Stanza 206 - Explanation

Original Stanza

And from the strand of Dardan, where they fought,
To Simois’ reedy banks the red blood ran,
Whose waves to imitate the battle sought
With swelling ridges, and their ranks began
To break upon the galled shore, and then
Retire again till, meeting greater ranks,
They join, and shoot their foam at Simois’ banks.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down stanza 206 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line and then discuss the overall meaning and literary devices:

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "And from the strand of Dardan, where they fought,"

  • Meaning: The blood flowed all the way from the beach of Dardanus, the area associated with the Trojan War. "Strand" refers to the shoreline, and "Dardan" is a reference to Troy (Dardanus was an ancestor of the Trojan kings). "Where they fought" alludes to the immense battles fought at Troy.
  • Literary Devices: Allusion (to the Trojan War). The historical setting of Troy adds depth and weight to the description.

• "To Simois’ reedy banks the red blood ran,"

  • Meaning: The blood made its way to the banks of the river Simois, a river near Troy, noted for its reeds.
  • Literary Devices: Imagery: Vivid image of the red blood flowing. Specific details: The river Simois, and it's reeds.

• "Whose waves to imitate the battle sought"

  • Meaning: The waves of the river seemed to try to imitate the chaos and violence of the battle at Troy.
  • Literary Devices: Personification: Giving the waves human-like motivation (to imitate). This is a crucial device.

• "With swelling ridges, and their ranks began"

  • Meaning: The waves rose up in "ridges" (high crests) and began to organize, like soldiers forming lines ("ranks").
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor: Comparing waves to ranks of soldiers. Imagery: The word "swelling" gives a visual sense of the water rising.

• "To break upon the galled shore, and then"

  • Meaning: The waves crashed onto the "galled" shore (a shore rubbed raw, wounded).
  • Literary Devices: Imagery: The description of the shore as "galled" adds to the sense of suffering and violence. "Galled" connects the shore's condition to the feeling of pain.

• "Retire again till, meeting greater ranks,"

  • Meaning: The waves retreated (like a defeated army) until they merged with larger waves (larger ranks).
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor: Continuing the metaphor of waves as soldiers retreating to regroup.

• "They join, and shoot their foam at Simois’ banks."

  • Meaning: The re-formed waves combined and crashed violently onto the banks of the Simois River, throwing their foam.
  • Literary Devices: Imagery: The image of "shooting foam" is dynamic and emphasizes the force of the water.

Overall Meaning and Interpretation:

This stanza is a powerful analogy. Shakespeare uses the flowing blood from the Trojan War and the actions of the river Simois to mirror the emotions and events surrounding Lucrece's rape.

• The blood flowing from Dardan represents the originating event, a violation (whether physical or metaphorical).
• The river's actions represent the turmoil and chaos caused by the act of violence. The river is not simply flowing, it's imitating battle, which suggests an unnatural and violent disruption of the natural order.
• The "galled shore" represents Lucrece's violated body and her suffering. The waves attacking the shore are a symbolic representation of the ongoing pain and trauma she experiences.
• The ebb and flow of the waves, their retreat and regrouping, can be seen as representing the recurring and overwhelming nature of trauma.

Key Literary Devices Summary:

• Allusion: To the Trojan War (Dardan, Simois).
• Personification: Giving the river waves human-like motivations and actions.
• Metaphor: Comparing the waves to soldiers (ranks, breaking, retiring, shooting).
• Imagery: Vivid descriptions that appeal to the senses (red blood, swelling ridges, galled shore, shooting foam).
• Pathetic Fallacy: The natural world (river and waves) reflecting and amplifying human emotions (suffering, violence). While technically close to personification, pathetic fallacy specifically applies to nature mirroring emotions.

The stanza is effective because it moves beyond a simple description of a river. It uses the natural world to powerfully evoke the chaos, pain, and lasting impact of a violent act. The connection to the Trojan War also elevates the poem, associating Lucrece's tragedy with a grand historical context of war and suffering.