Stanza 256 - Explanation

Original Stanza

Yet sometime “Tarquin” was pronounced plain,
But through his teeth, as if the name he tore.
This windy tempest, till it blow up rain,
Held back his sorrow’s tide, to make it more.
At last it rains, and busy winds give o’er.
Then son and father weep with equal strife
Who should weep most, for daughter or for wife.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Let's break down Stanza 256 from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece:

Line by Line Breakdown & Literary Devices:

• "Yet sometime “Tarquin” was pronounced plain,"
  • "Yet sometime": Introduces a contrast or a change in behavior.
  • "“Tarquin” was pronounced plain": Refers to Tarquin's speaking of his own name. The use of quotation marks indicates emphasis on the name itself. Implies that Tarquin would, in the past, say the name with ease.
• "But through his teeth, as if the name he tore."
  • "But": Contrasts the ease of the past with the present.
  • "through his teeth": Indicates the difficulty and constrained way in which he now says the name.
  • "as if the name he tore": A simile, comparing the way Tarquin says his name to the act of tearing something. This emphasizes his inner turmoil, anger, and perhaps a sense of self-loathing. He's struggling to even utter his own name.
• "This windy tempest, till it blow up rain,"
  • "This windy tempest": A metaphor for Tarquin's emotional state, which is described as a "tempest" or storm of wind. This evokes a sense of agitation, restlessness, and concealed fury.
  • "till it blow up rain": The storm is about to unleash its full potential. Suggests an inevitable release of emotions – specifically, weeping or grief.
• "Held back his sorrow’s tide, to make it more."
  • "Held back his sorrow’s tide": Another metaphor, likening his sorrow to a tide. This implies a powerful and overwhelming force being suppressed.
  • "to make it more": By holding back the sorrow, it intensifies. The longer he suppresses his emotions, the more powerful and destructive the eventual release will be.
• "At last it rains, and busy winds give o’er."
  • "At last it rains": The moment of emotional release has arrived. The "rain" is the tears or grief.
  • "busy winds give o’er": The wind, representing his internal turmoil and agitation, subsides. This signifies the climax of his emotions, and the beginning of some form of resolution.
• "Then son and father weep with equal strife"
  • "Then son and father weep": Lucrece's father and husband are crying.
  • "with equal strife": Suggests they are equally overcome by grief and despair.
• "Who should weep most, for daughter or for wife."
  • "Who should weep most": A rhetorical question, highlighting the unbearable nature of their shared loss.
  • "for daughter or for wife": Refers to Lucrece; the father grieving for his daughter, the husband for his wife. The shared tragedy brings both characters together in their grief.

Overall Meaning:

This stanza depicts Tarquin's internal struggle and the devastating aftermath of his act. It moves from a sense of restrained agitation to a full emotional release. The first part focuses on Tarquin's internal conflict. He can barely bring himself to say his name, a clear sign of his disgust and guilt. The metaphors of the "windy tempest" and the "sorrow's tide" illustrate the power of his emotions, which he initially suppresses, thereby intensifying them. The second part of the stanza shifts to the shared grief of Lucrece's family (her father and husband). They are overcome with grief and their struggle to bear the loss of Lucrece is reflected in the rhetorical question about who should grieve more. The stanza emphasizes the profound suffering and the tragic consequences of the rape, as it destroys more than just Lucrece's life, but also the lives of those around her.

Key Literary Devices:

• Simile: "as if the name he tore"
• Metaphor: "windy tempest," "sorrow's tide," "it rains"
• Rhetorical Question: "Who should weep most, for daughter or for wife."
• Imagery: Creates a vivid mental image of both Tarquin's internal turmoil and the weeping of the two men.
• Contrast: Between Tarquin's past and present, the emotional release vs. the suppression