Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis
‘What am I that thou shouldst contemn me this?
Or what great danger dwells upon my suit?
What were thy lips the worse for one poor kiss?
Speak, fair; but speak fair words, or else be mute:
Give me one kiss, I’ll give it thee again,
And one for interest if thou wilt have twain.
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Rhetorical Question | "What am I that thou shouldst contemn me this?" (Line 1) | Emphasizes Venus's indignation and bewilderment at Adonis's rejection, highlighting the perceived lack of logical reason for his refusal and drawing the listener/reader into her perspective. |
| Alliteration | "Speak, fair; but speak fair words..." (Line 4) | Creates a pleasing sonic quality that draws attention to the line, emphasizing Venus's direct command and her desperate desire for a positive or agreeable response from Adonis. |
| Metaphor / Figurative Language | "And one for interest" (Line 6) | Compares kisses to a financial transaction, trivializing the act while making the exchange seem like a shrewd, beneficial deal for Adonis, thereby appealing to his potential for gain and making her offer appear irresistible. |
| Direct Address / Apostrophe | "Speak, fair;" (Line 4) | Creates a direct and intimate tone, intensifying the immediate interaction between Venus and Adonis and underscoring the personal nature of her pleas and demands. |
| Understatement / Minimization | "What were thy lips the worse for one poor kiss?" (Line 3) | Venus attempts to downplay the significance and potential impact of a kiss, presenting it as a trivial act with no negative consequences, thereby trying to break down Adonis's resistance by minimizing the perceived risk. |
Stanza 35 marks a crucial shift in Venus's persuasive tactics. Having previously used logical arguments, flattery, and passionate appeals, she now resorts to a mix of bewildered indignation, minimizing the "cost" of her request, and finally, a direct command coupled with an overwhelmingly generous, almost transactional, offer. Her opening rhetorical questions express disbelief that she, a goddess, could be scorned, and that a simple kiss could pose any danger. This highlights her perception of love as a natural, harmless, and beneficial force.
The stanza is highly significant in its portrayal of Venus's unyielding desire and her increasing desperation. Her offer of a kiss "for interest" vividly illustrates her willingness to give far more than she asks for, reducing the sacred act of love to a quantifiable exchange, almost a commodity. This pragmatic, yet somewhat demeaning, approach underscores her immense frustration and her determination to break down Adonis's resistance by any means, even if it means presenting affection as a profitable venture.
In the broader context of "Venus and Adonis," this stanza sharpens the contrast between Venus's mature, assertive, and procreative love and Adonis's youthful, chaste, and nature-oriented purity. Her inability to comprehend his rejection, despite her power and beauty, sets the stage for the tragic irony that follows: Adonis's avoidance of love ultimately leads to his demise, emphasizing the poem's themes of the destructive power of unrequited passion, the transient nature of beauty, and the ultimate victory of Venus's domain (though not with Adonis himself) as his blood transforms into the anemone, forever linked to her sorrow. The stanza also contributes to the poem's exploration of persuasion, desire, and the often-futile pursuit of an unwilling beloved.