🌹 Stanza 74 - Literary Analysis

Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis

📖 Original Stanza

‘Say, that the sense of feeling were bereft me,
And that I could not see, nor hear, nor touch,      
And nothing but the very smell were left me,
Yet would my love to thee be still as much;
For from the stillitory of thy face excelling
Comes breath perfum’d that breedeth love by smelling.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Line 1: "‘Say, that the sense of feeling were bereft me,"

"Say, that": An archaic or formal way of introducing a hypothetical situation, equivalent to "Suppose that" or "Let's assume." Shakespeare uses it to set up a profound imaginative scenario.
"sense of feeling": Refers to the sense of touch. In Shakespeare's time, "feeling" often specifically meant the sense of touch.
"were bereft me": An archaic construction meaning "were taken away from me" or "if I lost." "Bereft" implies a complete and severe deprivation, emphasizing the depth of the hypothetical loss Venus is describing.
Meaning: "Suppose that my sense of touch were taken away from me,"

Line 2: "And that I could not see, nor hear, nor touch,"

"And that I could not see, nor hear, nor touch": This continues the hypothetical scenario, explicitly listing three of the five primary senses. The repetition of "touch" (after "sense of feeling" in line 1) serves to reinforce the comprehensiveness of the imagined sensory loss, ensuring no ambiguity about the extent of the deprivation.
Meaning: "And that I could not see, nor hear, nor feel anything at all,"

Line 3: "And nothing but the very smell were left me,"

"And nothing but the very smell were left me": This completes the extreme hypothetical, specifying that the sense of smell would be the sole remaining faculty. "Very" emphasizes the absolute singularity of this remaining sense. Shakespeare uses this to push the limits of her devotion, suggesting that even this minimal connection would be sufficient.
Meaning: "And nothing but the sense of smell remained to me,"

Line 4: "Yet would my love to thee be still as much;"

"Yet": A strong conjunction introducing a contrasting idea, meaning "even so" or "nevertheless." It signals the unwavering nature of her love despite the severe hypothetical conditions.
"would my love to thee be still as much": Means that her love for Adonis would remain undiminished and as strong as ever, even if she were deprived of all other senses. This is the central assertion of the stanza, highlighting the depth of Venus's affection.
Meaning: "Even then, my love for you would still be just as strong;"

Line 5: "For from the stillitory of thy face excelling"

"For": Introduces the reason or justification for her previous statement, explaining why her love would endure even with only the sense of smell.
"stillitory": An archaic term for a still or alembic, an apparatus used for distillation, typically to extract essences or perfumes. Shakespeare uses this powerful metaphor to suggest that Adonis's face is a source from which something precious, refined, and potent is produced. It elevates his beauty to an almost alchemical level.
"of thy face excelling": "Excelling" means surpassing others in beauty or quality. The phrase indicates that Adonis's face is supremely beautiful, so much so that it functions like a perfect "still" for his essence.
Meaning: "Because from the refined, concentrated essence of your supremely beautiful face,"

Line 6: "Comes breath perfum’d that breedeth love by smelling."

"Comes breath perfum’d": Refers to Adonis's scented breath, presented as the exquisite product distilled from his "excelling face." The idea of perfumed breath suggests a natural, inherent sweetness and attractiveness.
"that breedeth love by smelling": "Breedeth" means generates, creates, or produces. This line directly connects the sense of smell—the only remaining sense in the hypothetical—to the act of generating love. It implies that Adonis's very essence, perceived through scent, is enough to actively inspire and sustain love in Venus.
Meaning: "Comes perfumed breath that creates and nurtures love through its scent."

🎭 Literary Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Hyperbole	"Say, that the sense of feeling were bereft me, / And that I could not see, nor hear, nor touch, / And nothing but the very smell were left me, / Yet would my love to thee be still as much;"	Exaggerates Venus's devotion to an extreme degree, suggesting her love is so profound it transcends all physical perception except for the most subtle and intrinsic (smell). This emphasizes the overwhelming and unconditional nature of her affection.
Metaphor	"For from the stillitory of thy face excelling"	Compares Adonis's face to a distilling apparatus (a "stillitory"). This suggests that his very essence, particularly his breath, is a highly refined, potent, and precious extract. It elevates his beauty beyond mere appearance, portraying it as something alchemical and deeply influential.
Personification	"Comes breath perfum’d that breedeth love by smelling."	Attributes an active, generative quality to Adonis's breath, stating that it "breedeth" (creates/generates) love. This gives the breath an agency in fostering emotion, highlighting its irresistible power over Venus's affections.
Sensory Imagery	"sense of feeling," "see, nor hear, nor touch," "smell," "perfum’d"	Establishes a vivid hypothetical scenario of complete sensory deprivation, focusing the reader's attention on the various senses. Ultimately, it highlights the singular power and significance of the sense of smell in Venus's perception of Adonis, making her argument more tangible despite its fantastical premise.
Conditional Clause	"Say, that the sense of feeling were bereft me," / "And that I could not see..."	The entire first three lines establish a hypothetical "if" scenario. This rhetorical strategy allows Venus to argue for the enduring nature of her love under the most extreme, impossible conditions, thereby emphasizing its strength and independence from superficial sensory input.

🎯 Overall Meaning & Significance in the Context of the Poem

This stanza is a powerful declaration of Venus's absolute and almost obsessive love for Adonis. She argues that her devotion is not merely superficial or dependent on conventional sensory perception like sight, hearing, or touch. By imagining a state where all senses but smell are removed, she attempts to convey the profound, intrinsic nature of her attraction. For Venus, Adonis's very essence—his "perfumed breath"—is enough to create and sustain her love, acting as an irresistible elixir. She posits that his natural scent, a fundamental emanation from his "excelling face," is the true catalyst of her affection, transcending the need for full sensory engagement.

In the context of the poem, this stanza serves multiple purposes. It is a key piece of Venus's elaborate rhetorical strategy to persuade Adonis to reciprocate her love. She tries to overwhelm him with the depth and unwavering intensity of her feelings, presenting her love as something truly exceptional and independent of fleeting physical beauty. This stanza contributes to the broader themes of the poem by exploring the nature of love, particularly the tension between physical desire and a more enduring, almost spiritual, attachment. While Venus is often depicted as driven by carnal passion, here she attempts to elevate her love to a higher, more essential plane, though still rooted in a physical sensation (smell). It underscores the overwhelming power of Adonis's beauty, portraying him as so alluring that even his breath alone is capable of "breeding" love.