🌹 Stanza 126 - Literary Analysis

Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis

📖 Original Stanza

‘Therefore, despite of fruitless chastity,
Love-lacking vestals and self-loving nuns,  
That on the earth would breed a scarcity
And barren dearth of daughters and of sons,
Be prodigal: the lamp that burns by night
Dries up his oil to lend the world his light.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Line 1: ‘Therefore, despite of fruitless chastity,

"Therefore": This adverb serves as a logical connector, indicating that the following statement is a conclusion or consequence derived from Venus’s preceding arguments about the natural imperative to reproduce and preserve beauty. Shakespeare uses it to give a sense of rhetorical momentum and undeniable truth to Venus's pronouncements.
"despite of": An archaic form of "in spite of" or "disregarding." Venus is urging Adonis to reject or defy the concept of celibacy.
"fruitless chastity": Chastity (abstinence from sexual relations) is described as "fruitless" because it does not produce "fruit," i.e., offspring. Venus uses this adjective to condemn celibacy as unproductive and contrary to nature's purpose of procreation. Shakespeare's choice emphasizes the lack of a tangible, beneficial outcome.
Meaning: "Therefore, disregard and reject unproductive celibacy,"

Line 2: Love-lacking vestals and self-loving nuns,

"Love-lacking vestals": "Vestals" refers to Vestal Virgins, priestesses in ancient Rome who took a vow of chastity. Here, they symbolize women who choose celibacy. "Love-lacking" describes them as being devoid of the procreative, passionate love that Venus embodies and advocates for. Shakespeare uses this to frame their choice as an absence or deficiency.
"self-loving nuns": Nuns are women who have taken religious vows, including chastity. "Self-loving" suggests that their affection is directed inward, on themselves or their spiritual path, rather than outward to procreate and contribute to the continuation of humanity. Venus presents this as a selfish act, contrasting with her own self-giving nature. Shakespeare's phrasing implies a form of narcissism that hinders natural propagation.
Meaning: "along with virgins who lack love and nuns who are absorbed in self-love,"

Line 3: That on the earth would breed a scarcity

"That on the earth": This refers back to the "fruitless chastity," "vestals," and "nuns" of the previous lines, indicating that their choices have a direct impact on the world.
"would breed a scarcity": "Breed" here is used ironically. While they themselves do not breed, their lack of breeding would cause a "scarcity," or shortage, of human life. Venus argues that their celibacy actively deprives the world of future generations. Shakespeare's use of "breed" highlights the direct counterpoint to nature's intention.
Meaning: "who would cause a shortage on the earth,"

Line 4: And barren dearth of daughters and of sons,

"And barren dearth": This phrase is a pleonasm, where "barren" (incapable of producing offspring) reinforces "dearth" (a severe lack or scarcity). The redundancy emphasizes the extreme and undesirable outcome of widespread celibacy. Shakespeare uses this for dramatic emphasis, driving home the severity of the demographic crisis Venus foresees.
"of daughters and of sons": Specifies the precise nature of the shortage – a lack of human children, both male and female. This makes the consequence very concrete and directly relates to the continuation of the human race, the core of Venus's argument.
Meaning: "and a sterile lack of both daughters and sons,"

Line 5: Be prodigal: the lamp that burns by night

"Be prodigal": A direct command from Venus to Adonis. "Prodigal" means lavish, wasteful, or extremely generous. Here, Venus urges Adonis to be generous and abundant with his love and fertility, to 'spend' himself in procreation rather than withholding. This word choice contrasts sharply with the idea of "scarcity" and "fruitless" celibacy, promoting an overflowing abundance.
"the lamp that burns by night": This introduces a new, extended metaphor. The lamp symbolizes life, vitality, and the self. Its burning represents the expenditure of one's essence, used to illustrate the noble act of procreation as a form of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.
Meaning: "Be lavish and abundant (in your procreation): consider the example of a lamp that burns through the night,"

Line 6: Dries up his oil to lend the world his light.

"Dries up his oil": The lamp's "oil" is its fuel, its life force. "Dries up" means it consumes or expends itself. This imagery conveys the idea of self-consumption or self-sacrifice. Just as the lamp depletes its own substance, Venus suggests that individuals should expend their life force (fertility) in the act of procreation.
"to lend the world his light": The purpose of the lamp's self-expenditure is to provide light and benefit to "the world." This completes the analogy: using one's vitality (like the lamp's oil) to create new life (like the lamp's light) is a benevolent act that benefits humanity. "Lend" implies a temporary giving, but the ultimate outcome is consumption for the greater good. Shakespeare uses this to justify the 'sacrifice' of youthful beauty for the perpetuation of the species.
Meaning: "consumes its own oil in order to provide light and illumination to the world."

🎭 Literary Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Metaphor/Analogy	"the lamp that burns by night / Dries up his oil to lend the world his light."	This extended metaphor compares a human's life force and fertility to a lamp's oil. It argues that just as a lamp consumes itself to benefit the world with light, humans should expend themselves (through procreation) to benefit the world by creating new life. It elevates procreation to a selfless and necessary act.
Personification	"the lamp... Dries up his oil to lend the world his light."	Attributing the pronoun "his" to the lamp gives it a human-like agency, emphasizing its self-sacrificing act as a conscious contribution, mirroring the intended human act of procreation.
Alliteration	"barren dearth," "Love-lacking vestals," "daughters and of sons"	The repetition of consonant sounds creates a musicality and emphasis. In "barren dearth," it underscores the severity and emptiness of the consequence. In "Love-lacking vestals," it highlights the negative quality Venus associates with celibacy.
Pleonasm/Redundancy	"barren dearth"	The use of two words with similar meanings ("barren" and "dearth") intensifies the description of scarcity and emptiness, emphasizing the dire consequences of non-procreation.
Antithesis/Contrast	"fruitless chastity" vs. "Be prodigal"; "scarcity" vs. the implied abundance of procreation	Venus constantly sets up opposing concepts (celibacy vs. procreation, self-love vs. generosity) to highlight her preferred choice. This rhetorical strategy makes her arguments more forceful and clear. The "fruitless" nature of chastity is directly contrasted with the desired "prodigal" abundance of life.
Direct Address/Imperative	"Be prodigal"	Venus directly commands Adonis, making her argument personal and urgent. The imperative mood conveys her strong conviction and desire for him to act.
Imagery	"fruitless chastity," "lamp that burns by night," "daughters and of sons"	Creates vivid mental pictures that support Venus's argument. "Fruitless" evokes barrenness, "lamp" suggests light and life, and "daughters and sons" makes the consequence of lack concrete and relatable.

🎯 Overall Meaning & Significance in the Context of the Poem

This stanza is a pivotal part of Venus's extended and passionate plea to Adonis, aiming to convince him to embrace love, procreation, and the perpetuation of beauty. It serves as a strong condemnation of celibacy and self-absorption, framing them as unnatural and detrimental to the world's continuation.

Venus argues that "fruitless chastity" and the choices of "love-lacking vestals and self-loving nuns" lead to a "scarcity" and "barren dearth of daughters and of sons." This highlights a core theme of the poem: the tension between procreation and celibacy. Venus, as the goddess of love and fertility, champions the natural imperative to reproduce, seeing a world without new life as a desolate and impoverished place.

Her command to "Be prodigal" is central to her philosophy. It urges Adonis not to hoard his beauty and potential, but to spend it lavishly in creating new life. This is connected to the broader theme of mortality and immortality. Venus recognizes that Adonis's beauty, like all mortal things, is transient. The only way for such beauty to achieve a form of immortality is through offspring, by passing on his traits to future generations. By being "prodigal," he ensures that his essence, his beauty, and his line do not vanish.

The powerful analogy of "the lamp that burns by night / Dries up his oil to lend the world his light" serves as a profound justification for this "prodigality." It elevates the act of procreation to a selfless and noble sacrifice. Just as a lamp willingly consumes its own substance for the greater good of illuminating the world, individuals should expend their vitality and beauty to bring forth new life, thereby benefiting humanity. This contrasts the "self-loving" nature she attributes to celibacy with the generous, world-serving nature of reproduction.

In the broader context of Venus and Adonis, this stanza encapsulates Venus's core argument: that nature dictates the continuation of life, and withholding one's reproductive potential is a transgression against this natural order. It underscores the poem's exploration of desire, the purpose of beauty, and the fundamental drive for life's perpetuation, setting the stage for Adonis's continued resistance and the tragic consequences of unheeded love and fertility.