Stanza 225 - Explanation

Original Stanza

Thus ebbs and flows the current of her sorrow,
And time doth weary time with her complaining.
She looks for night, and then she longs for morrow,
And both she thinks too long with her remaining.
Short time seems long in sorrow’s sharp sustaining.
Though woe be heavy, yet it seldom sleeps,
And they that watch see time how slow it creeps.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down this stanza from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece and analyze its meaning.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "Thus ebbs and flows the current of her sorrow,"

  • "Thus": Indicates a continuation of a thought, summarizing the preceding events/Lucrece's state of mind.
  • "ebbs and flows": A metaphor comparing her sorrow to the tide. The tide goes in and out, and so does her sorrow, suggesting its fluctuating nature. It isn't a constant, unyielding state of grief, but rather a cyclical one.
  • "the current of her sorrow": The intensity of her sadness is personified as a flowing current.
  • Meaning: Her sorrow comes in waves, sometimes receding, sometimes overwhelming her. The "ebb and flow" implies the inconsistent and fluctuating nature of deep grief.

• "And time doth weary time with her complaining."

  • "Time doth weary time": Personification and polyptoton. Time is given the human quality of being wearied or fatigued. The repetition of "time" emphasizes the drawn-out, monotonous nature of her suffering. Polyptoton is the repetition of a word in a different inflection to create emphasis.
  • "with her complaining": Her constant lamenting is so intense it seems even time itself is becoming exhausted.
  • Meaning: Her suffering is so pervasive that even time, normally an impartial and relentless force, seems to grow weary and sluggish from her endless grieving.

• "She looks for night, and then she longs for morrow,"

  • "She looks for night": She anticipates the darkness, potentially as a respite from her pain or as a veil to hide her shame.
  • "then she longs for morrow": Almost immediately after desiring night, she wishes for morning.
  • Meaning: This highlights her inner turmoil and restlessness. She finds no peace or satisfaction in either day or night, trapped in a cycle of longing and discontent. It shows her instability.

• "And both she thinks too long with her remaining."

  • "both": Refers to both night and morrow from the previous line.
  • "too long with her remaining": The day and night each feel endless.
  • Meaning: Neither the night nor the day offers solace, and both periods feel excruciatingly drawn out because she's so deep in despair. It emphasizes the subjective experience of time when suffering.

• "Short time seems long in sorrow’s sharp sustaining."

  • "Short time seems long": A paradox. Logically, short time cannot be long, but in her grief, even brief moments feel extended and unbearable.
  • "sorrow's sharp sustaining": Grief is described as "sharp," implying a piercing pain, and "sustaining" suggests that it's a constant, unrelenting burden.
  • Meaning: Even a short period of suffering feels like an eternity. The pain of her grief distorts her perception of time.

• "Though woe be heavy, yet it seldom sleeps,"

  • "woe be heavy": A metaphor where woe (sorrow) is described as a heavy weight.
  • "it seldom sleeps": Woe is personified as something that does not sleep.
  • Meaning: Although her suffering is a heavy burden, it's a constant, relentless presence. She finds no rest from her pain.

• "And they that watch see time how slow it creeps."

  • "they that watch": Those who are alert, vigilant, and aware of their surroundings. In Lucrece's case, she is constantly aware of her pain and shame.
  • "see time how slow it creeps": Those who are actively enduring pain or suffering perceive time as moving incredibly slowly.
  • Meaning: Those who are suffering and are constantly aware of their pain experience time as dragging on endlessly. This is the feeling of enduring a traumatic event.

Overall Meaning of the Stanza:

The stanza vividly illustrates the debilitating and distorted experience of time when one is consumed by profound grief and trauma. Lucrece is trapped in a cycle of despair, where even fleeting moments feel like an eternity. Time, usually an objective measure, becomes subjective and agonizingly slow for her. The "ebb and flow" of her sorrow, the weariness of time itself, and the relentless nature of her pain all contribute to a powerful depiction of her suffering. The stanza emphasizes the mental anguish and the crushing weight of her shame, showing how it warps her perception of reality. It highlights the psychological toll of her rape, portraying her as trapped in a prison of her own mind, with no escape from the torment.