Stanza 235 - Explanation

Original Stanza

“With this, I did begin to start and cry,
And then against my heart he sets his sword,
Swearing, unless I took all patiently,
I should not live to speak another word;
So should my shame still rest upon record,
And never be forgot in mighty Rome
The adulterate death of Lucrece and her groom.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Let's break down Stanza 235 of Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece piece by piece:

• "With this, I did begin to start and cry,"

  • Meaning: This line indicates Lucrece's initial reaction to the threat. "With this" refers to the culmination of Collatine's increasingly aggressive demands and threats. She starts (jumps) in fright and begins to cry. This is the beginning of her abject terror.

• "And then against my heart he sets his sword,"

  • Meaning: Collatine reinforces his threat by physically pressing his sword against Lucrece's chest, aiming for her heart. This is a vivid image of imminent violence and forces Lucrece to understand the full extent of his threat.

• "Swearing, unless I took all patiently,"

  • Meaning: Collatine demands that Lucrece passively accept his advances (i.e., submit to the rape) without resistance or complaint. The use of "patiently" is a cruel irony, suggesting she should be calm and accepting of this heinous act.

• "I should not live to speak another word;"

  • Meaning: This is the direct threat of death. If Lucrece resists or tells anyone, Collatine will kill her. He is silencing her, taking away her voice and agency.

• "So should my shame still rest upon record,"

  • Meaning: Here, Collatine is suggesting the consequences of Lucrece's non-compliance. If he kills her, he'll be able to make sure that her perceived infidelity would become a written story that lasts, permanently damning her reputation. Record is a metaphor for public reputation, or the stories about her that people will remember.

• "And never be forgot in mighty Rome"

  • Meaning: This emphasizes the enduring nature of the shame. Collatine suggests that the scandal surrounding Lucrece's "adulterate death" would be a lasting stain on her name, forever remembered throughout the city of Rome.

• "The adulterate death of Lucrece and her groom."

  • Meaning: This line is the culmination of Collatine's blackmail. He's threatening to kill both Lucrece and one of her servants (her "groom"). Collatine frames Lucrece's murder as an adulterous act.
    • Using the word "adulterate" suggests that Lucrece was committing adultery and that the consequences are deserving of her actions.

Overall Meaning of the Stanza:

This stanza is a crucial moment in the poem where Collatine uses extreme threats and physical violence to coerce Lucrece into submission. He holds a sword to her heart, threatening to kill her and frame her death as a scandalous act of adultery if she does not comply. His words are designed to break her spirit and leave her with no other option but to endure the rape. The stanza highlights the themes of power, control, and the violation of innocence that permeate the entire poem.

Literary Devices:

• Imagery: The visual of the sword against Lucrece's heart creates a vivid and terrifying image for the reader.
• Irony: The word "patiently" is ironic, given the situation Lucrece is in.
• Allusion: The reference to "mighty Rome" sets the scene and reminds the reader of the importance of reputation and honor in Roman society.
• Threat and Coercion: This is the overarching device used, with Collatine explicitly threatening Lucrece's life and reputation.
• Metaphor: The use of record suggests public perception and written accounts that have an enduring impact on people's perspectives.

This stanza powerfully encapsulates the central conflict of the poem, emphasizing the vulnerability of Lucrece and the ruthless cruelty of Collatine.