Stanza 50 - Explanation

Original Stanza

But in the midst of his unfruitful prayer,
Having solicited th' eternal power
That his foul thoughts might compass his fair fair,
And they would stand auspicious to the hour,
Even there he starts: quoth he, 'I must deflower:
The powers to whom I pray abhor this fact,
How can they then assist me in the act?

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• Line 1: "But in the midst of his unfruitful prayer,"

  • "But": Establishes a contrast or turning point.
  • "In the midst of": Shows he's actively engaged in praying.
  • "His unfruitful prayer": This is the crucial part. The prayer isn't working, it's "unfruitful." He's not finding solace or divine sanction. The prayer isn't helping him in his task.

• Line 2: "Having solicited th' eternal power"

  • "Having solicited": He has been actively pleading with, begging. "Solicited" implies earnest effort.
  • "Th' eternal power": Refers to God or the heavens, the divine realm.

• Line 3: "That his foul thoughts might compass his fair fair,"

  • "That": Connects to the previous line, indicating the content of his prayer.
  • "His foul thoughts": His lustful, wicked desires.
  • "Might compass": "Compass" means to achieve, accomplish, or overtake. He wants his evil thoughts to succeed in their purpose.
  • "His fair fair": This is a key phrase. The repetition of "fair" emphasizes Lucrece's beauty and purity. Fair most likely is being used as a noun here and refers to his fair desire - Lucrece.

• Line 4: "And they would stand auspicious to the hour,"

  • "And they": Refers back to the "eternal power" from line 2.
  • "Would stand auspicious": He is praying that the gods would be favorable or grant good omens for the coming act.
  • "To the hour": Refers to the specific moment when he plans to commit the rape.

• Line 5: "Even there he starts: quoth he, 'I must deflower:"

  • "Even there": Emphasizes that this realization happens right in the middle of his prayer.
  • "He starts": He's startled or jolted by a thought.
  • "Quoth he": Archaic for "said he," indicating direct speech.
  • "'I must deflower:'": This is a brutal, declarative statement. "Deflower" is a euphemism for the violent act of taking a woman's virginity. The statement shows his determination, yet it is also tinged with internal conflict.

• Line 6: "The powers to whom I pray abhor this fact,"

  • "The powers to whom I pray": Again, referring to the divine beings.
  • "Abhor this fact": They hate/detest/loathe this deed, that is, the rape.

• Line 7: "How can they then assist me in the act?"

  • "How can they then assist me": He poses a logical question to himself. If the gods hate what he's about to do, how can he expect them to help him?
  • "In the act": Refers to the rape itself.

Overall Meaning:

This stanza captures the psychological turmoil of Tarquin as he contemplates the rape of Lucrece. He attempts to justify his intentions by praying for divine assistance, but his prayer is "unfruitful" because he realizes the act he's about to commit is inherently evil and therefore cannot be sanctioned by the gods. This realization creates a conflict. He wants divine approval, but he knows it's impossible. The stanza highlights the contradiction between his desire and his understanding of morality, yet he continues on his path to rape her.

Literary Devices:

• Internal Conflict: The entire stanza is driven by Tarquin's internal struggle. He's caught between his lustful desire and his (faint) sense of morality and the knowledge that his actions are condemned by God.
• Irony: It is ironic that Tarquin seeks divine assistance for an act that is inherently sinful and against the will of the very powers he is praying to. This highlights his moral blindness and self-deception.
• Repetition/Emphasis: The repetition of "fair" emphasizes Lucrece's innocence and the wickedness of Tarquin's intentions.
• Apostrophe: Tarquin is speaking to the divine powers, which cannot literally speak back to him.
• Euphemism: "Deflower" is a gentler term for the violent act of rape.
• Rhetorical Question: The final line is a rhetorical question, not meant to be answered but to emphasize the logical absurdity of his position.

In essence, Stanza 50 is a pivotal moment where Tarquin acknowledges the wickedness of his plan, yet he still chooses to proceed, sealing his fate and setting the tragic events of the poem in motion.