Lucrece the Wife
Shakespeare’s poem about the legend of the rape of the noblewoman Lucrece which led to the demise of the Roman government is a story that has often captured the attention of many scholars and writers. There are many things within this story that can be studied. It is a complex poem that contains elements of politics, societal rules and gender constructions. One of the most influential features in the poem is the concept of Lucrece in the role of the wife.
In Renaissance culture there were only so many options for a woman: to marry a man and be a devoted wife or to marry God and be a devoted nun. As for aristocratic women, there was even less of a choice and most often the women were married off to some noble man of her parents' choosing.
When the poem begins, Lucrece had already long since accepted her role as wife to Collatine, a Roman General. Collatine was often found speaking of the beauty of his “fair wife.” It was easy to see that he was proud to be “In the possession of his beauteous mate” (18). Her reputation of virtue and beauty preceded her wherever she went. She was the epitome of modesty and devotion. She donned the name “Lucrece the chaste” (7). As Shakespeare suggests, “Haply that names of chaste unhapp’ly set / This bateless edge on his keen appetite” (9-8). For Tarquin, the prince and friend of Collantine, a spark of lust burned within him; this spark turned to flames that could not be extinguished without satisfying his desires.
Tarquin decides to act upon his intentions. He lurks into her chamber during the night, trespassing upon more than just her personal space. The belief at this time was that women were the property of their husbands, and rape was punishable as a trespassing crime. The trespass of another man’s property brought with it great shame as Lucrece tries to say appeal to Tarquin before he acts, “Think but how vile a spectacle it were / To view thy present trespass in another” (631-32). For any other man, this logic perhaps could have saved Lucrece, but for Tarquin, his desire for her surpasses pleasure; he is a soldier and he seeks to conquer the most beautiful dame in the land.
When the deed ends and Tarquin leaves the room, we are left with a defiled Lucrece. In one night's time She is stripped of her virtue, modesty and chastity, she bears the new title of “spotted princess,” (721) meaning a “defiled soul.” She fears the day and the light that it will shine upon her situation, “The wound that nothing can healeth, / The scar that will, despite the cure, remain…/ She bears the load of lust he left behind” (732-33, 734). She mourns for her lost purity and her fate, but above all, like the good wife she is, she mourns the lost honor of her husband.
Lucrece plays the role of the wife exceptionally; it is both her blessing and her curse. Through her chastity, she earns her spotless reputation. Through her silence, her voice goes unnoticed and she is taken advantage of. By her devotion she ends with her demise. Lucrece exemplifies the role of the ideal wife up until her last dying breath.
When we are first introduced to Lucrece, we only learn about her through the voices of other characters. It is not until after she is raped that she conjures up some kind of speech, and then only after she kills herself is her voice heard.
When Tarquin awakes Lucrece, she says nothing, but the poet mentions her “pleading eyes” and explains that “Her modest eloquence with sighs is mixed, / Which to her oratory adds more grace" (563-64). This sentence really captures the value placed on the female silence. Even when he is taking everything from her, Tarquin still makes mention that her silence makes her more appealing and good. When finally she musters up enough courage, “That twice she doth began ere once she speaks,” (567) Lucrece still finds the strength to speak modestly, courteously, and gracefully.
Lucrece tries to appeal to Tarquin by making him aware of the repercussions that are important to him, such as the shame he will bring to his reputation and the dishonor he will bring to his friend, her husband, Collantine. “My husband is thy friend; for his sake spare me. / Thyself art mighty; for thine own sake leave me” (582-83). She tries to reason that he is a great prince and she but a weak woman, she clearly reiterates that the power is in his hands. This was not an uncommon idea, since women were already viewed as property to be owned. Unfortunately, no pleads could stop him and Tarquin proceeds to indulge his desires. Lucrece is left with modest eyes to shed the chastest tears.
When Lucrece is left alone she speaks about her situation. She begins to mourn for “Sweet chastity’s decay” (808) and she speaks for only a moment about herself. But, like a good obedient wife should, it seems like only a moment before she is expressing her concern for her husband’s reputation, “Let my good name, that senseless reputation, / For Collatine’s dear love be kept unspotted” (820-21).
Lucrece’s reputation precedes her, she is known for her chastity and modesty. She is valued for her faithful devotion to her husband. She is envied for her beauty and courtesy. She is the ideal chaste wife. Lucrece is literally defined as “Lucrece the chaste,” her very essence stripped from her with one act of lust. Tarquin's actions deprive her of chastity, and “She hath lost a dearer thing than life” (657). Lucrece had only one role through out this story, which was to be chaste wife. Her chastity is her only power, when this is taken from her she is left with nothing. Even more so her chastity belongs to her husband and this is just a stain against his honor, which further breaks the heart of the obedient wife, Lucrece.
Up to the moment that the act of violation is done, Lucrece remains a faithful and obedient wife. She shows her love for her husband at the beginning of the poem when Tarquin expresses his praises for her Collantine on the battlefield. And when the very same man has intruded upon her in the night, she still speaks for the honor of his friend Collantine. Throughout the entire poem up to the moment when she is left alone to wait for morning she is primarily concerned with her husband’s reputation. She speaks of the shame she feels for betraying her husband, “If, Collantine, thine honor lay in me, / From me by strong assault it is bereft” (834-35).
As the good wife, she cannot bear the shame that her presence would only mock her husband's disdain, and sure that she has been impregnated, she feels she cannot parade a child around that was created from the sin of lust in front of her husband. She decides to kill herself, “Honour thyself to rid me of this shame, / For if I die, my honour lives in there, / But if I live, thou liv’st in my defame” (1030-32). She leaves a letter for her husband to explain the reason for her premature death, with the hope to enrage him to take revenge against Tarquin. Her letter exemplifies her obedience and devotion for her husband:
'Well, well, dear Collatine, thou shalt not know
The stained taste of violated troth;
I will not wrong thy true affection so, 1060
To flatter thee with an infringed oath;
This bastard graff shall never come to growth:
He shall not boast who did thy stock pollute
That thou art doting father of his fruit.
'Nor shall he smile at thee in secret thought, 1065
Nor laugh with his companions at thy state:
But thou shalt know thy interest was not bought
Basely with gold, but stol'n from forth thy gate.
For me, I am the mistress of my fate,
And with my trespass never will dispense, 1070
Till life to death acquit my forced offence.
'I will not poison thee with my attaint,
Nor fold my fault in cleanly-coin'd excuses;
My sable ground of sin I will not paint,
To hide the truth of this false night's abuses: 1075
My tongue shall utter all; mine eyes, like sluices,
As from a mountain-spring that feeds a dale,
Shall gush pure streams to purge my impure tale.'
(1058-1078)
Lucrece’s honor lay in her role as the ultimate good wife. She was the ideal woman, the one who is referenced all throughout history for women to mirror after. Her identity was so wrapped in this role she donned, to be chaste, silent and obedient, that she could not survive the wrath of shame. “Lucrece the chaste” is Lucrece the wife, she lived for her honor, which depended on her husbands honor. With the disgrace that the rape brought on her husband, she knew that she had to uphold her honor to uphold his honor, so she killed herself to save them both. With death she is free from the cruelties of the world. She protects her honor by protecting her husband’s honor. She is a martyr for her husband and that makes her a good wife.
My honour I’ll bequeath unto the knife
That wounds my body so dishonoured.
‘Tis honour to deprive dishonour’d life;
The one will live, the other being dead:
So of shame’s ashes shall my fame be bred;
For in my death I murder shameful scorn:
My shame so dead, mine honour is new-born.
(1184-1190)
In Renaissance culture there were only so many options for a woman: to marry a man and be a devoted wife or to marry God and be a devoted nun. As for aristocratic women, there was even less of a choice and most often the women were married off to some noble man of her parents' choosing.
When the poem begins, Lucrece had already long since accepted her role as wife to Collatine, a Roman General. Collatine was often found speaking of the beauty of his “fair wife.” It was easy to see that he was proud to be “In the possession of his beauteous mate” (18). Her reputation of virtue and beauty preceded her wherever she went. She was the epitome of modesty and devotion. She donned the name “Lucrece the chaste” (7). As Shakespeare suggests, “Haply that names of chaste unhapp’ly set / This bateless edge on his keen appetite” (9-8). For Tarquin, the prince and friend of Collantine, a spark of lust burned within him; this spark turned to flames that could not be extinguished without satisfying his desires.
Tarquin decides to act upon his intentions. He lurks into her chamber during the night, trespassing upon more than just her personal space. The belief at this time was that women were the property of their husbands, and rape was punishable as a trespassing crime. The trespass of another man’s property brought with it great shame as Lucrece tries to say appeal to Tarquin before he acts, “Think but how vile a spectacle it were / To view thy present trespass in another” (631-32). For any other man, this logic perhaps could have saved Lucrece, but for Tarquin, his desire for her surpasses pleasure; he is a soldier and he seeks to conquer the most beautiful dame in the land.
When the deed ends and Tarquin leaves the room, we are left with a defiled Lucrece. In one night's time She is stripped of her virtue, modesty and chastity, she bears the new title of “spotted princess,” (721) meaning a “defiled soul.” She fears the day and the light that it will shine upon her situation, “The wound that nothing can healeth, / The scar that will, despite the cure, remain…/ She bears the load of lust he left behind” (732-33, 734). She mourns for her lost purity and her fate, but above all, like the good wife she is, she mourns the lost honor of her husband.
Lucrece plays the role of the wife exceptionally; it is both her blessing and her curse. Through her chastity, she earns her spotless reputation. Through her silence, her voice goes unnoticed and she is taken advantage of. By her devotion she ends with her demise. Lucrece exemplifies the role of the ideal wife up until her last dying breath.
When we are first introduced to Lucrece, we only learn about her through the voices of other characters. It is not until after she is raped that she conjures up some kind of speech, and then only after she kills herself is her voice heard.
When Tarquin awakes Lucrece, she says nothing, but the poet mentions her “pleading eyes” and explains that “Her modest eloquence with sighs is mixed, / Which to her oratory adds more grace" (563-64). This sentence really captures the value placed on the female silence. Even when he is taking everything from her, Tarquin still makes mention that her silence makes her more appealing and good. When finally she musters up enough courage, “That twice she doth began ere once she speaks,” (567) Lucrece still finds the strength to speak modestly, courteously, and gracefully.
Lucrece tries to appeal to Tarquin by making him aware of the repercussions that are important to him, such as the shame he will bring to his reputation and the dishonor he will bring to his friend, her husband, Collantine. “My husband is thy friend; for his sake spare me. / Thyself art mighty; for thine own sake leave me” (582-83). She tries to reason that he is a great prince and she but a weak woman, she clearly reiterates that the power is in his hands. This was not an uncommon idea, since women were already viewed as property to be owned. Unfortunately, no pleads could stop him and Tarquin proceeds to indulge his desires. Lucrece is left with modest eyes to shed the chastest tears.
When Lucrece is left alone she speaks about her situation. She begins to mourn for “Sweet chastity’s decay” (808) and she speaks for only a moment about herself. But, like a good obedient wife should, it seems like only a moment before she is expressing her concern for her husband’s reputation, “Let my good name, that senseless reputation, / For Collatine’s dear love be kept unspotted” (820-21).
Lucrece’s reputation precedes her, she is known for her chastity and modesty. She is valued for her faithful devotion to her husband. She is envied for her beauty and courtesy. She is the ideal chaste wife. Lucrece is literally defined as “Lucrece the chaste,” her very essence stripped from her with one act of lust. Tarquin's actions deprive her of chastity, and “She hath lost a dearer thing than life” (657). Lucrece had only one role through out this story, which was to be chaste wife. Her chastity is her only power, when this is taken from her she is left with nothing. Even more so her chastity belongs to her husband and this is just a stain against his honor, which further breaks the heart of the obedient wife, Lucrece.
Up to the moment that the act of violation is done, Lucrece remains a faithful and obedient wife. She shows her love for her husband at the beginning of the poem when Tarquin expresses his praises for her Collantine on the battlefield. And when the very same man has intruded upon her in the night, she still speaks for the honor of his friend Collantine. Throughout the entire poem up to the moment when she is left alone to wait for morning she is primarily concerned with her husband’s reputation. She speaks of the shame she feels for betraying her husband, “If, Collantine, thine honor lay in me, / From me by strong assault it is bereft” (834-35).
As the good wife, she cannot bear the shame that her presence would only mock her husband's disdain, and sure that she has been impregnated, she feels she cannot parade a child around that was created from the sin of lust in front of her husband. She decides to kill herself, “Honour thyself to rid me of this shame, / For if I die, my honour lives in there, / But if I live, thou liv’st in my defame” (1030-32). She leaves a letter for her husband to explain the reason for her premature death, with the hope to enrage him to take revenge against Tarquin. Her letter exemplifies her obedience and devotion for her husband:
'Well, well, dear Collatine, thou shalt not know
The stained taste of violated troth;
I will not wrong thy true affection so, 1060
To flatter thee with an infringed oath;
This bastard graff shall never come to growth:
He shall not boast who did thy stock pollute
That thou art doting father of his fruit.
'Nor shall he smile at thee in secret thought, 1065
Nor laugh with his companions at thy state:
But thou shalt know thy interest was not bought
Basely with gold, but stol'n from forth thy gate.
For me, I am the mistress of my fate,
And with my trespass never will dispense, 1070
Till life to death acquit my forced offence.
'I will not poison thee with my attaint,
Nor fold my fault in cleanly-coin'd excuses;
My sable ground of sin I will not paint,
To hide the truth of this false night's abuses: 1075
My tongue shall utter all; mine eyes, like sluices,
As from a mountain-spring that feeds a dale,
Shall gush pure streams to purge my impure tale.'
(1058-1078)
Lucrece’s honor lay in her role as the ultimate good wife. She was the ideal woman, the one who is referenced all throughout history for women to mirror after. Her identity was so wrapped in this role she donned, to be chaste, silent and obedient, that she could not survive the wrath of shame. “Lucrece the chaste” is Lucrece the wife, she lived for her honor, which depended on her husbands honor. With the disgrace that the rape brought on her husband, she knew that she had to uphold her honor to uphold his honor, so she killed herself to save them both. With death she is free from the cruelties of the world. She protects her honor by protecting her husband’s honor. She is a martyr for her husband and that makes her a good wife.
My honour I’ll bequeath unto the knife
That wounds my body so dishonoured.
‘Tis honour to deprive dishonour’d life;
The one will live, the other being dead:
So of shame’s ashes shall my fame be bred;
For in my death I murder shameful scorn:
My shame so dead, mine honour is new-born.
(1184-1190)