The aim of all is but to nurse the life
With honour, wealth, and ease, in waning age;
And in this aim there is such thwarting strife,
That one for all, or all for one we gage;
As life for honour in fell battle's rage;
Honour for wealth; and oft that wealth doth cost
The death of all, and all together lost.
Let's break down Shakespeare's stanza 21 from The Rape of Lucrece:
"The aim of all is but to nurse the life / With honour, wealth, and ease, in waning age;": This opening sets the stage. "The aim of all" refers to the universal human goal. "Nurse the life" signifies preserving and cherishing life, particularly in "waning age," meaning old age. The three things desired to achieve this are "honour, wealth, and ease," representing societal status, material comfort, and a peaceful existence. This is a straightforward statement of a common human aspiration.
"And in this aim there is such thwarting strife, / That one for all, or all for one we gage;": Here, Shakespeare introduces conflict. "Thwarting strife" highlights the inherent difficulties in pursuing this goal. The next line, "That one for all, or all for one we gage," introduces the central conflict. "Gage" means to pledge or risk. This suggests that people often must sacrifice one of these desired things (honour, wealth, ease) for the others. It's a choice between prioritizing one aspect ("one for all") or risking all for a single aspect ("all for one"). This is a powerful example of antithesis, contrasting the two options.
"As life for honour in fell battle's rage; / Honour for wealth; and oft that wealth doth cost / The death of all, and all together lost.": This section provides examples of the trade-offs described earlier. "Life for honour in fell battle's rage" illustrates how people risk their lives (life) to achieve honour (e.g., in war). "Honour for wealth" shows how someone might compromise their honour to gain wealth (e.g., through corruption). Finally, "oft that wealth doth cost / The death of all, and all together lost" presents the ultimate irony—the pursuit of wealth often leads to the loss of everything (life, honour, and ease). The repeated use of "all" emphasizes the completeness of this potential loss. This section employs parallel structure for emphasis and rhythmic effect.
Overall Meaning:
The stanza explores the paradoxical nature of human ambition. While the fundamental aim is to secure a comfortable and honorable old age, the pursuit of this goal is fraught with internal conflict and potential loss. People are forced to make difficult choices, often sacrificing one aspect for another, and even the attainment of one desired element (like wealth) can lead to the loss of everything. It sets a tone of caution and underlines the inherent instability and potential for tragedy in the pursuit of worldly success. The stanza is a microcosm of the larger themes of the poem, which deals with the destructive nature of lust and the fragility of virtue. The use of literary devices enhances the poem's impact, creating a sense of both inevitability and tragedy in the human condition.