The Sonnets and Other Poems (40 page)
Read The Sonnets and Other Poems Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
276
countermand
revoke a command from
277
Sad
serious
beseems
suit, befit
280
sinking
perhaps, bearing in mind the vaginal connotations of
treasure
, plays on sense of “sexual penetration”
281
heedful
mindful, wary
282
unresisted
irresistible
284
fond mistrust
foolish doubt
285
servitors
attendants
286
cross
thwart
opposite persuasion
conflicting advice
287
league
alliance
290
confounds his wits
overthrows his reason
291
as more divine
since it’s more clear-sighted and rational
292
view
sight/judgment
incline
be disposed
293
seeks
applies, looks for support
295
heartens up
encourages
servile powers
inferior faculties, base instincts
powers
faculties/troops
296
jocund
cheerful
297
Stuff up
bolster, fill out (with suggestions of penile erection)
298
pride
plays on sense of “sexual arousal, erection”
300
reprobate
depraved, morally corrupt
302
chamber
plays on sense of “vagina”
will
plays on sense of “penis”
303
retires his ward
withdraws its guard
304
rate his ill
reprove his wickedness (by squeaking)
305
regard
caution
306
The … heard
in order to have him discovered, the door makes a grating noise as it opens across the threshold
307
weasels
sometimes kept by households for the purposes of rat-catching
309
portal
door (along with
vents and crannies
continues the vaginal imagery)
311
stay
stop
313
conduct
guide
case
matter (plays on sense of “vagina”)
317
glove … needle
continuing the sexually suggestive language; both nouns were euphemisms for “vagina” (
needle
due to its eye)
318
rushes
conventionally strewn over floors
320
who should
one who might
321
inured
accustomed
322
ornaments
accessories
324
consters
construes, explains
denial
hindrance, refusals
326
of trial
designed to test him
327
bars
divisions on a clock face
328
let
hinder
330
attend
accompany
331
threat
threaten
332
a more
greater
prime
spring
333
sneapèd
pinched with cold
334
income
entrance fee/beginning
335
shelves
sandbanks
338
heaven
sexual bliss
thought
imagination
340
thing
plays on sense of “vagina”
341
from
far from, unlike
wrought
fashioned, made him
346
foul
sinful/dirty (to contrast with
fair
)
compass
obtain/embrace
347
And they
and that the
heavens
auspicious
favorable
348
starts
flinches, recoils
350
act
deed/sexual act
354
cleared
cleaned/declared legally innocent
absolution
forgiveness of sins (not necessarily in a religious context)
355
hath dissolution
dissolves
356
eye of heaven
i.e. the moon
out
extinguished, in darkness
359
knee … wide
an action that anticipates the rape itself
360
fast
soundly
361
works
plays on sense of “copulates”
362
Who
whoever
364
mortal
deadly
sting
phallic connotations
365
stalks
walks stealthily
367
curtains
bed curtains
close
closed
369
high treason
extreme treachery/betrayal of the sovereign, i.e. Tarquin himself
370
watchword
signal to begin an attack
full
very
371
draw the cloud
open the bed curtains (another symbolic anticipation of the rape)
moon
symbol of chastity
372
as
just as, in the same way that
373
bereaves
robs, deprives (us of)
375
wink
close
376
bright
brightly
378
enclosed
closed
379
darksome prison
i.e. behind his eyelids
380
period
end
382
clear
innocent, unsullied/bright
383
ope
open
league
alliance, i.e. Collatine and Lucrece’s marriage
387
Coz’ning
cheating
388
in sunder
in two
389
Swelling
i.e. as if in anger (possible phallic connotations and suggestion of sexual frustration)
to want his
at the lack of its
391
virtuous monument
effigy of a virtuous wife on a tomb; such a figure was commonly presented asleep beside her husband with her head on a pillow
392
of
by
lewd
ignorant/lascivious/wicked
unhallowed
impious, sinful
393
Without
outside
397
marigolds … light
these daisylike flowers close up their petals at night
402
map
picture
403
life’s mortality
human life
404
Each
i.e. life and death
405
twain
two
408
maiden
chaste, faithful to her husband
409
bearing yoke
i.e. weight of a man during sex
417
will
lust
tired
exhausted/feed greedily
419
azure
bright blue
alabaster
white substance used, among other things, in the making of funeral monuments
421
grim
fierce, savage
423
stay
linger, pause
424
qualified
moderated
425
Slaked
lessened
426
late
a moment ago
427
uproar
insurrection, outbreak of disorder
428
straggling slaves
lowly, contemptible soldiers
pillage
plunder, stealing from the defeated enemy
429
Obdurate
hard-hearted
vassals
slaves, inferiors
fell
fierce, cruel
effecting
carrying out
430
ravishment
rape
431
Nor … nor
neither … nor
respecting
considering, heeding
432
pride
arrogance/sexual desire; Tarquin is getting an erection
onset
military/sexual assault
433
Anon
at once
alarum
a call to arms (signaled on a drum)
434
charge
order for attack in which troops bear down on an opposing force
do their liking
do as they please/have sex
435
cheers up
encourages
436
commends
commits, entrusts
438
make his stand
take up position (prior to attack); possible quibble on sense of “penile erection”
440
scale
mount, ascend/attack with ladders
442
must’ring
assembling in preparation for battle
cabinet
private room, i.e. mind/heart
444
beset
surrounded, besieged
451
ghastly
terrifying/ghostly, pale
sprite
spirit
452
grim aspect
stern appearance
453
taking
situation/agitation
454
heedfully
attentively
455
supposèd
imagined
458
winking
with eyes closed/blinking rapidly
459
Quick-shifting
rapidly moving, changing
antics
grotesque figures
460
shadows
illusions
forgeries
fictions, inventions
462
daunts
subdues, overwhelms
464
ram
battering ram
465
citizen
i.e. of Lucrece’s besieged body
466
Wounding … death
i.e. with furious pounding against her rib cage
467
bulk
body
that
so that
withal
with it
469
breach
gap in fortifications caused by a sustained bombardment (a vaginal image)
471
parley
trumpet summons to negotiation with the enemy
heartless
disheartened, lacking courage
473
alarm
sudden attack
474
by dumb demeanour
silent expression
475
urgeth
asks repeatedly
476
colour
pretext/military insignia
480
loving tale
tale of love
484
chide
scold, rebuke