Foremost, Shakespeare sheds light on the male dominance in Roman society once again through Tarquin’s thoughts, specifically: “Perchance his boast of Lucrece’ sovereignty Suggested this proud issue of a king; For by our ears our hearts oft tainted be: Perchance that envy of so rich a thing” (Shakespeare 37-42). The men in Roman society dominate both politically and socially, and for a man to possess or dominate a woman of such beauty would no doubt garner respect and envy from lesser men. In terms of rape, male dominance is very hard on the woman of society, to the point where the women feel more shame in the end for rape than the man, which Julius points out, “Fearful of losing her reputation, and injuring her husband's, she submits to Tarquin's rape. Raped in silence, silenced by her rapist, she later kills herself, thereby retreating into a permanent silence, though only after she has denounced Tarquin to husband and friends” (Julius 14). It is not fair in any way that the victim should fear judgement more than the criminal and by drawing Lucrece’s emotions and her desire to kill herself, Shakespeare attempts to communicate that this element of Roman society lacks justice. It is not just this element of Roman society that is unjust, but the sense of entitlement that men back in the day felt that lead to additional problems ,which is best described in lines 134-138 “Those that much covet are with gain so fond, For what they have not, that which they possess They scatter and unloose it from their bond, And so, by hoping more, they have but less; Or, gaining more, the profit of excess” (Shakesperae 134-138). Tarquin is a wealthy landowner and has anything he could ever want, except Lucrece, and when he could not get her at first he lusted for her even more, eventually driving himself Finto the crime he committed. This
Foremost, Shakespeare sheds light on the male dominance in Roman society once again through Tarquin’s thoughts, specifically: “Perchance his boast of Lucrece’ sovereignty Suggested this proud issue of a king; For by our ears our hearts oft tainted be: Perchance that envy of so rich a thing” (Shakespeare 37-42). The men in Roman society dominate both politically and socially, and for a man to possess or dominate a woman of such beauty would no doubt garner respect and envy from lesser men. In terms of rape, male dominance is very hard on the woman of society, to the point where the women feel more shame in the end for rape than the man, which Julius points out, “Fearful of losing her reputation, and injuring her husband's, she submits to Tarquin's rape. Raped in silence, silenced by her rapist, she later kills herself, thereby retreating into a permanent silence, though only after she has denounced Tarquin to husband and friends” (Julius 14). It is not fair in any way that the victim should fear judgement more than the criminal and by drawing Lucrece’s emotions and her desire to kill herself, Shakespeare attempts to communicate that this element of Roman society lacks justice. It is not just this element of Roman society that is unjust, but the sense of entitlement that men back in the day felt that lead to additional problems ,which is best described in lines 134-138 “Those that much covet are with gain so fond, For what they have not, that which they possess They scatter and unloose it from their bond, And so, by hoping more, they have but less; Or, gaining more, the profit of excess” (Shakesperae 134-138). Tarquin is a wealthy landowner and has anything he could ever want, except Lucrece, and when he could not get her at first he lusted for her even more, eventually driving himself Finto the crime he committed. This