The Rape of Lucretia - William Shakespeare

Summary
The Rape of Lucrece is a narrative poem by William Shakespeare, published in 1594. It recounts the legendary rape of Lucrece, a noble Roman matron, by Tarquin, son of the Roman king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. The poem begins with Tarquin, consumed by lust after hearing praise of Lucrece's unparalleled beauty and virtue, traveling to Collatine's house. Despite being welcomed as a guest, Tarquin, battling his conscience, enters Lucrece's bedchamber at night. He threatens her with dishonor and public shaming if she resists, claiming he will murder her and a servant and place the servant's body next to hers to suggest she was unfaithful. Overcome by terror and the desire to protect her husband Collatine's reputation, Lucrece is raped. After the act, Tarquin flees, full of shame and regret. Lucrece, consumed by grief, guilt, and the irreparable stain on her honor, sends for her husband and father. She recounts the horrific event to them and, despite their assurances that she is blameless, takes her own life as a testament to her purity and to cleanse the shame. Her suicide prompts Lucius Junius Brutus, a relative who had long feigned idiocy to avoid the king's suspicion, to reveal his true intelligence. He seizes the moment to rally Collatine, Lucretius, and other Roman nobles to swear an oath of vengeance against Tarquin and his tyrannical father, leading to the expulsion of the Tarquin kings and the establishment of the Roman Republic.

Book Sections

Section
The poem opens by introducing Tarquin, the son of the proud Roman King, who is consumed by lust for Lucrece, the virtuous wife of his kinsman, Collatine. Collatine had recently boasted of Lucrece's chastity and beauty among his fellow soldiers, including Tarquin. Driven by this vivid description and his own "hot desire," Tarquin secretly rides to Collatine's house in Collatia. He arrives late at night and is warmly welcomed by Lucrece, who treats him with unsuspecting hospitality, unaware of his dark intentions.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Tarquin	Son of the King of Rome, Prince, initially praised as honorable, but corrupted by lust; tyrannical, selfish, opportunistic, deceitful.	To satisfy his uncontrollable lust for Lucrece, to assert dominance, to validate his own power and will, initially to maintain secrecy but then to flee.
Lucrece	Wife of Collatine, renowned for her unparalleled beauty, chastity, virtue, and nobility; innocent, hospitable, honorable, deeply sensitive to shame.	To uphold her wifely vows and honor, to maintain her family's reputation, to resist violation, to seek justice, to ultimately preserve her soul from earthly shame.
Collatine	Noble Roman soldier, husband of Lucrece, proud of his wife's virtue and beauty, loving, initially unsuspecting.	To defend his wife's honor, to mourn her death, to seek vengeance for the injustice committed against her and his family.

Section
Tarquin, now a guest in Collatine's home, is tormented by his internal conflict. He is torn between his base desire and the moral recognition of his evil intent. He acknowledges the sin, the dishonor it will bring, and the violation of hospitality. However, his lust proves stronger than his reason or conscience. He is spurred on by "Opportunity," which he personifies as a temptress, and he resolves to commit the act. He observes Lucrece's innocent behavior and pure beauty, which only intensifies his perverse desire. He spends the night planning his assault, his mind clouded by "foul thoughts."

Section
Under the cover of night, Tarquin stealthily makes his way to Lucrece's bedchamber. He finds her asleep, a vision of purity. He awakens her, terrifying her with his sudden presence. He confronts her with a dagger and presents a horrifying choice: either she submits to him, or he will murder her and a lowly slave, placing the slave's body next to hers to fabricate a story of her unfaithfulness. He threatens to publicly ruin her reputation and that of her noble husband, Collatine, ensuring they would live in perpetual shame.

Section
Lucrece, faced with this impossible dilemma, is filled with terror and despair. She pleads with Tarquin, appealing to his honor, his family, and his duties as a guest and kinsman. She argues vehemently against the proposed slanders, highlighting the eternal stain on her name and Collatine's if he carries out his threat. However, Tarquin is deaf to her pleas, his lust completely overriding any sense of pity or morality. Overwhelmed by fear for her husband's good name and the potential for a far greater public shame, Lucrece eventually succumbs to the violence and threats, enduring the rape.

Section
Immediately after the vile act, Tarquin flees the scene, now consumed not by lust but by "heartless shame." He is filled with self-loathing and regret for the "foul act" he has committed. He recognizes the monumental damage he has inflicted upon himself, his name, and Lucrece. His journey back is marked by internal torment and a desperate desire to escape the consequences of his actions. Meanwhile, Lucrece is left in utter devastation. She is consumed by grief, shame, and a profound sense of defilement. She laments the injustice, the loss of her purity, and the irreversible stain on her honor. She blames the "Night" for concealing the deed and "Opportunity" for tempting Tarquin.

Section
Lucrece, in her profound despair, decides she must inform her husband and father of her plight. She sends a letter to Collatine, requesting his immediate return. The messenger, though innocent, becomes a figure through whom Lucrece projects her agony, imagining the journey and the impending revelation. She contemplates suicide, believing that only death can cleanse her from the shame and restore her honor. She views her body as tainted, a "vile receptacle" of another's sin, and believes that only by spilling her own blood can she reclaim her purity and prevent her husband from being further dishonored.

Section
Collatine, receiving the cryptic and distressed letter, immediately feels a sense of foreboding. He rushes back to Collatia, accompanied by Lucretius, Lucrece's father, and Lucius Junius Brutus, who is Collatine's kinsman and Lucretius' nephew. Brutus has been feigning idiocy for years to avoid the tyrannical King Tarquin's suspicions. Upon their arrival, they are met by a grief-stricken Lucrece, dressed in black, whose face is a mask of despair. She initially struggles to speak, her voice choked by shame and sorrow, causing her family further anguish and confusion.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Lucretius	Noble Roman senator, father of Lucrece, deeply loving and concerned, grief-stricken, honorable.	To comfort his daughter, to mourn her death, to seek justice for her violation, to restore the family's honor.
Brutus	Nephew of Lucretius, kinsman to Collatine, intelligent and cunning, feigns idiocy to escape Tarquin's tyranny, patriotic, resolute.	To avenge Lucrece's death, to overthrow the tyrannical monarchy, to establish a new form of government (republic), to serve Rome.

Section
Finally, Lucrece gathers her strength and recounts the horrific tale of Tarquin's violation. She describes the terror, the threats, and her unwilling submission. Despite her family's reassurances that she is blameless, she insists that her honor is irrevocably stained. She argues that her very existence, after such a defilement, would be a perpetual shame to her husband and father. She implores them to seek vengeance against Tarquin, emphasizing the need for justice to restore the balance disrupted by his "tyrannous lust."

Section
As a final, desperate act to purify her name and prevent her suffering from becoming a living testament to dishonor, Lucrece pulls out a concealed dagger and stabs herself in the chest. Her act is one of extreme self-sacrifice, intended to purge the shame and demonstrate her unwavering virtue. Collatine and Lucretius are overwhelmed with grief, their lamentations filling the air. They are torn between mourning Lucrece and trying to understand the profound implications of her suicide, arguing over who has the greater claim to sorrow.

Section
In the midst of the profound grief and confusion, Brutus, who has been silently observing, seizes the moment. He reveals his true intellect and sheds his guise of idiocy. He pulls the bloody dagger from Lucrece's wound and swears an oath of vengeance against Tarquin and his father, the tyrannical king. He rallies Collatine and Lucretius, transforming their grief into a powerful call for justice and rebellion. They swear to drive out the Tarquin monarchy from Rome forever. This pivotal moment marks the turning point in Roman history, leading to the banishment of the kings and the establishment of the Roman Republic. Lucrece's body is then publicly displayed as a symbol of the monarchy's tyranny, galvanizing the Roman people to action.

Literary Genre:
Narrative poem, Tragic poem, Epic poem (in its scope and historical significance).

Author Facts (William Shakespeare):

• Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in 1564.
• Primarily known as a playwright, authoring 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 long narrative poems.
• 'The Rape of Lucrece' was published in 1594, dedicated to Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, along with his earlier poem 'Venus and Adonis'.
• He also acted in many of his own plays.
• He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

Morale:
The poem explores the destructive power of lust and tyranny, contrasting it with the virtue of honor and chastity. It argues that true nobility lies in moral integrity, not social status. The central moral is that even in the face of insurmountable evil, the pursuit of justice and the rejection of tyranny are paramount. Lucrece's suicide, though tragic, is presented as an act to preserve her honor and spark a revolution, suggesting that some principles are worth dying for, and that extreme suffering can catalyze significant historical change. It also highlights the devastating psychological impact of sexual violence and the societal pressure on women regarding their honor.

Curiosities:

• Dedication: Along with 'Venus and Adonis', 'The Rape of Lucrece' is one of two poems Shakespeare dedicated to Henry Wriothesley, the young Earl of Southampton, who some scholars believe may be the "Fair Youth" of Shakespeare's Sonnets.
• Publication Context: It was published during a period when London's theatres were closed due to an outbreak of the plague, leading Shakespeare to focus on narrative poetry. This poem, along with 'Venus and Adonis', established Shakespeare's reputation as a poet before he became widely famous as a playwright.
• Historical Impact: The legend of Lucrece's rape and suicide is a foundational myth in Roman history, traditionally cited as the direct catalyst for the overthrow of the Etruscan monarchy and the establishment of the Roman Republic in 509 BCE. Shakespeare's poem dramatizes this pivotal historical moment.
• Rhetorical Devices: The poem is renowned for its extensive use of rhetorical devices, elaborate imagery, and lengthy soliloquies (particularly Lucrece's), showcasing Shakespeare's mastery of language even in a non-dramatic form.
• Feminist Readings: Modern interpretations often examine the poem through a feminist lens, analyzing Lucrece's agency (or lack thereof), the societal pressures on women's honor, and the tragic consequences of a patriarchal system.