🌹 Stanza 173 - Literary Analysis

Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis

📖 Original Stanza

Or, as the snail, whose tender horns being hit,    
Shrinks backwards in his shelly cave with pain,
And there, all smother’d up, in shade doth sit,
Long after fearing to creep forth again;   
So, at his bloody view, her eyes are fled
Into the deep dark cabills of her head;

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Line 1: Or, as the snail, whose tender horns being hit,

"Or, as the snail": This phrase introduces a simile, comparing the subject of the poem (Venus's eyes) to a common snail. Shakespeare uses this everyday creature to illustrate a very specific, instinctive reaction.
"tender horns": Refers to the snail's sensitive eyestalks or tentacles. "Tender" emphasizes their delicate and vulnerable nature, making them susceptible to harm.
"being hit": Implies a sudden, unexpected, and painful impact or stimulus that causes an immediate reaction. Shakespeare chooses "hit" to convey the instantaneous and forceful nature of the shock.
Meaning: "Or, just like a snail, whose delicate eyestalks are suddenly struck,"

Line 2: Shrinks backwards in his shelly cave with pain,

"Shrinks backwards": Describes the snail's involuntary and rapid retraction of its body and eyestalks as a defensive reflex. It emphasizes a recoil from an unpleasant sensation.
"shelly cave": A poetic description of the snail's shell, highlighting its function as a protective, enclosed, and dark sanctuary. "Cave" emphasizes the deep, internal, and secluded nature of this retreat.
"with pain": Explicitly states the reason for the retraction, indicating physical discomfort or the aversion to it.
Meaning: "The snail instantly recoils into its protective shell, motivated by pain,"

Line 3: And there, all smother’d up, in shade doth sit,

"all smother’d up": This phrase suggests being tightly enclosed, concealed, or even stifled within the shell. It evokes a sense of being hidden away from the outside world, perhaps even suffocated by the close confines.
"in shade doth sit": Describes the snail's prolonged state of inactivity and darkness within its shell. "Shade" signifies the absence of light and external stimuli, emphasizing the retreat into obscurity. "Doth sit" indicates a static, prolonged state of being.
Meaning: "And within its shell, completely hidden and in darkness, it remains still,"

Line 4: Long after fearing to creep forth again;

"Long after": This phrase indicates that the effect of the "hit" is not momentary; the fear and reluctance to emerge persist for a significant period. It suggests a lasting psychological impact.
"fearing to creep forth again": Attributing the human emotion of "fearing" to the snail, this phrase emphasizes its lingering apprehension. It conveys the traumatic lingering effect that makes the snail hesitant to expose itself once more, anticipating potential future harm.
Meaning: "For a long time afterwards, it is afraid to venture out again;"

Line 5: So, at his bloody view, her eyes are fled

"So": This transitional word completes the simile, drawing a direct parallel between the snail's reaction and Venus's.
"at his bloody view": This is the equivalent of the "hit" for Venus. It refers to the horrifying sight of Adonis's dead body, specifically its goriness and mangled state after the boar attack. The adjective "bloody" powerfully conveys the shock and revulsion.
"her eyes are fled": This vivid personification describes Venus's eyes as having recoiled or withdrawn deep into her head. "Fled" implies a sudden, involuntary, and desperate movement away from an unbearable reality, mirroring the snail's retreat.
Meaning: "In the same way, upon seeing Adonis's bloody corpse, her eyes have withdrawn,"

Line 6: Into the deep dark cabills of her head;

"Into the deep dark cabills": "Cabills" here refers to the deep, dark recesses or cavities of her head, specifically the eye sockets and perhaps metaphorically, the internal spaces of her mind. The alliteration of "deep dark" intensifies the sense of profound retreat, obscurity, and the overwhelming nature of her despair. It mirrors the "shelly cave."
"of her head": Specifies the location of the eyes' retreat, indicating that she is shutting out the external world by internalizing her reaction, physically and psychologically recoiling from the trauma.
Meaning: "Into the profound, dark hollows within her skull."

🎭 Literary Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Simile	"Or, as the snail... So, at his bloody view, her eyes are fled"	Compares Venus's involuntary recoil and enduring trauma to a snail's defensive reaction. It makes an abstract emotional state tangible and relatable, emphasizing the instinctive, painful, and lasting nature of her shock.
Imagery	"tender horns," "shelly cave," "smother'd up," "bloody view," "deep dark cabills"	Creates vivid sensory details that allow the reader to visualize the snail's delicate nature and protective retreat, and then the horrifying sight of Adonis and Venus's profound recoil. Enhances the emotional impact.
Personification	"fearing to creep forth again"	Attributes the human emotion of fear to the snail, deepening the empathetic connection and strengthening the parallel with Venus's psychological trauma and her inability to face reality.
Alliteration	"deep dark"	The repetition of the 'd' sound emphasizes the profoundness of the retreat and the absolute lack of light or external awareness that Venus experiences in her grief, amplifying the sense of despair and enclosure.
Metaphor	"shelly cave"	Describes the snail's shell as a protective, dark, and enclosed sanctuary, emphasizing its function as a hiding place from external threats, which then parallels the "cabills of her head."

🎯 Overall Meaning & Significance in the Context of the Poem

This stanza is a pivotal moment in Venus and Adonis, marking the tragic climax of the poem: Venus's discovery of Adonis's death. Its primary function is to convey the profound and overwhelming shock and grief that consumes Venus. The extended simile of the snail effectively illustrates the instantaneous, involuntary, and protective recoil of her senses and spirit from an unbearable reality. Just as the snail retracts into its shell from pain and fear, Venus's eyes "flee" into the "deep dark cabills of her head," shutting out the horrifying sight of Adonis's bloody corpse.

The significance of this stanza lies in several aspects related to the poem's broader themes:

The Devastation of Loss: It powerfully depicts the immediate, physical manifestation of extreme sorrow and trauma. Venus, previously portrayed as a vibrant, persistent, and almost aggressive pursuer of love, is utterly undone by death. Her retreat is not merely physical but also psychological, foreshadowing a deep and lasting despair.
The Power of Death: This stanza starkly contrasts the life-affirming, procreative themes Venus embodies with the ultimate negation of life, Adonis's death. It demonstrates death's absolute power to halt desire, beauty, and engagement with the world, forcing a retreat into internal darkness.
Sensory Overload and Retreat: Having earlier described Venus's passionate gaze upon Adonis, the poem now shows her eyes—her primary instruments of love and observation—being overwhelmed to the point of "fleeing." This sensory retreat symbolizes her complete inability to process the horror, highlighting the limits of even divine capacity for pain.
Forecasting Enduring Grief: The detail of the snail "Long after fearing to creep forth again" is crucial. It suggests that Venus's withdrawal will not be temporary but a prolonged state of trauma and disengagement, setting the stage for her subsequent lament and the poem's resolution where she abandons the earthly realm for a life of sorrow. This marks a turning point from the pursuit of carnal love to a profound experience of sorrow and the consequences of love's vulnerability to death.