🌹 Stanza 20 - Literary Analysis

Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis

📖 Original Stanza

Touch but my lips with those falr lips of thine,--
Though mine be not so fair, yet are they red,--     
The kiss shall be thine own as well as mine:
What seest thou in the ground? hold up thy head:
Look in mine eyeballs, there thy beauty lies;
Then why not lips on lips, since eyes in eyes?

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Line 1: "Touch but my lips with those falr lips of thine,--"

"Touch but": This phrase emphasizes a minimal, gentle request, meaning "just touch" or "only touch." Venus is not asking for a full embrace initially, but a simple, direct contact, making her request seem less demanding.
"my lips": Refers to Venus's own lips, which she is offering for contact.
"those falr lips of thine": "Fair" here means beautiful or handsome, referring to Adonis's attractive lips. "Thine" is an archaic second-person possessive pronoun, meaning "yours." Venus immediately flatters Adonis by acknowledging his beauty, a common persuasive tactic.
Meaning: "Just touch my lips with your beautiful lips,"

Line 2: "Though mine be not so fair, yet are they red,--"

"Though mine be not so fair": Venus employs a strategic, feigned humility. She concedes that her lips might not possess the same youthful beauty or complexion ("fair") as Adonis's, a subtle flattery acknowledging his superior allure. This concession is designed to make her subsequent argument more palatable or to elicit sympathy.
"yet are they red": In contrast to her supposed lack of 'fairness', Venus highlights the redness of her lips. Redness traditionally signifies health, vitality, passion, and ripeness, directly suggesting readiness for a kiss and a vibrant, passionate nature.
Meaning: "Even though my lips might not be as beautiful as yours, they are nevertheless red (and full of passion),"

Line 3: "The kiss shall be thine own as well as mine:"

"The kiss shall be thine own as well as mine": Venus attempts to frame the act as a mutual exchange, diminishing any sense that she is simply taking something from him. By declaring the kiss will be "thine own as well as mine," she implies shared ownership, reciprocal pleasure, and mutual benefit, hoping to alleviate his reluctance or perceived obligation.
Meaning: "The kiss will belong equally to both of us, giving pleasure to both."

Line 4: "What seest thou in the ground? hold up thy head:"

"What seest thou in the ground?": This is a rhetorical question, indicating Adonis's shyness, disinterest, or discomfort as he is clearly looking downwards, avoiding Venus's gaze. Venus uses this question to call out his evasive behavior and demand his attention.
"hold up thy head": A direct command or earnest plea from Venus. She desires eye contact, which is often a prerequisite for emotional and intimate connection, and a way to break through his aloofness.
Meaning: "Why are you looking at the ground? Lift your head and look at me."

Line 5: "Look in mine eyeballs, there thy beauty lies;"

"Look in mine eyeballs": A direct instruction to make intense eye contact. Venus believes that through her eyes, a deeper connection can be established.
"there thy beauty lies": This is a highly persuasive and manipulative statement. Venus implies that Adonis's true beauty isn't merely physical but resides in how it's perceived and appreciated by her. She suggests that by looking into her admiring eyes, he will see a reflection or a heightened version of his own beauty, appealing to his self-regard.
Meaning: "Look directly into my eyes, for it is there that your beauty is truly reflected and appreciated."

Line 6: "Then why not lips on lips, since eyes in eyes?"

"Then why not lips on lips, since eyes in eyes?": This line serves as Venus's logical (from her perspective) conclusion, employing parallel construction. "Since eyes in eyes" establishes the premise of a successful visual connection, or at least the possibility of one, which Venus argues should naturally lead to "lips on lips"—physical intimacy. She equates the intimacy of eye contact with the intimacy of a kiss, presenting the latter as a natural, inevitable progression from the former.
Meaning: "If our eyes can meet in such an intimate way, then why can't our lips meet as well?"

🎭 Literary Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Rhetorical Question	"What seest thou in the ground?", "Then why not lips on lips, since eyes in eyes?"	Venus uses questions not to seek information but to highlight Adonis's actions, challenge his resistance, and guide him towards her desired conclusion, making her argument more dynamic and persuasive.
Alliteration	"lips with those falr lips", "thy beauty lies", "lips on lips"	The repetition of initial consonant sounds ("l," "th," "b") creates a lyrical, musical quality, enhances the flow of the lines, and emphasizes the linked concepts (lips, beauty, connection).
Repetition/Parallelism	"lips on lips, since eyes in eyes"	The repetition of key body parts ("lips," "eyes") in a parallel structure emphasizes the desired symmetry of interaction. It creates a sense of logical progression, arguing that if one form of intimacy (eye contact) is possible, another (kissing) should naturally follow.
Flattery	"those falr lips of thine", "there thy beauty lies"	Venus overtly praises Adonis's beauty, hoping to disarm him, appeal to his vanity, and make him more receptive to her advances. It's a key persuasive tactic.
Concession / Feigned Humility	"Though mine be not so fair"	By strategically admitting her own lips might be less "fair," Venus appears humble and less demanding, potentially making Adonis more inclined to respond positively or feel less pressured, while still drawing attention to her own qualities.
Imagery	"red" lips, "eyeballs", "ground"	Vivid sensory details appeal to the reader's imagination, creating a clear picture of the scene and the physical attributes Venus emphasizes (e.g., the vibrancy of her lips).
Metonymy/Synecdoche	"lips on lips", "eyes in eyes"	Using parts of the body (lips, eyes) to represent the whole person and their intimate interaction. This focuses the reader's attention on the specific points of contact Venus desires and emphasizes the physical aspect of her longing.

🎯 Overall Meaning & Significance in the Context of the Poem

This stanza is a masterful display of Venus's persistent and sophisticated rhetorical skill as she attempts to woo the reluctant Adonis. It marks a critical moment where Venus intensifies her verbal assault, shifting from general declarations of love to specific, targeted pleas for physical intimacy.

The stanza's overall meaning centers on Venus's relentless pursuit of physical connection and her frustration with Adonis's aloofness. She uses a blend of flattery, feigned humility, logical reasoning, and direct commands to break through his youthful indifference or shyness. Her argument progresses from a simple request for a touch to a demand for full eye contact, culminating in the "logical" conclusion that if their eyes can meet, their lips should too. This highlights her passionate and assertive nature, contrasting sharply with Adonis's passive resistance, evident in his looking at the ground.

In the broader context of Venus and Adonis, this stanza is highly significant:

Exemplifies the Central Conflict: It powerfully illustrates the poem's core conflict: the unrequited desire of Venus for Adonis, who represents chastity, youth, and a preference for hunting over love. Venus's detailed, persuasive language underscores her active, almost aggressive, pursuit, while Adonis's silence and averted gaze reveal his stubborn inaccessibility.
Showcases Venus's Eloquence and Rhetoric: The stanza is a prime example of Shakespeare's portrayal of Venus as a goddess not just of love but of persuasive language. She employs every rhetorical trick—concession, flattery, logical appeals, direct commands—to bend Adonis to her will, emphasizing the theme of language as a tool of seduction and power.
Themes of Beauty and Desire: Venus explicitly uses Adonis's own beauty against him, suggesting that his beauty is enhanced and truly recognized through her admiring gaze. This explores the themes of how beauty is perceived, the power it holds, and its potential to ignite desire (though in this case, only on one side).
Forebodes Frustration: Despite her elaborate arguments, Venus's pleas fall on deaf ears. This stanza foreshadows the ultimate failure of her attempts to sway Adonis, reinforcing the tragicomic nature of their encounter and the futility of trying to force love. It sets the stage for the escalating tension and Venus's increasing desperation throughout the poem.