🌹 Stanza 142 - Literary Analysis

Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis

📖 Original Stanza

For who hath she to spend the night withal,
But idle sounds resembling parasites;       
Like shrill-tongu’d tapsters answering every call,
Soothing the humour of fantastic wits?
She says, ‘‘Tis so:’ they answer all, ‘‘Tis so;’
And would say after her, if she said ‘No’.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Line 1: For who hath she to spend the night withal,

"For who hath she": This is a rhetorical question, emphasizing that Venus has no one. "Hath" is an archaic form of "has," common in Shakespeare's time. Its use here immediately establishes the theme of loneliness.
"to spend the night withal": "Withal" is an archaic adverb meaning "with," often used at the end of a clause. Shakespeare uses it for poetic cadence and to complete the phrase, highlighting the specific, intimate time (night) when companionship is most desired and its absence most felt.
Meaning: For who does she (Venus) have to spend the night with?

Line 2: But idle sounds resembling parasites;

"But idle sounds": "Idle" means empty, useless, or without purpose. "Sounds" likely refers to echoes of her own voice, the wind, or other natural noises that lack any meaningful interaction. They are not true companions.
"resembling parasites": "Parasites" here refers to people who flatter and fawn over others to gain personal advantage, offering no genuine support or opinion. Shakespeare chooses this word to convey the idea that these 'sounds' are like sycophantic followers; they merely reflect her own words back to her without adding anything substantial, thus underscoring the emptiness of her companionship.
Meaning: Only empty, useless sounds, which are like flattering, dependent followers.

Line 3: Like shrill-tongu’d tapsters answering every call,

"Like shrill-tongu’d tapsters": "Shrill-tongu'd" means having a high-pitched, piercing voice, often implying unpleasantness or lack of depth. "Tapsters" were tavern workers who served drinks and were known for being loud and eager to please customers to earn tips. Shakespeare uses this vivid, somewhat coarse simile to portray the 'sounds' as obsequious and unthinking responders, eager to 'serve' by echoing, but without genuine meaning.
"answering every call": This phrase reinforces the idea of an automatic, unthinking response, much like a server reflexively calling out in a noisy tavern. It highlights the lack of discrimination or genuine understanding from these 'sounds'—they simply respond to any utterance, regardless of its content.
Meaning: Like loud, high-pitched tavern servers who respond to every customer's demand.

Line 4: Soothing the humour of fantastic wits?

"Soothing the humour": "Soothing" means to calm or appease. "Humour" here refers to a mood, disposition, or whim (derived from the medieval theory of humours governing temperament). The 'sounds' merely placate Venus's current emotional state rather than engaging with it genuinely.
"of fantastic wits": "Fantastic" in this context means imaginative, whimsical, or perhaps even irrational. "Wits" refers to one's intellect or mind. The phrase suggests that these echoes are simply catering to Venus's own fleeting, perhaps desperate or fanciful thoughts, further emphasizing that her 'companionship' is not external but a mere reflection of her internal state.
Meaning: Calming the whims or erratic thoughts of imaginative minds.

Line 5: She says, ‘‘Tis so:’ they answer all, ‘‘Tis so;’

"She says, ‘‘Tis so:’ they answer all, ‘‘Tis so;’": "‘Tis so" is a contraction of "It is so." This line directly illustrates the complete lack of independent thought or opposition from her 'companions.' They simply parrot her words, dramatically demonstrating that they are mere echoes, reinforcing the emptiness and one-sided nature of her interaction. Shakespeare uses direct quotation to make the echo literal and impactful.
Meaning: She says, "It is so," and they all reply, "It is so."

Line 6: And would say after her, if she said ‘No’.

"And would say after her, if she said ‘No’": This line pushes the sycophancy to its logical extreme. It emphasizes that these 'sounds' possess no individual will or opinion; they would simply agree with Venus even if she were to contradict herself or express a negative. It underscores the profound and pathetic isolation Venus experiences, where even her 'companions' are utterly devoid of substance.
Meaning: And they would repeat after her even if she were to say, "No."

🎭 Literary Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Rhetorical Question	"For who hath she to spend the night withal,"	Emphasizes Venus's profound isolation and lack of companionship, immediately establishing the stanza's theme of loneliness.
Personification	"idle sounds resembling parasites"	Gives human-like qualities and behaviors (sycophancy, servitude) to inanimate "sounds," highlighting their insubstantial and unhelpful nature as companions.
Simile	"Like shrill-tongu’d tapsters answering every call"	Compares the echoing sounds to common, often boisterous human figures (tapsters) to vividly illustrate their automatic, unthinking, and somewhat irritating responsiveness, further diminishing the quality of Venus's 'companionship'.
Metaphor	"idle sounds resembling parasites" (implicit metaphor in 'resembling')	Implies that the sounds are functionally parasites in their behavior, feeding off her words without contributing anything genuine or substantial, thus emphasizing their emptiness.
Repetition (Verbal)	"She says, ‘‘Tis so:’ they answer all, ‘‘Tis so;’"	Directly demonstrates the literal echoing and unthinking nature of the sounds, underscoring the absolute lack of original thought or meaningful interaction.
Imagery	"shrill-tongu'd tapsters"	Creates a vivid, slightly unappealing mental picture that reinforces the idea of crude, unrefined, and automatic responses.
Irony	Venus, the goddess of love, is utterly alone.	Highlights the tragic paradox that the deity of affection is devoid of genuine companionship, intensifying the pathos of her situation. Her only "companions" are insubstantial echoes of her own voice.

🎯 Overall Meaning & Significance in the Context of the Poem

This stanza offers a poignant depiction of Venus's profound loneliness and despair following Adonis's emphatic rejection and departure. Having been abandoned by the object of her fervent desire, she is left with no one to communicate with, her only 'companions' being the "idle sounds" which merely echo her own words. The comparisons to "parasites" and "shrill-tongu'd tapsters" are crucial; they underscore the insubstantial, sycophantic, and ultimately useless nature of these 'companions.' They offer no genuine solace, challenge, or meaningful interaction, serving only to reflect her own internal turmoil, thus amplifying her isolation rather than alleviating it.

In the broader context of Venus and Adonis, this stanza is significant for several reasons. It starkly reveals the vulnerability of unchecked passion when it is not reciprocated. Venus, the mighty goddess of love and desire, is reduced to a pathetic state of talking to herself, a stark contrast to her initial aggressive and powerful pursuit of Adonis. This moment of extreme isolation foreshadows the deeper grief and despair she will experience after Adonis's death; it shows that her emotional suffering began even before the ultimate tragedy. The stanza contributes to the poem's complex exploration of love's painful dimensions: its capacity for obsessive pursuit, its potential to inflict profound desolation, and the ultimate futility of desire when it remains unfulfilled. It reinforces the theme that true companionship is absent when love is one-sided, and that even a divine being can be rendered utterly alone by unrequited longing.