🌹 Stanza 130 - Literary Analysis

Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis

📖 Original Stanza

‘If love have lent you twenty thousand tongues,
And every tongue more moving than your own,
Bewitching like the wanton mermaid’s songs,
Yet from mine ear the tempting tune is blown;
For know, my heart stands armed in mine ear,
And will not let a false sound enter there;

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Line 1: ‘If love have lent you twenty thousand tongues,

"If love have lent you": This uses the archaic subjunctive mood, meaning "If love were to lend you" or "should love bestow upon you." It sets up a hypothetical scenario of extreme, almost fantastical, persuasive power.
"twenty thousand tongues": This is an example of hyperbole, an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally. It signifies an immense, virtually limitless capacity for speech, argument, or persuasion, emphasizing the overwhelming scale of the hypothetical influence Adonis is dismissing. Shakespeare chose this hyperbole to convey the absolute futility of even the most extreme seductive efforts.
Meaning: "Even if love were to grant you the power of twenty thousand voices to speak with,"

Line 2: And every tongue more moving than your own,

"every tongue more moving than your own": "Moving" here means emotionally stirring, persuasive, or capable of eliciting a strong response. Adonis acknowledges that Venus's own voice is already highly persuasive ("moving") but hypothetically considers an even greater power, only to reject it. This subtly compliments Venus's current charm while simultaneously declaring its ineffectiveness against him.
Meaning: "And each of those voices was even more persuasive than your own (already compelling) voice,"

Line 3: Bewitching like the wanton mermaid’s songs,

"Bewitching": This word means enchanting, captivating, or magically alluring, implying a powerful, almost supernatural, charm.
"wanton": In this context, "wanton" implies lustful, unchaste, or playfully seductive, highlighting the morally ambiguous and potentially dangerous nature of the allure.
"mermaid’s songs": This is an allusion to mythical mermaids (or Sirens in classical mythology) whose enchanting songs famously lured sailors to their destruction. This comparison emphasizes the seductive, irresistible, and ultimately perilous nature of the hypothetical persuasive power Adonis is rejecting. Shakespeare uses this to underscore the deceptive and dangerous quality of the kind of love Venus offers.
Meaning: "Enchanting and seductive like the songs of a lustful, seductive mermaid,"

Line 4: Yet from mine ear the tempting tune is blown;

"Yet": This conjunction introduces a strong contrast or counter-argument, meaning "Nevertheless" or "Still."
"from mine ear the tempting tune is blown": "Blown" suggests expulsion, rejection, or being forcefully cast out. The "tempting tune" is a metaphor for Venus's persuasive words, likening them to a seductive song that Adonis actively expels or ignores. It signifies his complete and immediate rejection of her advances.
Meaning: "Still, the seductive sound of your words is completely expelled from my ear;"

Line 5: For know, my heart stands armed in mine ear,

"For know": This is an archaic imperative phrase meaning "Understand this" or "Be aware that."
"my heart stands armed in mine ear": This is a powerful metaphor and personification. His "heart," the seat of his emotions, will, and affections, is personified as a sentinel or guard. It is "armed," signifying its readiness to defend against unwanted influences. This image suggests that Adonis's emotional core is actively protecting him from Venus's seductive pleas, rather than simply his rational mind. The ear is the gateway through which these tempting sounds would enter.
Meaning: "Because, understand this, my emotions and will are like a guard protecting my ear,"

Line 6: And will not let a false sound enter there;

"false sound": Here, "false" refers not to factual untruth, but to something deceptive, misleading, or a sound that aims to corrupt or persuade him against his true nature and desires (his dedication to chastity and hunting). It is "false" because it does not align with his inner truth.
"enter there": "There" refers to his ear, and by extension, his mind and very being. This reinforces his absolute refusal to be swayed.
Meaning: "And they will not allow any deceitful or unwanted sound to enter there."

🎭 Literary Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Hyperbole	"twenty thousand tongues"	Emphasizes the extreme, almost impossible, degree of persuasive power Venus might hypothetically possess, thereby making Adonis's absolute resistance even more striking and definitive.
Metaphor	"tempting tune is blown"	Compares Venus's persuasive words to a seductive song, highlighting their alluring nature, while "blown" vividly portrays Adonis's active rejection and expulsion of them.
Personification	"my heart stands armed in mine ear"	Attributes human actions (standing guard, being armed) to his heart. This powerfully conveys Adonis's emotional resolve and active defense against Venus's advances, suggesting that his resistance stems from his deepest being, not just a casual disinterest.
Allusion	"wanton mermaid’s songs"	References the mythical Sirens/mermaids, whose enchanting songs lured sailors to their doom. This comparison highlights the seductive, dangerous, and morally dubious nature of the kind of passion Venus is offering, from Adonis's perspective, aligning it with peril rather than love.
Imagery	"twenty thousand tongues," "armed heart"	Creates vivid mental pictures that underscore the overwhelming nature of Venus's potential persuasion and the unyielding, fortified nature of Adonis's resistance. The "mermaid's songs" evoke a sense of dangerous beauty.
Antithesis	(Entire Stanza)	The stanza is built on a fundamental contrast between the immense, seductive power hypothetically wielded by Venus and the absolute, unyielding resistance of Adonis, highlighting the conflict between passionate pursuit and resolute chastity.
Assonance/Alliteration	"tempting tune"	The repetition of the 't' sound (alliteration) and 'oo' sound (assonance) creates a subtle musicality, ironically describing the "tune" that is being rejected, and makes the phrase more memorable and emphatic.

🎯 Overall Meaning & Significance in the Context of the Poem

This stanza is Adonis's resolute and emphatic rejection of Venus's fervent advances, following her extensive and passionate attempts at persuasion. It serves as a pivotal moment, definitively establishing his stance against her overwhelming desire.

Overall Meaning: Adonis declares that no matter how powerful, numerous, or seductive Venus's words might be—even if she possessed an infinite number of voices more compelling than hers, as enchanting as the legendary mermaid's songs—he remains utterly unmoved. He asserts that his heart is like a fortified guard protecting his senses, actively preventing any 'false' (deceptive or unwanted) sound or influence from entering.

Significance in the Context of the Poem: * Thematic Conflict: Chastity vs. Passion: This stanza vividly highlights the central conflict of Venus and Adonis: the clash between Adonis's youthful desire for chastity, independence, and the hunt, and Venus's overwhelming, mature sexual passion. His "armed heart" is a powerful symbol of his unwavering virginity and his determination to maintain it. He perceives Venus's love as a "false sound," something to be guarded against, underscoring his pure, uncorrupted nature. * Adonis's Agency and Resistance: Despite Venus's divine status and her eloquent, forceful attempts at seduction, Adonis firmly reclaims agency over his own will and body. This stanza demonstrates his unshakeable resolve and his refusal to be swayed by external pressures, no matter how potent. It emphasizes his self-possession in the face of immense amorous force. * Foreshadowing of Tragedy: Adonis's imperviousness to love, symbolized by his "armed heart," foreshadows the tragic irony of his death. While his heart is fortified against Venus's seductive words, it is vulnerable to the destructive force of the boar, symbolizing the uncontrollable aspects of nature and fate. His absolute rejection of procreative love (represented by Venus) might be seen as an act against nature's design, which, in some interpretations, leads to his violent demise. His dedication to the hunt, rather than love, ultimately seals his fate. * The Nature of Love (from Adonis's perspective): Through Adonis's words, Shakespeare explores a counter-perspective to Venus's passionate advocacy for love. For Adonis, love is not a gentle, desirable force but a "tempting tune," a "false sound" akin to the dangerous songs of mermaids, something to be resisted and expelled. This introduces a complexity to the poem's exploration of love, showing it as potentially destructive or unwanted, depending on the recipient.