Stanza 190 - Explanation

Original Stanza

To see sad sights moves more than hear them told,
For then the eye interprets to the ear
The heavy motion that it doth behold,
When every part a part of woe doth bear.
’Tis but a part of sorrow that we hear.
Deep sounds make lesser noise than shallow fords,
And sorrow ebbs, being blown with wind of words.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 190 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line, then discuss the overall meaning and literary devices.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "To see sad sights moves more than hear them told,"

  • Meaning: Experiencing something sad firsthand (seeing it) has a stronger emotional impact than simply hearing about it from someone else.
  • Literary Devices: Direct Statement, Juxtaposition (seeing vs. hearing).

• "For then the eye interprets to the ear"

  • Meaning: When we see something sorrowful, our eyes communicate (interpret) the intensity of the experience to our ears, enhancing our understanding and feeling. The eyes act as a translator for the ears.
  • Literary Devices: Personification (eye interprets), Metaphor (eyes as interpreter/translator).

• "The heavy motion that it doth behold,"

  • Meaning: The eyes perceive the weighty, sorrowful action or movement of the scene. "Heavy motion" implies both physical actions and the emotional weight behind them.
  • Literary Devices: Imagery (heavy motion).

• "When every part a part of woe doth bear."

  • Meaning: When in sorrowful events, every detail, every element, contributes to and reflects the overall feeling of grief. Each individual aspect carries its own share of the sorrow.
  • Literary Devices: Repetition ("part a part"), Alliteration ("part").

• "'Tis but a part of sorrow that we hear."

  • Meaning: When we only hear about sorrow, we only receive a fraction of the full emotional impact. Hearing is an incomplete experience compared to seeing.
  • Literary Devices: Direct Statement, contrast with the beginning of the stanza

• "Deep sounds make lesser noise than shallow fords,"

  • Meaning: Profound, deeply felt sorrow is often quieter and less outwardly expressive than superficial or shallow grief. A "shallow ford" (a shallow place to cross a river) makes more noise (splashing) than the depths of the river.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor (comparing deep sorrow to deep sounds and shallow grief to shallow fords), Paradox (deep sounds make lesser noise).

• "And sorrow ebbs, being blown with wind of words."

  • Meaning: Sorrow diminishes or fades away when it is merely talked about ("blown with wind of words"). Excessive talking about sorrow can dilute its power. The "wind of words" can dissipate the strength of the grief.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor (sorrow as something that ebbs like the tide), Personification (sorrow being blown), Alliteration ("wind of words").

Overall Meaning:

The stanza explores the profound difference between witnessing sorrow firsthand and merely hearing about it. Sight offers a more complete and intense understanding of suffering because the eye conveys the emotional weight of the experience more effectively to the mind. Conversely, simply hearing about sorrow provides only a partial understanding and its impact can be lessened by excessive or empty talk. Deep, true sorrow is often expressed quietly, while shallow grief may be more outwardly demonstrative. By comparing sorrow to sounds and water, Shakespeare uses imagery to underscore the depth and intensity of experienced pain versus the superficiality of mere reports. Ultimately, the stanza suggests the limitations of language in fully conveying the complexities of human suffering and the power of visual experience.

Summary of Literary Devices:

• Metaphor: Used extensively to compare sorrow to sounds, water, and the act of interpreting.
• Personification: The eye is given the human ability to interpret.
• Imagery: "Heavy motion," "deep sounds," "shallow fords," "wind of words" create vivid pictures in the reader's mind.
• Repetition: "Part a part" emphasizes the role of each element in contributing to the overall sorrow.
• Alliteration: "Wind of words" creates a subtle musicality.
• Juxtaposition: The stanza uses seeing and hearing to contrast how we perceive and process sorrow.
• Paradox: "Deep sounds make lesser noise" highlights the counterintuitive nature of grief.

This stanza provides a crucial insight into the psychological impact of the events unfolding in the poem, and the importance of visual and emotional understanding in experiencing sorrow.