Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis
'Here was thy father's bed, here in my breast;
Thou art the next of blood, and 'tis thy right:
Lo! in this hollow cradle take thy rest,
My throbbing heart shall rock thee day and night:
There shall not be one minute in an hour
Wherein I will not kiss my sweet love's flower.'
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Inheritance | "next of blood," "'tis thy right" | Establishes flower's legitimate claim |
| Anatomical Architecture | Breast as bed, heart as cradle | Transforms body into domestic space |
| Maternal Imagery | Cradle, rocking, constant care | Venus becomes nurturing mother |
| Rhythmic Motion | "throbbing heart shall rock" | Heart's beat provides lullaby motion |
| Temporal Totality | "day and night," "one minute in an hour" | Promises complete, endless devotion |
| Exclamatory Invitation | "Lo!" | Dramatic presentation of the offer |
| Hyperbolic Devotion | Kissing every minute | Extreme demonstration of love |
| Generational Succession | Father's bed inherited by child | Continuity through family line |
This stanza completes Venus's transformation from destructive lover to protective mother, offering the flower-Adonis the nurturing care and secure love that she couldn't provide to the human Adonis.
The Inheritance of Intimacy: Venus declares that her breast "was thy father's bed," establishing that the flower has a rightful inheritance to the most intimate space she can offer—her heart.
Legal and Emotional Rights: By calling the flower "the next of blood" with a legitimate "right," Venus creates a formal, legal framework for their relationship, making it more stable than her chaotic romantic pursuit.
Anatomical Domesticity: Venus transforms her body into domestic architecture—her breast becomes a bed, her heart becomes a cradle. This creates a safe, enclosed space for nurturing rather than the threatening open spaces of her earlier pursuit.
Maternal Rhythm: Her "throbbing heart" will "rock" the flower with the natural rhythm of life itself, providing the gentle, consistent motion that soothes infants and promotes growth.
Temporal Absoluteness: Venus promises care "day and night" with "not one minute" of neglect, showing the totality of maternal devotion compared to the inconsistent intensity of romantic passion.
The Cradle Metaphor: The "hollow cradle" suggests both protection and the potential for growth—the flower can develop safely within her care rather than being overwhelmed by her attention.
Hyperbolic Devotion: The promise to kiss the flower every minute shows Venus's tendency toward excess, but now channeled into nurturing rather than possessive behavior.
Successful Love: This stanza represents Venus's first successful love relationship—she can provide what the flower needs (protection, constancy, gentle care) rather than what she needs (possession, intensity, sexual fulfillment).
The Resolution of Conflict: By becoming a mother rather than a lover, Venus resolves the fundamental conflict between her divine nature and Adonis's mortality. The flower can survive her love.
Domestic Divinity: Venus domesticates her divine power, using her immortality to provide eternal care rather than overwhelming passion. Her godlike nature becomes nurturing rather than destructive.
The Perfection of Care: Unlike her rough handling of Adonis and even her accidental breaking of the flower's stem, this stanza promises perfect, gentle care—rocking rather than grasping, kissing rather than devouring.
This stanza shows Venus finally achieving successful love by transforming from passionate lover to protective mother, offering the flower-Adonis the constant, gentle care that allows beauty to flourish rather than be destroyed by overwhelming divine affection.