Ellipsis (represented by the dash) demonstrates a break in thought, conveying Lucrece's emotional state.

• "Till after a deep groan—“Tarquin from hence?”

  • Meaning: Lucrece continues her question after a groan, indicating her pain and reluctance to even speak Tarquin's name or acknowledge his presence. "From hence" means "from here," referring to her house. The question itself is now more blunt.
  • Literary Devices: Interruption (Lucrece's groan); Euphemism ("from hence" avoids the direct mention of the scene of the crime)

• "Madam, ere I was up,” replied the maid,"

  • Meaning: The maid responds, saying that Tarquin left before she was awake. This shows the maid was completely unaware of what occurred during the night.
  • Literary Devices: None particularly stand out in this line.

• "The more to blame my sluggard negligence."

  • Meaning: The maid blames herself for not being awake earlier, considering it a sign of laziness and neglect of her duties. She feels guilty for not being alert.
  • Literary Devices: Alliteration ("sluggard negligence") to emphasize the maid's self-reproach.

• "Yet with the fault I thus far can dispense:"

  • Meaning: The maid qualifies her self-reproach, meaning she thinks she can excuse herself to a certain extent.
  • Literary Devices: Formal diction ("dispense") creates a contrast with the emotional content of the poem.

• "Myself was stirring ere the break of day,"

  • Meaning: The maid explains that she was actually awake and active (stirring) before sunrise. This is an attempt to mitigate her perceived fault.
  • Literary Devices: Imagery: "Stirring ere the break of day" creates a vivid picture of the maid's early activity.

• "And, ere I rose, was Tarquin gone away."

  • Meaning: The maid confirms that Tarquin had already left before she even got out of bed. She implies she couldn't have prevented anything even if she had been up and about.
  • Literary Devices: Repetition: The phrases "ere I was up," "ere the break of day," and "ere I rose" emphasizes the short time frame and reinforces the maid's point that she could not have been vigilant enough to catch Tarquin.

Overall Meaning:

This stanza depicts the aftermath of the rape. Lucrece, wracked with shame and grief, haltingly questions her maid about Tarquin's departure. The maid, completely ignorant of the crime, expresses guilt for not being awake earlier, but then defends herself by stating she was indeed up before sunrise, and Tarquin had already left. The stanza highlights the chasm between Lucrece's agonizing knowledge and the maid's innocent unawareness. It emphasizes Lucrece's isolation in her suffering and sets the stage for her subsequent actions. The maid's mundane concerns and focus on her own perceived negligence provide a stark contrast to the magnitude of the violation Lucrece has suffered, further emphasizing the tragedy. The stanza reinforces the idea that Tarquin was careful to conceal his actions, leaving no immediate indication of his crime to the outside world.

Key Literary Devices Highlighted:

• Ellipsis: To show Lucrece's interrupted speech and emotional distress.
• Interruption: Lucrece's groan further emphasizes her emotional struggle.
• Euphemism: "From hence" to avoid direct mention of the scene of the crime.
• Alliteration: "Sluggard negligence" for emphasis.
• Formal diction ("dispense") creates a contrast with the emotional content.
• Imagery: "Stirring ere the break of day" to create a vivid picture.
• Repetition: "Ere" phrases to emphasize the short timeframe and maid's defense.
• Dramatic Irony: The audience knows what happened, while the maid remains ignorant, adding to the tension and Lucrece's isolation.

In short, this stanza is a masterclass in Shakespearean character development and building tension through language, revealing the devastating consequences of Tarquin's actions and the profound isolation of Lucrece in her suffering.