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Hyperbole
Explanation and Analysis—Wrack of Maidenhood.:
Mariana uses hyperbole and allusion to warn Diana about men’s deceptive ways, specifically targeting the untrustworthy Parolles:
I know that knave, hang him! One Parolles, a filthy officer he is in those suggestions for the young earl.—Beware of them, Diana. Their promises, enticements, oaths, tokens, and all these engines of lust are not the things they go under. Many a maid hath been seduced by them; and the misery is example that so terrible shows in the wrack of maidenhood cannot for all that dissuade succession, but that they are limed with the twigs that threatens them.
Mariana employs hyperbolic language as she emphasizes the catastrophic potential consequences of succumbing to men’s deceitful behavior. Telling Diana to “[b]eware of them,” she describes the potential consequences of being taken in by “promises, enticements, oaths” and “tokens,” referring to the “wrack of maidenhood.” A “wrack” is an old-fashioned term for the shell of a destroyed ship, made of “limed” (waterproofed) wood. The “liming” here also refers to “birdlime,” a sticky substance that was spread on twigs to trap birds trying to use them for nests. In this doubled metaphor, Mariana both compares the ruin of a young woman’s innocence to a shipwreck, and the lures of men to sticky snares. The use of hyperbole paints a vivid picture of the devastation that could befall Diana if she is taken in by deceitful promises, or succumbs to sexual advances.
Shakespeare also uses Diana’s name as an allusion in this passage. The character shares her name with the Roman goddess of virginity and hunting. This allusion adds a layer of significance to Mariana’s warning. When she uses Diana’s name, she aligns the girl with these qualities, as Diana is the epitome of chastity. In this context, invoking the goddess Diana serves as a reminder of the values and virtues associated with that name. It’s also an admonition to uphold these virtues against the wiles of men.
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