Rape of Lucrece Literary Elements

Non-specific narrator, from a 3rd person (outsider) point of view.

Written in Rhyme Royal, a scheme which requires 7 line stanzas rhyming ababbcc. The meter is Iambic Pentameter.

The most prominent metaphors and similes occur in reference to Tyronius and Lucrece, especially Tyronius as he contemplates and completes his crime. For instance, in line 677 the narrator says that "The wolf hath seized his prey, the poor lamb cries." In this metaphor, Tyronius is compared to a wolf and Lucrece to a lamb in order to emphasize the violence and brutality of his crime, a crime committed against a pure and innocent figure.

An example of alliteration occurs on line 89, in a description of Lucrece. "So guiltless she securely gives good cheer." The repeated consonants are 's' and 'g.'

When Collantine brags about his wife's chastity to his friend and fellow soldier Tyronius, he has unwittingly caused Tyronius to set his sights on Lucrece. Her chastity becomes the major point of attraction to her for Tyronius, and spurs his eventual crime. The crime itself is also an instance of irony, because in raping Lucrece it is insinuated that the chastity which Tyronius coveted was sullied.

Narrative Poetry

Ancient Rome, about 509 BC.

Sombre, Mourning

Tyronius is the antagonist, Lucrece and her husband Collantine can both be seen as the protagonists.

Tyronius rapes Lucrece, the wife of his friend and fellow soldier Collantine. The major conflict of the poem is two-fold, first involving Tyronius attempting to prevent himself from committing this crime, and second concerning the need for revenge/punishment for his actions.

Tyronius' rape of Lucrece is often considered the climax of the poem, but Lucrece's decision to take her own life after the assault can also be argued to be the climax.

When Tyronius arrives at Lucrece's home and spends an evening with her, the narrator makes various references to the woman being unable to see his ill intentions, foreshadowing his eventual decision to commit an assault on her person. For instance, the narrator says "This earthly saint, adored by this devil/ Little suspecteth the false worshipper," indicating that Tyronius has ill intentions in mind as he speaks to Lucrece.

While understatement is rare in this poem, because of the dramatic nature of the genre and the subject matter, there is one item in particular which creates a moment of understatement for modern audiences. When Lucrece asks if she is at fault for what happened, her husband and the others gathered say that "her body's stain her mind untainted clears" (1710). Essentially, they say that it was not her fault and she is free from blame. This cannot be emphasized enough, and appears to Lucrece to be an understatement of the facts of her case, as she decides to kill herself regardless.

The poem refers to events recorded in Roman historian Livy's book "The History of Rome." It also includes information from Ovid's book "Fasti."

Near the end of the poem, Lucrece's body is paraded around the city in order to show the people Tyronius' crime and stir outrage, for the purpose of getting support for revenge. In this act, Lucrece's body becomes through Metonymy a representation of Tyronius' tyranny and guilt.

When Lucrece is lamenting her situation after Tyronius' assault, the narrator personifies time by saying that "And time doth weary time with her complaining" (1570). This has the effect of demonstrating the extent and length of her sorrow, by implying that she complained for so long that time itself got tired.

Hyperbole occurs in one instance when Lucrece is examining the painting of the Fall of Troy, and speaks of Sinon as the one "Whose words, like wildfire, burnt the shining glory" (1253). By implying that Sinon's words alone led to the fall of the city of Troy, Lucrece in engaging in a hyperbolic description of his involvement in the conflict.

The narrator, after Lucrece has killed herself, describes the blood as "bubbling" from her chest. The use of this word evokes the sound of something bubbling without the need for further description.