'Had Collatinus kill'd my son or sire,
Or lain in ambush to betray my life,
Or were he not my dear friend, this desire
Might have excuse to work upon his wife,
As in revenge or quittal of such strife:
But as he is my kinsman, my dear friend,
The shame and fault finds no excuse nor end.
This stanza from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece explores Lucrece's internal conflict and justification (or lack thereof) for Tarquin's actions. Let's break it down line by line:
"Had Collatinus kill'd my son or sire," This line establishes a hypothetical scenario. Lucrece imagines a situation where her husband, Collatinus, had committed grievous acts against her family. This sets up a potential justification for revenge or anger.
"Or lain in ambush to betray my life," This continues the hypothetical, escalating the severity. Collatinus is now portrayed as attempting to murder Lucrece herself. Again, this creates a context where strong negative emotions, even actions, might be understandable.
"Or were he not my dear friend, this desire / Might have excuse to work upon his wife," Here, the "desire" refers to Tarquin's lustful intentions. Lucrece suggests that if Collatinus were her enemy, Tarquin's actions might be seen as justifiable revenge, or at least understandable within the context of a feud. The phrase "work upon his wife" subtly implies that the act would be directed against Collatinus through his wife.
"As in revenge or quittal of such strife:" This reinforces the previous line, emphasizing the potential for revenge as a motive. "Quittal" means repayment or retribution.
"But as he is my kinsman, my dear friend," This is the pivotal turning point. Lucrece abruptly shifts from hypothetical justification to the reality of the situation. Collatinus is not her enemy, but rather her close relative and beloved husband.
"The shame and fault finds no excuse nor end." This concluding line is the crux of the stanza. There is no justification for Tarquin's actions; the shame and the "fault" (the rape itself) remain utterly inexcusable.
Literary Devices:
Hypothetical situation: Lucrece uses a series of "what if" clauses ("Had...Or...Or were...") to explore the potential justifications for Tarquin's actions if Collatinus were an enemy. This is a powerful way to highlight the stark contrast with the actual reality.
Antithesis: The stark opposition between the hypothetical scenarios and the actual relationship between Lucrece and Collatinus creates a strong antithesis, emphasizing the unforgivable nature of the rape.
Rhetorical questions (implied): While not explicitly posed, the stanza implies several rhetorical questions: "Could such actions be excused if...?" "But given the truth, what excuse remains?"
Parallelism: The repetition of "Or" in the second and third lines creates parallelism, building up the hypothetical scenarios and amplifying the reader's understanding of Lucrece's thought process.
Overall Meaning:
The stanza powerfully illustrates Lucrece's moral struggle. She attempts, almost desperately, to find any justification for Tarquin's horrific act, exploring the possibility of revenge or reprisal as a warped explanation. However, this exercise only serves to highlight the utter lack of justification for the rape, given the reality of Collatinus's virtuous character and his loving relationship with Lucrece. The stanza underscores the depth of the tragedy and the profound injustice committed against her. It moves from a hypothetical exploration towards a tragic acceptance of the unjustifiable.