The Rape of Lucrece
1594
In 1594, Shakespeare turned from his playful "Venus and Adonis" to something far darker: a poem about a woman destroyed by violence. "The Rape of Lucrece" retells an ancient Roman legend with devastating intensity. Tarquin, son of the Roman king, forces himself upon Lucrece in the dead of night. She survives the assault, but not its shame. Summoning her husband and father, she tells them what has been done, pleads for revenge, then drives a dagger into her own heart. Her body becomes a battleground for honor, and her death ignites a revolution that overthrows the monarchy forever. Shakespeare writes with unflinching psychological precision, tracing Lucrece's spiral from violated wife to political symbol. The poem's 1,855 lines in rhyme royal carry the weight of classical tragedy, making this essential reading for anyone who believes poetry can confront the unspeakable.
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“Love comforeth like sunshine after rain,But Lust's effect is tempest after sun.Love's gentle spring doth always fresh remain;Lust's winter comes ere summer half be done.Love surfeits not, Lust like a glutton dies;Love is all truth, Lust full of forged lies.””
— William Shakespeare
“The summer's flower is to the summer sweetThough to itself it only live and die””
— William Shakespeare
“When my love swears that she is made of truth,I do believe her, though I know she lies””
— William Shakespeare
“Amore non è amoreSe muta quando scopre un mutamentoO tende a svanire quando l‘altro s‘allontana.Oh no! Amore è un faro sempre fissoChe sovrasta la tempesta e non vacilla mai;È la stella che guida di ogni barca,Il cui valore è sconosciuto, benché nota la distanza.Amore non è soggetto al Tempo, pur se rosee labbraE gote dovran cadere sotto la sua curva lama;Amore non muta in poche ore o settimane,Ma impavido resiste al giorno estremo del giudizio;Se questo è un errore e mi sarà provato,Io non ho mai scritto, e nessuno ha mai amato.””
— William Shakespeare
“When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see.””
— William Shakespeare
“The living record of your memory. 'Gainst death, and all-oblivious enmity Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room Even in the eyes of all posterity That wear this world out to the ending doom.””
— William Shakespeare
“The other two, slight air, and purging fire Are both with thee, wherever I abide; The first my thought, the other my desire,””
— William Shakespeare
“Look what is best, that best I wish in thee: This wish I have; then ten times happy me!””
— William Shakespeare
“Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed, The dear repose for limbs with travel tir'd; But then begins a journey in my head To work my mind, when body's work's expired:””
— William Shakespeare
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Shakespeare, William. The Rape of Lucrece. Lex, lex-books.com/book/the-rape-of-lucrece-4b661137-c9f1-4fc2-9452-58dc4b519028.Shakespeare, W. (1594). The Rape of Lucrece. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/the-rape-of-lucrece-4b661137-c9f1-4fc2-9452-58dc4b519028Shakespeare, William. The Rape of Lucrece. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/the-rape-of-lucrece-4b661137-c9f1-4fc2-9452-58dc4b519028.
