Stanza 65 - Explanation

Original Stanza

Imagine her as one in dead of night
From forth dull sleep by dreadful fancy waking,
That thinks she hath beheld some ghastly sprite,
Whose grim aspect sets every joint a-shaking;
What terror or 'tis! but she, in worser taking,
From sleep disturbed, heedfully doth view
The sight which makes supposed terror true.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down this powerful stanza from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• Line 1: "Imagine her as one in dead of night"

  • Meaning: The speaker sets up a simile, urging the reader to picture Lucrece as someone experiencing a specific, terrifying situation in the middle of the night. The "dead of night" establishes a mood of deep darkness, vulnerability, and fear.
  • Literary Device: Simile (comparing Lucrece to someone else).

• Line 2: "From forth dull sleep by dreadful fancy waking,"

  • Meaning: This person is roused from a heavy, dreamless sleep ("dull sleep") by a horrifying imagination or nightmare ("dreadful fancy"). The word "forth" is a bit archaic but emphasizes a sudden and forceful awakening.
  • Literary Device: Alliteration (the 'd' sound in "dull" and "dreadful") adds to the unsettling feeling.

• Line 3: "That thinks she hath beheld some ghastly sprite,"

  • Meaning: The person believes they have seen a frightening ghost or apparition ("ghastly sprite"). It emphasizes the supernatural terror and extreme fear.
  • Literary Device: Imagery (evokes a vivid picture of a terrifying ghost).

• Line 4: "Whose grim aspect sets every joint a-shaking;"

  • Meaning: The terrifying appearance of the ghost is so frightening that it causes the person to tremble uncontrollably ("sets every joint a-shaking").
  • Literary Device: Imagery (further describes the ghastly sprite).
    • Hyperbole - 'every joint a-shaking' is an exaggeration.
    • Personification - the ghost's aspect has the ability to set joints shaking.

• Line 5: "What terror or 'tis! but she, in worser taking,"

  • Meaning: "What terror that is!" exclamation, recognizing the extreme fear of imagining a ghastly sprite and the physical reaction it causes. The comparison to Lucrece. "But she, in worser taking" acknowledges that Lucrece's reality is even worse than this imagined nightmare. "In worser taking" means in a worse state or predicament.
  • Literary Device: Exclamation - heightened emotion, disbelief.
    • Juxtaposition - the imagined horror, then the contrast to Lucrece's horrific reality.

• Line 6: "From sleep disturbed, heedfully doth view"

  • Meaning: Lucrece, also awakened from sleep, carefully and attentively ("heedfully") looks upon...
  • Literary Device: The language creates a sense of suspense and anticipation.

• Line 7: "The sight which makes supposed terror true."

  • Meaning: ...the scene before her, which is so horrific that it makes the imagined terror of the ghastly sprite seem real and pale in comparison. In other words, what she sees is a real horror, far surpassing any nightmare.
  • Literary Device: Irony - the "supposed terror" is now validated and surpassed by a greater, factual terror.
    • Alliteration - the repetition of the 's' sound in 'sight', 'supposed', which creates a sinister, hissing sound.

Overall Meaning:

The stanza serves to build the reader's understanding of the magnitude of Lucrece's trauma. By first describing a common, relatable experience – waking from a nightmare and being terrified by an imagined ghost – Shakespeare provides a frame of reference for the emotion of fear. However, he immediately undercuts this comparison, emphasizing that Lucrece's actual experience is far more horrifying than any figment of the imagination. The speaker makes clear that the reader can't even imagine the terror that Lucrece is experiencing. The stanza foreshadows that Lucrece is about to confront something truly dreadful, something that will make her nightmare a reality. This heightens the tension and emphasizes the unspeakable nature of the rape. It underlines the poem's central theme of the devastating consequences of violence and the loss of innocence.