The Rape of Lucrece

Lucrece tries to reason with Tarquin for almost 100 lines, pleading (as a woman should), yes, but in the language of reason and rhetoric claimed by the authority of the state. Attempting to persuade him in a way that should be unavailable to her (because of her sex), she argues logically and appeals to his senses of loyalty, pride, status, common sense...everything he should hold dear. And yet...

'So let thy thoughts, low vassals to thy state--'
'No more,' quoth he: 'By heaven I will not hear thee.
Yield to my love; if not, enforced hate
Instead of love's coy touch shall rudely tear thee.
That done, despitefully* I mean to bear thee
Unto the base bed of some rascal groom
To be thy partner in this shameful doom.'

This said, he sets his foot upon the light,
For light and lust are deadly enemies.
Shame folded up in blind concealing night,
When most unseen, then most doth tyrannize.
The wolf hath seized his prey; the poor lamb cries,
Till with her own white fleece** her voice controlled
Entombs her outcry in her lips' sweet fold.

*despitefully here means "with complete contempt for you; shamefully" (according to the translation in the The Oxford Shakespeare 'The Complete Sonnets and Poems')
**white fleece "literally her sheets, nightly linen, which Tarquin uses to muffle her cries

This is most of the description of the rape upon which this long poem is based. So subtle, short, masked, and yet so violent. It chokes me. And I think about what it will be like to discuss this in class later on today. But there is 20mg of Prozac between now and then, and several hours for this to settle in, for my fuzzy rationality to blanket the wet tears seeking to squeeze and leak out of my face.

A funny thought occurs to me. (Funny in a distinctly morbid kind of way of course). I wonder about the silent subtext of the discussion to come--who in that room will have experienced sexual violence? Firsthand? Second? Now that I have, and this poem pains me deeper and deeper yet, I have that strange thought: 'well, I'm sure most of the women/girls in that class have also experienced this or something like it, so at least I won't be alone.' Since sexual violence, especially for women and especially on college campuses is so very very common.

and haven't i joined the rest of my sex
in this...?
choking with every Elizabethan word for struggle
force, torn, shame, and contempt?
in this, shouldn't i feel relief in familiarity
rather than shame in recognition?
for now i am a member
i can claim rights on pity, sadness
my right as a woman, in this i can
now feel to the fullest extent
emotions my sword, my armor, my I.D. declaring citizenship
in this reminder of my stolen dignity
i am free to use my greatest asset:
a plea for rationality through appealing to pity

...Although that certainly didn't work for Lucrece, did it? I guess that's the point. From a strictly feminist point of view (I really can't help it, it seems like that's all I ever encounter in my readings for class these days. Why am I apologizing for it though?), the one tool women might have over the violence of the state, the patriarchy, men, is the emotions which govern them. This weapon is their (our) "greatest asset" (beyond pure sexuality, which of course wouldn't do much good in trying to escape a sexual assault, as in this case), and yet apparently cannot conquer violence and lust--at least that is the message here in the story of Lucrece and Tarquin, her aggressor. Hmm.