Besides, the life and feeling of her passion
She hoards, to spend when he is by to hear her;
When sighs and groans and tears may grace the fashion
Of her disgrace, the better so to clear her
From that suspicion which the world might bear her.
To shun this blot, she would not blot the letter
With words, till action might become them better.
Okay, let's break down Stanza 189 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line and then discuss its overall meaning and literary devices.
Line-by-Line Breakdown:
"Besides, the life and feeling of her passion": This line sets the stage. It introduces the fact that Lucrece is actively suppressing the intensity of her emotional distress. "Life and feeling of her passion" refers to the depth and vitality of her suffering.
"She hoards, to spend when he is by to hear her;": Lucrece is not letting her emotions flow freely. Instead, she hoards them, saving them up like a miser saves money. She intends to spend them – express them fully – when he is by to hear her. "He" refers to her husband, Collatine. This hints at her concern with public perception and the importance of her husband witnessing her suffering.
"When sighs and groans and tears may grace the fashion": This is a crucial line. It suggests a calculated element to Lucrece's grief. She envisions a scene where her sighs, groans, and tears will grace the fashion of her disgrace. This means she wants to present her suffering in a way that is both emotionally powerful (the sighs, groans, tears) and socially acceptable ("grace the fashion"). The word "fashion" here implies a carefully constructed presentation, almost a performance.
"Of her disgrace, the better so to clear her": The purpose of this performance is to clear her from the disgrace. Lucrece understands that she will be seen as dishonored by the rape, but she hopes that by presenting her suffering in a particular way, she can mitigate the damage to her reputation. The "better so to clear her" suggests she believes a demonstrative display of grief will be more effective in proving her innocence and unwillingness.
"From that suspicion which the world might bear her.": Lucrece fears that the world will suspect her of consenting to the rape, or at least of not resisting strongly enough. She is intensely aware of the societal stigma attached to sexual assault and the possibility that she will be blamed or ostracized. This line highlights the vulnerability and powerlessness of women in that era.
"To shun this blot, she would not blot the letter": This line uses a clever wordplay on the word "blot." Lucrece wants to avoid the "blot" of suspicion and dishonor on her reputation. She is careful not to "blot the letter" – meaning she does not want to write down her thoughts in a rash or unconsidered way. The "letter" could refer to the story of her shame, or perhaps a literal letter she might write.
"With words, till action might become them better.": She will not use words hastily. She wants her actions to speak louder than words. She will wait for the right moment and context so that her actions can convey the full extent of her grief, outrage, and innocence. This line emphasizes the importance of outward behavior as a way to communicate and reclaim her honor. "Action might become them better," implies that her actions will provide context and credence to the meaning behind her words, making them even more impactful.
Overall Meaning:
The stanza reveals Lucrece's calculated approach to dealing with the aftermath of the rape. She is acutely aware of the societal implications and the potential damage to her reputation. She understands that her words and actions will be scrutinized. Therefore, she carefully plans how to express her grief, aiming to convince her husband and the world of her innocence and to regain control over her narrative. This stanza demonstrates the immense pressure placed upon Lucrece to manage her image and to navigate a patriarchal society that holds her responsible for the actions of her attacker. She's not simply grieving; she's strategically managing her grief as a form of self-preservation.
Literary Devices:
In essence, this stanza offers a complex and nuanced portrait of Lucrece, a woman caught in a web of societal expectations and personal trauma. It shows her not only as a victim but also as a strategist trying to navigate a deeply unfair situation.