🌹 Stanza 145 - Literary Analysis

Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis

📖 Original Stanza

This said, she hasteth to a myrtle grove,   
Musing the morning is so much o’erworn,
And yet she hears no tidings of her love;
She hearkens for his hounds and for his horn:       
Anon she hears them chant it lustily,
And all in haste she coasteth to the cry.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Line 1: "This said, she hasteth to a myrtle grove,"

"This said": Refers to Venus having just spoken, likely expressing her fears or warnings to Adonis, or perhaps lamenting his departure. It links this action directly to her preceding thoughts or dialogue.
"hasteth": An archaic form of "hastes" or "hurries." Shakespeare uses this active verb to emphasize Venus's urgency and anxious impetuosity, highlighting her emotional state as she searches for Adonis.
"myrtle grove": A group of myrtle trees. The myrtle plant is traditionally sacred to Venus (Aphrodite) and is a symbol of love, beauty, and immortality. The "grove" implies a secluded, natural setting. Shakespeare chooses this setting to reinforce Venus's identity and her association with love, even as the narrative veers towards tragedy, creating a symbolic backdrop for her desperate search.
Meaning: Having spoken these words, she hurries quickly towards a grove of myrtle trees.

Line 2: "Musing the morning is so much o’erworn,"

"Musing": Thinking deeply, pondering, wondering with concern. It reveals Venus's internal thought process and growing apprehension as time passes without news of Adonis. Shakespeare uses "musing" to show her contemplative anxiety.
"o’erworn": In this context, it means that a considerable portion of the morning has passed, or has "worn away." It conveys the passage of time and the increasing length of her wait, intensifying her worry and impatience. Shakespeare uses "o'erworn" to underscore the temporal pressure and the weight of her waiting.
Meaning: She is thinking to herself, concerned that a great deal of the morning has already passed.

Line 3: "And yet she hears no tidings of her love;"

"tidings": An archaic word for news or information.
"her love": Refers to Adonis, whom she deeply loves and is desperately searching for.
Meaning: And despite the significant passage of time, she has received no news or sign concerning Adonis.

Line 4: "She hearkens for his hounds and for his horn:"

"hearkens": Listens intently or attentively. Similar to "hark," it emphasizes a deliberate and hopeful act of listening, showing her desperate need for any indication of Adonis's presence and safety. Shakespeare uses "hearkens" to highlight her focused and strained attention.
"his hounds and for his horn": These are the quintessential sounds of a hunt. The baying of the hounds and the blowing of the horn would be the clearest indicators of Adonis's activity and, by extension, his well-being. Shakespeare uses these specific auditory cues to ground the scene in Adonis's known passion for hunting and to create sensory anticipation for Venus (and the reader).
Meaning: She listens very carefully, hoping to hear the sounds of his hunting dogs and the blast of his hunting horn.

Line 5: "Anon she hears them chant it lustily,"

"Anon": Soon; shortly thereafter. It signals an immediate and sudden shift in the soundscape, offering a fleeting moment of relief.
"chant it": Refers to the sounds made by the hounds and horn. "Chant" personifies the animal sounds, suggesting a prolonged, rhythmic, and even joyous noise, perhaps the collective baying of the dogs in pursuit or the celebratory horn-blowing after a successful chase. Shakespeare uses "chant it" to imbue these animal sounds with a more deliberate, almost human-like quality, initially implying a positive outcome.
"lustily": Vigorously, with great energy, strength, and enthusiasm. It describes the powerful and clear nature of the sounds, implying a robust and active hunt. Shakespeare uses "lustily" to convey a sense of vitality and energy, which might temporarily reassure Venus about Adonis's safety.
Meaning: Soon after, she hears the sounds of the hounds and horn, making a strong, energetic, and rhythmic noise.

Line 6: "And all in haste she coasteth to the cry."

"all in haste": Very quickly, with great urgency and eagerness. This phrase reiterates her impetuosity and overriding desire to find Adonis, mirroring the "hasteth" from the first line.
"coasteth": Moves or proceeds swiftly and smoothly, often along a path or towards a destination. It suggests a rapid, unhindered, almost gliding movement, driven by her singular focus on the sound. Shakespeare uses "coasteth" to depict Venus's swift and determined approach, propelled by the hope that the sounds signal Adonis's safety.
"the cry": The collective sound of the hounds and horn; the source of the "chant it lustily." It is the beacon that draws Venus forward.
Meaning: And she hurries very quickly and directly towards the source of those sounds.

🎭 Literary Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Personification	"hears them chant it lustily"	Gives the sounds of the hounds and horn a human-like, melodic quality, suggesting a triumphant or vigorous activity, which initially provides false hope.
Imagery	"myrtle grove," "hounds and for his horn," "chant it lustily"	Appeals to the senses (sight, sound), creating a vivid scene and immersing the reader in Venus's frantic search and the environment.
Alliteration	"Musing the morning," "hears his hounds and for his horn"	Creates a musicality and rhythmic flow within the lines, making them more memorable and pleasant to read, while subtly emphasizing the repeated sounds.
Enjambment	"o’erworn, / And yet she hears no tidings"	Creates a sense of urgency and continuous thought, mirroring Venus's anxious flow of contemplation and action.
Symbolism	"myrtle grove," "hounds and for his horn"	"Myrtle grove" symbolizes love and Venus herself, contrasting with the impending tragedy. "Hounds and horn" symbolize Adonis's hunting passion and the sounds that lead Venus to her discovery.
Irony (Dramatic)	"chant it lustily," "coasteth to the cry"	The sounds of the hunt, initially interpreted as a sign of life and success, will soon lead Venus to Adonis's death, creating a poignant and tragic irony known to the reader.

🎯 Overall Meaning & Significance in the Context of the Poem

Stanza 145 marks a crucial turning point in Venus and Adonis. It depicts Venus's intense anxiety and her frantic, desperate search for Adonis after he has left for the hunt despite her warnings and pleas. The stanza beautifully captures her mounting apprehension as the morning wears on without any sign of him. Her "musing" reveals her deep concern and a foreboding sense of dread.

The initial lack of "tidings" emphasizes her isolation and helplessness. When she finally hears the "cry" of the hounds and horn, her immediate and swift response ("Anon she hears," "all in haste she coasteth") underscores the depth of her love and her desperate hope. The sounds, described as "chant[ing] it lustily," initially offer a brief, deceptive moment of relief, suggesting a successful and vigorous hunt. This fleeting optimism serves as dramatic irony, as the reader, aware of Venus's earlier prophecies, anticipates a far more tragic outcome.

In the broader context of the poem, this stanza directly precedes the discovery of Adonis's death. It builds significant tension and pathos, showcasing Venus's unwavering devotion and the raw power of her love. Her headlong rush towards the sound is driven by love and fear, ultimately leading her to the ultimate heartbreak. The myrtle grove, sacred to Venus and symbolic of love, ironically becomes the prelude to her profound grief. This stanza is pivotal in shifting the narrative from Venus's attempts to dissuade Adonis to her active pursuit of him, moving the plot swiftly towards its tragic climax and reinforcing the poem's themes of the destructive nature of unchecked passion (Adonis's hunting vs. Venus's love), the vulnerability of beauty, and the swift, unforeseen turns of fate.