Stanza 216 - Explanation

Original Stanza

In him the painter laboured with his skill
To hide deceit and give the harmless show
An humble gait, calm looks, eyes wailing still,
A brow unbent that seemed to welcome woe,
Cheeks neither red nor pale, but mingled so
That blushing red no guilty instance gave,
Nor ashy pale the fear that false hearts have.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 216 from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece line by line:

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "In him the painter laboured with his skill":

  • Meaning: "In him" refers to Tarquin. A "painter" is figuratively used here to represent someone trying to create a false impression. The phrase suggests a deliberate and skillful effort to construct a deceptive façade. Tarquin is, in essence, painting a false image of himself.
  • Literary Devices: Metaphor (Tarquin is compared to a painter), Personification (skill is a quality applied to the painter).

• "To hide deceit and give the harmless show":

  • Meaning: The purpose of this "painting" is to conceal his true, deceitful intentions and present an innocent or harmless outward appearance. "Show" refers to the external image or performance he is putting on.
  • Literary Devices: Alliteration ("harmless show")

• "An humble gait, calm looks, eyes wailing still":

  • Meaning: Describes the specific elements of the façade. "Humble gait" means a modest or submissive way of walking. "Calm looks" suggests a composed and peaceful expression. "Eyes wailing still" is a powerful image of feigned sorrow, indicating a false empathy. The word "still" suggests a quiet, simmering sorrow, adding to the deceptive effect.
  • Literary Devices: Imagery (creates a vivid picture of his deceptive appearance).

• "A brow unbent that seemed to welcome woe":

  • Meaning: An "unbent brow" indicates a lack of worry or stress. He's projecting an attitude of accepting sorrow as if it were a natural part of his being. This adds to the false impression of innocence or resignation.
  • Literary Devices: Irony (he's the cause of the woe, yet appears to welcome it).

• "Cheeks neither red nor pale, but mingled so":

  • Meaning: His complexion is carefully modulated, not betraying the obvious signs of guilt (redness) or fear (paleness). The mixture is carefully controlled to avoid revealing his true emotions.
  • Literary Devices: Imagery, Balance (the "neither...nor" structure emphasizes the deliberate control).

• "That blushing red no guilty instance gave":

  • Meaning: There is no flush of embarrassment or guilt to give him away, indicating a controlled facade.
  • Literary Devices: Alliteration ("guilty gave")

• "Nor ashy pale the fear that false hearts have.":

  • Meaning: There is also no pallor of fear betraying a conscience wracked with guilt. "False hearts" refers to those with deceptive intentions.
  • Literary Devices: Imagery, Alliteration ("false fear").

Overall Meaning:

The stanza describes Tarquin's deliberate and skillful attempt to create a deceptive outward appearance to mask his true, malevolent intentions. He carefully cultivates an image of humility, calmness, and sorrow to gain Lucrece's trust and disarm her suspicions. He avoids any physical or emotional cues that might betray his guilt or fear, presenting a meticulously crafted façade of innocence. The stanza emphasizes the duplicity and cold calculation behind Tarquin's actions, foreshadowing the terrible events to come.

In essence, the stanza is a powerful commentary on the art of deception and how appearances can be meticulously crafted to conceal the darkest of intentions.