Secondary Sources
Rubens, Rape of Lucretia, 1610
1. Belsey, Catherine. “Tarquin Dispossessed: Expropriation and consent in the
Rape of Lucrece.” Shakespeare Quarterly 52. 3 (2001): 315-335. Project
Muse. Web. 19. April 2013.
This article discusses the practice and logistics centered on rape in the renaissance, specifically Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece.” The author goes into details about the ideas of property and possession during the era as they pertained to the possession of women. The author discusses the several feminist readings and the ways that each can change the perception of the play and the characters. The author focuses on the politics of rape and how these political ideas influence the plot and characters of the poem.
2. Blits, Jan H. "Redeeming Lost Honor: Shakespeare's Rape of Lucrece."
Review Of Politics 71.3 (2009): 411-427. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
This article delves into analyzing multiple elements from Shakespeare’ s “Rape of Lucrece” such as the psychology of honor, shame and reputation. This article also touches on masculinity at the expense of feminine chastity, the private effects of public life, and the influence of the “self-denying, self- affirming” foundations of Roman life. Most interestingly this article ends with discussing the use and influences of Shakespeare presenting this story by a renaissance narrator. This makes this poem very complex by incorporating two distinct cultures that influence the characters, specifically Lucrece.
3. Bromley, Laura G. “Lucrece’s Re-Creation”. Shakespeare Quarterly 34..2
(1983): 200-211. JSTOR.Web. 19. April 2013.
This article focuses on the act of suicide within Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece.” It discusses the fact that Lucrece kills herself and Shakespeare’s poem forces the readers to believe that his was an avoidable act. The author argues that it seems as if the other characters were taking Lucrece’s word against Tarquin for truth and her suicide was a character flaw. The author discusses the type of woman that Lucrece is portrayed to be within the poem and the effects that her role has on her which ultimately leads to her demise. This article mentions some of the religious affiliations with the emotions that inflicted Lucrece which could affect her decisions.
4. Brown, Meg Lota, Kari Boyd McBride. Women’s Roles in the Renaissance.
Westport: Greenwood Press, 2005. Print.
This is a great resource to have while studying anything about the woman’s role in the culture of the Renaissance. This text provides ample amount of information about the roles that women had as wives, mothers, widows, and maids. It gives details explanations about why the historical ideas behind certain societal constructs imposed upon women and the extent to which they were practiced. This text discusses the influences that women’s roles had on literature and the female characters of the period. This would provide a lot of guidance on the roles and behaviors that were expected of Lucrece. This text will give some understanding about why Lucrece chose to act the way she does in the story.
5. Daalder, Joost. "Shakespeare's The Rape Of Lucrece." Explicator
55.4 (1997): 195-198. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19
Apr. 2013.
This is an article or poetry review about Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece”. The authors purpose for the writing this article is to specifically analyze the lines spoken by lucrece after she has been raped. He discusses the challenge of trying to understand what Lucrece is feeling because when she speaks and he reflects on the fact that Lucrece blames her own beauty for tempting Tarquin. He touches on Lucrece’s ideas about the innocence of the mind and discusses the influences of the culture on her character.
6. Huntley, Theresea. Women in Renaissance. New York: Crabtree Publishing, 1983.
Google Books, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013
This is an easy to use and understand book about the role of women during the renaissance. This book gives clear information about what the society was like during the renaissance especially for women. This is a great resource to use when studying Lucrece’s role as the wife, because it defines what the role of the wife was during this time period.
7. Quay, Sarah E. “Lucrece the Chaste: The construction of Rape is
Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece””. Modern Language Studies.
25. 2 (1995): 3-17. JSTOR. Web. 19. April 2013.
This article takes an in-depth look at the characterization of Lucrece in Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece.” This article touches on the effects that the rape has on Lucrece, as described in the poem, and it asks the question “what makes Lucrece rape-able?” This article focuses a lot on the societal constraints that effect Lucreces belief that she needs to take her own life because the same society enables the act of rape by viewing women as property. This article takes a look at the way the way that the men act around her, and the effects it could have on her privately. The author examines the influences of Lucrece being referred to as “Lucrece the chaste” and to what extent this influence the characters actions. This article also examines effects Lucreces reputation that precedes her as the symbol of the perfect woman.
8. Smith, Peter J. "Rome's Disgrace: The Politics Of Rape In Shakespeare's
Lucrece." Critical Survey 17.3 (2005): 15-26. Academic Search
Complete.Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
This is an article about the role that the rape played within Shakespeare’s “Rape of Lucrece”. The author discusses the politics of rape and why it is acceptable in the society of the story. The author argues that Shakespeare is demonstrating the “constructiveness of rape” within his poem and with this, his intent is to reveal the organizations that enable the act of rape. The author speaks a lot about the acceptance of the abuse of women’s bodies as objects or property to be used. He makes comparisons about the use of rape in Renaissance literature and calls attention to the fact the actual act of rape is only a few lines of the play (673-683). He ends contemplating the idea that more often than not in Renaissance literature it was not the act of just raping a woman that was believed to be so cruel but by raping the women, her entire civilization was also disgraced and raped, this was viewed to be the real crime at the expense of the woman.
9. Williams, Carolyn D. “Silence, Like a Lucrece Knife’: Shakespeare and the
Meanings of Rape.” Yearbook of English Studies 23 (1993): 93-110.
JSTOR. Web. 18. April 2013.
This article discusses the overall theme of Shakespeare’s rape scenes within his works. The author writes about the specific style, and tone with which Shakespeare includes the rape scenes and discuss the effects that they have on the play as well as it’s characters. The authors examine the female victims of rape such as Lucrece in the cultural settings to which they belong. The author speaks about the chaste role of woman as wife and the destruction that rape has on a women’s ability to honor her role to her husband. The article discusses the roles that rape played within the society and the influences that this had on literature of that era. The author will also discuss the opinions that Shakespeare’s expresses about rape through his work. The author provides textual example to support her ideas from several of Shakespeare works including “The Rape of Lucrece.”
Rape of Lucrece.” Shakespeare Quarterly 52. 3 (2001): 315-335. Project
Muse. Web. 19. April 2013.
This article discusses the practice and logistics centered on rape in the renaissance, specifically Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece.” The author goes into details about the ideas of property and possession during the era as they pertained to the possession of women. The author discusses the several feminist readings and the ways that each can change the perception of the play and the characters. The author focuses on the politics of rape and how these political ideas influence the plot and characters of the poem.
2. Blits, Jan H. "Redeeming Lost Honor: Shakespeare's Rape of Lucrece."
Review Of Politics 71.3 (2009): 411-427. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
This article delves into analyzing multiple elements from Shakespeare’ s “Rape of Lucrece” such as the psychology of honor, shame and reputation. This article also touches on masculinity at the expense of feminine chastity, the private effects of public life, and the influence of the “self-denying, self- affirming” foundations of Roman life. Most interestingly this article ends with discussing the use and influences of Shakespeare presenting this story by a renaissance narrator. This makes this poem very complex by incorporating two distinct cultures that influence the characters, specifically Lucrece.
3. Bromley, Laura G. “Lucrece’s Re-Creation”. Shakespeare Quarterly 34..2
(1983): 200-211. JSTOR.Web. 19. April 2013.
This article focuses on the act of suicide within Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece.” It discusses the fact that Lucrece kills herself and Shakespeare’s poem forces the readers to believe that his was an avoidable act. The author argues that it seems as if the other characters were taking Lucrece’s word against Tarquin for truth and her suicide was a character flaw. The author discusses the type of woman that Lucrece is portrayed to be within the poem and the effects that her role has on her which ultimately leads to her demise. This article mentions some of the religious affiliations with the emotions that inflicted Lucrece which could affect her decisions.
4. Brown, Meg Lota, Kari Boyd McBride. Women’s Roles in the Renaissance.
Westport: Greenwood Press, 2005. Print.
This is a great resource to have while studying anything about the woman’s role in the culture of the Renaissance. This text provides ample amount of information about the roles that women had as wives, mothers, widows, and maids. It gives details explanations about why the historical ideas behind certain societal constructs imposed upon women and the extent to which they were practiced. This text discusses the influences that women’s roles had on literature and the female characters of the period. This would provide a lot of guidance on the roles and behaviors that were expected of Lucrece. This text will give some understanding about why Lucrece chose to act the way she does in the story.
5. Daalder, Joost. "Shakespeare's The Rape Of Lucrece." Explicator
55.4 (1997): 195-198. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19
Apr. 2013.
This is an article or poetry review about Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece”. The authors purpose for the writing this article is to specifically analyze the lines spoken by lucrece after she has been raped. He discusses the challenge of trying to understand what Lucrece is feeling because when she speaks and he reflects on the fact that Lucrece blames her own beauty for tempting Tarquin. He touches on Lucrece’s ideas about the innocence of the mind and discusses the influences of the culture on her character.
6. Huntley, Theresea. Women in Renaissance. New York: Crabtree Publishing, 1983.
Google Books, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013
This is an easy to use and understand book about the role of women during the renaissance. This book gives clear information about what the society was like during the renaissance especially for women. This is a great resource to use when studying Lucrece’s role as the wife, because it defines what the role of the wife was during this time period.
7. Quay, Sarah E. “Lucrece the Chaste: The construction of Rape is
Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece””. Modern Language Studies.
25. 2 (1995): 3-17. JSTOR. Web. 19. April 2013.
This article takes an in-depth look at the characterization of Lucrece in Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece.” This article touches on the effects that the rape has on Lucrece, as described in the poem, and it asks the question “what makes Lucrece rape-able?” This article focuses a lot on the societal constraints that effect Lucreces belief that she needs to take her own life because the same society enables the act of rape by viewing women as property. This article takes a look at the way the way that the men act around her, and the effects it could have on her privately. The author examines the influences of Lucrece being referred to as “Lucrece the chaste” and to what extent this influence the characters actions. This article also examines effects Lucreces reputation that precedes her as the symbol of the perfect woman.
8. Smith, Peter J. "Rome's Disgrace: The Politics Of Rape In Shakespeare's
Lucrece." Critical Survey 17.3 (2005): 15-26. Academic Search
Complete.Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
This is an article about the role that the rape played within Shakespeare’s “Rape of Lucrece”. The author discusses the politics of rape and why it is acceptable in the society of the story. The author argues that Shakespeare is demonstrating the “constructiveness of rape” within his poem and with this, his intent is to reveal the organizations that enable the act of rape. The author speaks a lot about the acceptance of the abuse of women’s bodies as objects or property to be used. He makes comparisons about the use of rape in Renaissance literature and calls attention to the fact the actual act of rape is only a few lines of the play (673-683). He ends contemplating the idea that more often than not in Renaissance literature it was not the act of just raping a woman that was believed to be so cruel but by raping the women, her entire civilization was also disgraced and raped, this was viewed to be the real crime at the expense of the woman.
9. Williams, Carolyn D. “Silence, Like a Lucrece Knife’: Shakespeare and the
Meanings of Rape.” Yearbook of English Studies 23 (1993): 93-110.
JSTOR. Web. 18. April 2013.
This article discusses the overall theme of Shakespeare’s rape scenes within his works. The author writes about the specific style, and tone with which Shakespeare includes the rape scenes and discuss the effects that they have on the play as well as it’s characters. The authors examine the female victims of rape such as Lucrece in the cultural settings to which they belong. The author speaks about the chaste role of woman as wife and the destruction that rape has on a women’s ability to honor her role to her husband. The article discusses the roles that rape played within the society and the influences that this had on literature of that era. The author will also discuss the opinions that Shakespeare’s expresses about rape through his work. The author provides textual example to support her ideas from several of Shakespeare works including “The Rape of Lucrece.”