Stanza 239 - Explanation

Original Stanza

As through an arch the violent roaring tide
Outruns the eye that doth behold his haste,
Yet in the eddy boundeth in his pride
Back to the strait that forced him on so fast,
In rage sent out, recalled in rage, being past:
Even so his sighs, his sorrows make a saw,
To push grief on, and back the same grief draw.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 239 from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece, examining each part and its literary devices, and then synthesize the overall meaning.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "As through an arch the violent roaring tide"

  • Meaning: The image is a powerful, aggressive tide surging through a narrow archway. This establishes a sense of force, pent-up energy being unleashed.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Simile: The stanza begins with "As," immediately establishing a comparison between Tarquin's emotional state and the tide.
    • Imagery: "Violent roaring tide" is strong auditory and visual imagery that vividly depicts the tide's force.

• "Outruns the eye that doth behold his haste,"

  • Meaning: The tide moves so quickly that it surpasses the ability of the observer to follow it. It's unstoppable and uncontrolled.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Personification: "Eye that doth behold" gives a human quality to observation. "His haste" also personifies the tide.
    • Hyperbole: The tide outrunning the eye is an exaggeration to emphasize its speed and power.

• "Yet in the eddy boundeth in his pride"

  • Meaning: Despite its outward rush, the tide creates swirling eddies (circular currents) and appears to be full of pride (perhaps meaning unrestrained power). It's not just a linear force; it's complex and self-involved.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Personification: "Pride" is attributed to the tide.
    • Imagery: The "eddy" provides visual imagery of turbulent, circling water.

• "Back to the strait that forced him on so fast,"

  • Meaning: The tide eventually reverses direction, moving back towards the narrow passage that initially propelled it forward.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Personification: The "strait" is described as forcing the tide.
    • Alliteration: The repetition of the 'f' sound in "forced" and "fast" emphasizes the strength of the force.

• "In rage sent out, recalled in rage, being past:"

  • Meaning: The tide's initial surge and subsequent retreat are both driven by rage or violent emotion. The retreat occurs once its initial force has been spent.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Repetition: The word "rage" is repeated, highlighting the intensity of the emotion driving the tide's actions.
    • Parallelism: "Sent out, recalled" creates a sense of balance and mirrored action.

• "Even so his sighs, his sorrows make a saw,"

  • Meaning: This transitions the simile to the real subject: Tarquin's emotions. His sighs and sorrows act like a saw, a tool that cuts back and forth.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Metaphor: The sighs and sorrows are equated to a saw, not just compared.
    • Imagery: A saw evokes a violent, cutting, and painful action.

• "To push grief on, and back the same grief draw."

  • Meaning: Tarquin's grief is intensified by his internal struggles. His sighs and sorrows both amplify and revisit the same feelings of remorse and guilt. He is tormented by his actions.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Repetition: The repetition of "grief" underscores its central role in Tarquin's suffering.
    • Paradox: The idea of "pushing grief on" and drawing it "back" suggests a cycle of self-torment.

Overall Meaning:

The stanza uses the simile of a powerful, turbulent tide to describe the emotional turmoil of Tarquin after raping Lucrece. Like the tide that rushes forward and then recedes, driven by an underlying force, Tarquin is consumed by waves of grief and remorse. His sighs and sorrows act like a saw, constantly intensifying and revisiting the same pain. He is caught in a cycle of self-torment, unable to escape the guilt and consequences of his actions. The powerful imagery of the tide emphasizes the uncontrollable and destructive nature of Tarquin's emotions. The back-and-forth action of the tide mirrors the internal conflict Tarquin experiences, highlighting his inability to find peace or resolution. The stanza is thus a powerful description of psychological anguish and the destructive power of guilt.