🌹 Stanza 113 - Literary Analysis

Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis

📖 Original Stanza

‘But if thou needs wilt hunt, be rul’d by me;
Uncouple at the timorous flying hare,
Or at the fox which lives by subtilty,
Or at the roe which no encounter dare:      
Pursue these fearful creatures o’er the downs,
And on thy well-breath’d horse keep with thy hound.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Line 1: ‘But if thou needs wilt hunt, be rul’d by me;

• "thou needs wilt hunt": "Thou" is an archaic second-person singular pronoun (you). "Needs wilt hunt" means "must needs hunt" or "insist on hunting," conveying Adonis's unyielding determination or strong will to hunt. Shakespeare chooses "wilt" to emphasize Adonis's firm inclination or desire, which Venus acknowledges as an unchangeable fact.
• "be rul’d by me": "Be ruled by me" means to follow my advice, be guided by my counsel. This phrase showcases Venus's attempt to exert influence and protect Adonis, revealing her possessive yet deeply concerned love and a shift from seductive persuasion to a more guiding, almost maternal, role.
• Meaning: "But if you absolutely insist on hunting, then please allow me to guide you."

Line 2: Uncouple at the timorous flying hare,

• "Uncouple": To release hunting dogs (hounds) from their leashes or "couples" (leashes connecting two dogs). This is a specific, practical term from hunting, demonstrating Venus's knowledge of the sport and her attempt to engage Adonis on his own terms.
• "timorous": Fearful, timid. Shakespeare uses this adjective to highlight the hare's natural inclination to flee rather than fight, making it a safe and non-threatening target for the hunt.
• "flying hare": A hare running swiftly away, emphasizing its speed and evasiveness. The image reinforces its harmless nature, as it's designed to escape rather than confront.
• Meaning: "Release your hunting dogs to chase the fearful, swiftly fleeing hare."

Line 3: Or at the fox which lives by subtilty,

• "Or at the fox": Another suggested target for the hunt. The fox is a common animal in hunting, known for its intelligence.
• "lives by subtilty": "Subtilty" (subtlety) here means cunning, craftiness, slyness, or evasiveness. Shakespeare highlights the fox's characteristic intelligence and its tendency to outsmart hunters rather than engage in a dangerous confrontation, again, suggesting a less risky pursuit.
• Meaning: "Or release your hounds to chase the fox, an animal that survives by its cunning and evasiveness."

Line 4: Or at the roe which no encounter dare:

• "Or at the roe": "Roe" refers to a roe deer, a small, graceful species of deer. It's presented as another common, relatively harmless prey animal.
• "which no encounter dare": "Dare" here is used in the sense of "would dare" or "dares." It signifies the roe's complete lack of courage or its tendency to flee instantly rather than stand and fight. This emphasizes its non-threatening nature as a quarry.
• Meaning: "Or release your hounds to chase the roe deer, which is too timid to ever stand and fight."

Line 5: Pursue these fearful creatures o’er the downs,

• "Pursue": To chase or follow with the intent of catching. This is a direct command from Venus, reinforcing her specific instructions for a safe hunt.
• "these fearful creatures": This collectively refers back to the hare, fox, and roe. The repeated emphasis on their "fearful" nature (or their synonyms like "timorous," "subtilty" leading to evasion, "no encounter dare") reinforces Venus's central message: choose prey that poses no danger.
• "o’er the downs": "Over the downs" refers to rolling hills or open grassy uplands, typical hunting grounds. It sets a pastoral, relatively open and visible scene for the hunt, implicitly safer than dense woods where a dangerous animal might lurk.
• Meaning: "Chase these timid animals across the open hills and grasslands."

Line 6: And on thy well-breath’d horse keep with thy hound.

• "well-breath’d horse": A horse that has good stamina, is in excellent condition, and can run for a long time without becoming tired or "winded." This detail suggests a sustained chase rather than a quick, dangerous confrontation.
• "keep with thy hound": To stay close to or keep pace with your hunting dogs. This implies active participation in the chase from a safe distance, ensuring Adonis is part of the hunt's excitement without being directly exposed to the dangers of a dangerous beast.
• Meaning: "And ride your strong, well-conditioned horse, making sure to keep up with your hunting dogs."

🎭 Literary Devices

🎯 Overall Meaning & Significance in the Context of the Poem

Stanza 113 marks a crucial turning point in Venus's approach to Adonis. Having failed in her direct, passionate attempts to woo him with love, she now shifts her strategy, acknowledging his obsession with hunting but attempting to redirect it towards safer, less dangerous prey. This stanza encapsulates Venus's desperate, protective love for Adonis, revealing a more maternal or guardian-like aspect of her character.

Overall Meaning: Venus, despite Adonis's rejection of her amorous advances, remains intensely devoted to his well-being. She tries to find a compromise, allowing him to indulge his passion for the hunt, but only under her strict guidance, ensuring he chooses timid animals that pose no threat. Her advice is practical, detailed, and born out of deep concern for his life.

Significance in the Context of the Poem:

• Venus's Protective Love: This stanza powerfully illustrates Venus's overwhelming love and foresight regarding Adonis's danger. Her meticulous instructions for hunting "fearful creatures" are a direct manifestation of her premonition about the perilous boar. It underscores her role not just as a goddess of love but also as a figure consumed by protective, almost maternal, anxiety.
• Clash of Desires and Themes: The stanza further highlights the poem's central conflict between Venus's desire for love, procreation, and life, and Adonis's youthful, cold aversion to love, coupled with his dangerous passion for the hunt (symbolizing destruction and death). Venus's attempt to reconcile these two opposing forces by suggesting safe hunting demonstrates her struggle to bridge the gap between their fundamentally different outlooks.
• Tragic Irony and Foreshadowing: The detailed, reasonable advice Venus gives creates profound dramatic irony. The reader (and contemporary audience) is well aware of the myth of Adonis's death by a boar. Thus, her careful counsel, intended to avert tragedy, ironically serves as a poignant setup for the very disaster she tries to prevent. Her words become a sad testament to the inevitability of fate and Adonis's stubbornness.
• Adonis's Stubbornness: While the stanza focuses on Venus's pleas, it implicitly highlights Adonis's unyielding nature. His eventual disregard for this specific, life-saving advice underscores his tragic flaw and the power of his singular, destructive obsession.