The Rape of Lucrece (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: William Shakespeare
- First Published: 1594
- Type of Work: Poetry
- Type of Plot: Tragedy
- Time of Work: 500
- Setting: Rome
- Genres: Poetry, Narrative poetry
- Subjects: Suicide, Beauty, Emotions, Rape, War, Blackmail, Revenge, Greek or Roman times, Rome, Honor
- Locales: Italy, Rome, ancient
Characters Discussed
Sextus Tarquinius (SEHKS-tuhs tahr-KWIH-nee-uhs), or Tarquin, the son of the king of Rome and a friend and fellow warrior of Collatine. He hears from the latter of the chastity of his beautiful wife Lucrece and is seized with illicit desire. Like Faustus, he is the allegorical battleground of a good and an evil influence. His good side and his evil side engage in debate, and the evil triumphs. He is hypocritical, sly, and ruthless. Part of the joy in his brutal conquest of the chaste wife stems from sheer cruelty. After his violation of Lucrece, he suffers...
[The entire page is 574 words long]
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