The Rape of Lucrece
William Shakespeare · 1594 · Poetry
Full text · 7 chaptersNarrated in your voice
What it's about
Sextus Tarquinius, son of the king of Rome, rapes Lucrece, the wife of his fellow soldier Collatine; she tells her husband and father, and kills herself, and the Tarquins are driven from Rome. A long narrative poem in rhyme royal, with Shakespeare's dedication to Southampton and his prose argument.
Reading plan
Pick a finish date and Genius lays out the days — the plan shows today's target and keeps you honest.
Read together
Start a circle and share the code — everyone sees everyone's honest place in the book. Accountability, not leaderboards.
Who it's for
- Readers who know the plays and want the poet - Anyone interested in the Roman story behind the republic - Readers ready for a serious poem on a painful subject
