Insights into "The Rape of Lucrece": Finding True Virtues and Avoiding the Counterfeits

I finished reading "The Rape of Lucrece" by William Shakespeare and I am fascinated by the many interesting concepts that this poem addressed (To be honest, I really liked reading this story and I will most likely be writing my term paper on "The Rape of Lucrece", but it doesn't seem proper to put the word "like" anywhere near the word "rape" so I'll stick with "fascinated"). Here are some of the interesting things that this poetic piece got me to think about:

1. Love vs. Lust

Lust is ultimately shown to be more about self-absorption and self-pleasuring than about the actual object of this attention who basically becomes a means to achieving the other person's desires without consideration of the needs and concerns of this objectified person who is impacted. In "Rape of Lucrece" Tarquin basically ruins Lucrece's life by taking her when she is striving to remain true to her husband. This is because Tarquin is more interested in what he wants then he is in Lucrece's wishes. This can also be observed in Shakespeare's "Venus and Adonis" where Venus wants to have Adonis but Adonis isn't ready because he doesn't know himself enough to share himself with someone else. In contrast, Love is supposed to be concerned with the needs and wishes of others above your own personal needs. Although lust is self-absorption, it is also an eventual source of self-destruction. Lust is very much a counterfeit to love even though the two are essentially opposites.

2. Misdirected "Virtues"

There are some traits that we admire such as bravery or ambition that are certainly worthy of admiration...as long as they are pursued to the right purpose. I have already discussed Richard III's ambition and how he uses this ambitious pursuit to murder the people around him. In this story, Tarquin feels afraid of the task he about to undertake (Raping Lucrece) and he reasons that because he is afraid of doing this task, he must be "courageous" by ignoring this fear. Because Tarquin is about to do something wrong, it seems like it might be better to be a "coward" in regards to committing such evil acts. However, it seems like what Tarquin is pursuing is not courage, but yet another counterfeit, courage is more than the opposite of fear, it is experiencing fear and continuing to do the right thing, Tarquin forgets this. Another virtue that Tarquin thinks he is achieving is determination because he breaks many locks separating himself from Lucrece and doesn't give up until he has Lucrece in his power.

3. Your Life is an Example to Others

When Tarquin is about to take Lucrece by force, she warns him that as a prince, other people look up to him and they may get the idea that rape is appropriate behavior and follow his example. While I think that people have a little more critical thinking than that, we should keep in mind that other people are watching our actions and that we should be a good example to those who follow behind us.

4. Internal Debate

This story has a lot of internal wrestling going on in the characters's minds, Tarquin wonders whether he should bend to his conscience or his passions and Lucrece wonders whether she should end her disrepute with suicide or avoid taking her life and preserve her soul. (I really like books that have internal wrestling and I've noticed it more often in reading Hawthorne and Melville)

5. Suspicion

After Lucrece's experience with Tarquin, she feels tainted and guilty and begins to suspect other people around her (Especially men) as knowing about her rape and accusing her. It is somewhat suspicious how much I have run into fiction discussing suspicioun lately, especially in Melville's "Benito Cereno".

6. Do Outer Appearances Reflect Inner Being?

This question is another one I have run into a lot lately. In this story, Tarquin is fairly good looking and Lucrece who at first only sees the best in people doesn't suspect the dark inclination of his thoughts. As we discover throughout the story, Tarquin actually is evil even if he looks charming (I found this refreshing after reading Richard III where he looks ugly and he is evil as well). I personally believe that the exterior is superficial and does not reflect a person's character, their actions are what reflects their character.

I think it is interesting how many connections I have been finding lately with other things I have been reading. I am at that point in the semester where everything begins to converge