Stanza 254 - Explanation

Original Stanza

By this starts Collatine as from a dream,
And bids Lucretius give his sorrow place;
And then in key-cold Lucrece’ bleeding stream
He falls, and bathes the pale fear in his face,
And counterfeits to die with her a space;
Till manly shame bids him possess his breath,
And live to be revenged on her death.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Let's break down Stanza 254 from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece:

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "By this starts Collatine as from a dream,"

  • "By this": Referring to the act of Lucrece's suicide (which occurs just before this stanza).
  • "starts Collatine": Collatine begins to react.
  • "as from a dream": Implies a stunned, disoriented state, as if awakening from a nightmare. Literary Device: Simile.

• "And bids Lucretius give his sorrow place;"

  • "And bids": And commands.
  • "Lucretius": A friend of Collatine and Lucrece's family, likely there as a witness or mourner.
  • "give his sorrow place": Tells Lucretius (presumably) to step back, or perhaps not to be overcome by grief. Implies Collatine is taking charge.

• "And then in key-cold Lucrece’ bleeding stream"

  • "And then": Referring to the next action.
  • "key-cold": Very cold. Literary Device: Descriptive adjective used to emphasize coldness. The coldness is also symbolic of death and the end of feeling.
  • "Lucrece' bleeding stream": The blood flowing from Lucrece's wound. This paints a vivid and brutal picture. Literary Device: Metaphor (blood as a stream).

• "He falls, and bathes the pale fear in his face,"

  • "He falls": Collatine falls, either physically or metaphorically in grief.
  • "bathes the pale fear in his face": His face is pale with fear and grief, as though he is washing it in the blood (and associated emotions). Literary Device: Personification (fear as a thing that can be bathed), Metaphor.

• "And counterfeits to die with her a space;"

  • "counterfeits to die": Pretends to die.
  • "with her a space": For a short while. He briefly acts as though he will die as well.

• "Till manly shame bids him possess his breath,"

  • "Till": Until.
  • "manly shame": The shame of not avenging her, or a shame linked to his perceived inability to protect her. Shame for being there, alive, while she is dead. Literary Device: Personification (shame "bids" him).
  • "bids him possess his breath": Commands him to live. He is reclaiming his life, so he can act.

• "And live to be revenged on her death."

  • "And live to be revenged": He decides to live in order to seek vengeance.
  • "on her death": For her death; to punish Tarquin. The core of his resolve.

Overall Meaning:

This stanza vividly portrays Collatine's immediate reaction to Lucrece's suicide. Initially, he is stunned, then overwhelmed with grief and perhaps even a sense of guilt. He acts as though he will die as well, overwhelmed by the tragedy. However, the "manly shame" associated with his helplessness and the lack of vengeance on the rapist (Tarquin) forces him to regain control and resolve to live. He embraces the need for revenge as his primary purpose. It marks a crucial turning point, showing the shift from despair to a determined resolve. It sets the stage for the action that will follow, the pursuit of justice, and ultimately, the fall of the Roman monarchy.

Key Literary Devices and their significance:

• Simile ("as from a dream"): Emphasizes Collatine's initial disorientation and shock.
• Descriptive Adjective ("key-cold"): Creates a visceral image of death, and symbolizes the end of life.
• Metaphor ("bleeding stream"): Intensifies the horror and provides a visual image of Lucrece's fatal wound.
• Personification ("shame bids"): Allows Shakespeare to personify and dramatize shame, a powerful emotion that drives Collatine's actions.
• Imagery: The stanza is rich with vivid imagery, such as "key-cold Lucrece' bleeding stream" and "bathes the pale fear." This makes the scene incredibly affecting.

The stanza is a powerful and succinct summary of Collatine's psychological journey from shock and grief to a resolute commitment to vengeance.