Stanza 244 - Explanation

Original Stanza

“What is the quality of my offence,
Being constrained with dreadful circumstance?
May my pure mind with the foul act dispense,
My low-declined honour to advance?
May any terms acquit me from this chance?
The poisoned fountain clears itself again,
And why not I from this compelled stain?

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down stanza 244 of Shakespeare's "The Rape of Lucrece" line by line, then consider the overall meaning.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "What is the quality of my offence,"

  • Analysis: Lucrece begins by questioning the nature or severity of her sin/crime/transgression. She is pondering how much blame she actually bears. "Quality" is not about how she committed it, but how bad it is.
  • Literary Device: This is a rhetorical question. She isn't necessarily expecting an answer, but posing a question to prompt deeper reflection.

• "Being constrained with dreadful circumstance?"

  • Analysis: She emphasizes that her actions were "constrained," meaning forced or compelled, by terrible (dreadful) circumstances. The circumstance being her rape.
  • Literary Device: Alliteration ("dreadful circumstance"). This draws emphasis to the horrifying nature of the situation she was in. The line functions as an explanation to the previous line, as to why she is asking what the quality of her crime is.

• "May my pure mind with the foul act dispense,"

  • Analysis: Can her innocent and virtuous (pure) inner self be separate (dispense) from the disgusting/evil (foul) deed that was forced upon her. She is asking if she should be judged simply on the fact that the act happened, or if she should be judged on her intentions (to remain pure.)
  • Literary Device: Juxtaposition of "pure mind" and "foul act" highlights the internal conflict and the contrast between her inner virtue and the external defilement.

• "My low-declined honour to advance?"

  • Analysis: She asks whether performing a further act can restore her honor, which has been diminished by the rape. It is important to note that her honor is "low-declined" -- it has been knocked down by the circumstance.
  • Literary Device: "Low-declined honour" is a somewhat euphemistic way of describing her dishonored state. It softens the bluntness.

• "May any terms acquit me from this chance?"

  • Analysis: Can any agreement (terms) or conditions clear (acquit) her of this misfortune (chance)? Chance here refers to the random event that brought about the rape.
  • Literary Device: This line uses an archaic legalistic tone to frame the situation, as though she is pleading to a judge.

• "The poisoned fountain clears itself again,"

  • Analysis: A powerful metaphor: If a spring of water, even if poisoned or polluted (poisoned fountain), can purify itself, shouldn't the same be true for her? She uses this as an argument to support the idea of her own redemption.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor. The "poisoned fountain" symbolizes her defiled state.

• "And why not I from this compelled stain?"

  • Analysis: This echoes the previous line, solidifying her argument. If a fountain can clear itself, why can't she be cleansed from the stain (the rape) that was forced upon her? The "compelled stain" is an example of how she views the situation -- she was forced into a situation, and it created a stain.
  • Literary Device: Rhetorical Question (similar to the first line of the stanza).

Overall Meaning of the Stanza:

This stanza reveals Lucrece's agonizing internal conflict as she grapples with the aftermath of her rape. She is desperately seeking a way to reconcile the physical act with her inner sense of purity and honor. She questions the nature of her "offence," arguing that she was "constrained" by circumstances beyond her control. She hopes that her mind, which remained uncorrupted, can somehow mitigate the foulness of the act. The stanza builds to a powerful analogy of a "poisoned fountain" purifying itself, suggesting that she too should be able to cleanse herself of the "compelled stain."

Essentially, Lucrece is in the midst of trying to figure out if she is still considered to be pure, despite the fact that the rape occurred. If the rape has forever tarnished her honor, she needs to figure out how to restore it. She ponders whether a further act is necessary to restore it. This stanza demonstrates her struggle to determine whether she is at fault, how much of the blame she bears, and whether there is a path to redemption or restoration of her honor.