Stanza 232 - Explanation

Original Stanza

“Then be this all the task it hath to say:
Dear husband, in the interest of thy bed
A stranger came, and on that pillow lay
Where thou wast wont to rest thy weary head;
And what wrong else may be imagined
By foul enforcement might be done to me,
From that, alas, thy Lucrece is not free.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down this poignant stanza from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece and then discuss its overall meaning and literary devices.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "Then be this all the task it hath to say:"

  • Meaning: Let this be the complete message, the only thing that needs to be said. "It" refers to the confession or explanation Lucrece is about to deliver to her husband. "Task" implies the difficult and painful nature of the communication.

• "Dear husband, in the interest of thy bed"

  • Meaning: This directly addresses her husband, Collatinus, in a very intimate way. "In the interest of thy bed" is a euphemism, meaning in relation to their marital sexual relationship, fidelity and marriage. She's hinting that what she's about to say has affected their marriage bed (and therefore their relationship).

• "A stranger came, and on that pillow lay"

  • Meaning: This is a more direct statement. A "stranger," meaning Tarquin, invaded their marriage and slept where her husband should have been. The "pillow" symbolizes intimacy, safety, and the sanctity of their marriage.
  • Literary Device: Metonymy - "pillow" is used to represent the shared intimacy and marital bed.

• "Where thou wast wont to rest thy weary head;"

  • Meaning: A reminder of Collatinus's absence. It emphasizes his rightful place in the marriage bed and highlights the betrayal by reminding him of how he usually rests his head there. "Wast wont" means used to.

• "And what wrong else may be imagined"

  • Meaning: She's being somewhat indirect, yet powerfully suggestive. She's implying that the worst imaginable thing occurred, but is not explicitly stating it.

• "By foul enforcement might be done to me,"

  • Meaning: "Foul enforcement" refers to the rape. The phrase is a euphemism for the act itself, adding to the sense of horror and unspeakableness. "Might be done" is intentionally ambiguous to imply that she cannot bring herself to describe the act directly.

• "From that, alas, thy Lucrece is not free."

  • Meaning: This is the heartbreaking conclusion. She's not free from the violation, from the horror, from the shame. "Alas" expresses her deep sorrow and despair. "Thy Lucrece" reminds her husband that what happened to her has consequences for both of them.
  • Literary Device: Irony - "not free" is understatement. Lucrece's experience has imprisoned her and ruined her sense of self.

Overall Meaning of the Stanza:

In this stanza, Lucrece begins to deliver the agonizing news of her rape to her husband, Collatinus. She struggles to articulate the horror she has endured, using euphemisms and indirect language to convey the unspeakable act of violation. She confesses that a stranger has usurped her husband's place in their bed, and that she is now forever tainted by the "foul enforcement" that has occurred. She concludes by lamenting that she is no longer free from the shame and trauma of the rape, emphasizing the devastating consequences for herself and her marriage. The stanza is filled with a profound sense of loss, shame, and despair.

Literary Devices Recap:

• Euphemism: Used to soften the direct impact of the horrific event (e.g., "in the interest of thy bed," "foul enforcement").
• Metonymy: "Pillow" represents the intimacy and sanctity of the marriage bed.
• Understatement/Litotes: "Not free" is a gross understatement of the degree to which the rape has imprisoned her.
• Irony: "Not free" when in reality she is forever bound by the rape.

The use of these literary devices contributes to the emotional intensity and the overall tragic impact of the scene. Lucrece's struggle to articulate her experience highlights the profound psychological and emotional damage inflicted by the rape.