Andrew Marvell - Poet | Academy of American Poets Academy of American Poets The Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting American poets. For over three generations, the Academy has connected millions of people to great poetry through programs such as National Poetry Month, the largest literary celebration in the world; Poets.org, the Academy’s popular website; American Poets, a biannual literary journal; and an annual series of poetry readings and special events. Since its founding, the Academy has awarded more money to poets than any other organization. browse poems & poets Metaphysical Poet Due to the inconsistencies and ambiguities within his work and the scarcity of information about his personal life, Andrew Marvell has been a source of fascination for scholars and readers since his work found recognition in the early decades of the twentieth century. Born on March 31, 1621, Marvell grew up in the Yorkshire town of Hull, England, where his father, Rev. Andrew Marvell, was a lecturer at Holy Trinity Church and master of the Charterhouse. At age twelve Marvell began his studies at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Four years later, two of Marvell's poems, one in Latin and one in Greek, were published in an anthology of Cambridge poets. After receiving his bachelor's degree in 1639, Marvell stayed on at Trinity, apparently to complete a master's degree. In 1641, however, his father drowned in the Hull estuary and Marvell abandoned his studies. During the 1640's Marvell traveled extensively on the continent, adding Dutch, French, Spanish, and Italian to his Latin and Greek—missing the English civil wars entirely. Marvell spent most of the 1650s working as a tutor, first for Mary Fairfax, daughter of a retired Cromwellian general, then for one of Oliver Cromwell's wards. Scholars believe that Marvell's greatest lyrics were written during this time. In 1657, due to John Milton ’s efforts on his behalf, Marvell was appointed Milton's Latin secretary, a post Marvell held until his election to Parliament in 1660. A well-known politician, Marvell held office in Cromwell's government and represented Hull to Parliament during the Restoration.

His very public position—in a time of tremendous political turmoil and upheaval—almost certainly led Marvell away from publication. No faction escaped Marvell's satirical eye; he criticized and lampooned both the court and Parliament. Indeed, had they been published during his lifetime, many of Marvell's more famous poems—in particular, "Tom May's Death," an attack on the famous Cromwellian—would have made him rather unpopular with royalists and republicans alike. Marvell used his political status to free Milton, who was jailed during the Restoration, and quite possibly saved the elder poet's life. In the early years of his tenure, Marvell made two extraordinary diplomatic journeys: to Holland (1662-1663) and to Russia, Sweden, and Denmark (1663-1665). In 1678, after 18 years in Parliament, Marvell died rather suddenly of a fever. Gossip of the time suggested that the Jesuits (a target of Marvell's satire) had poisoned him. After his death he was remembered as a fierce and loyal patriot.

Now considered one of the greatest poets of the seventeenth century, Marvell published very little of his scathing political satire and complex lyric verse in his lifetime. Although he published a handful of poems in anthologies, a collection of his work did not appear until 1681, three years after his death, when his nephew compiled and found a publisher for Miscellaneous Poems. The circumstances surrounding the publication of the volume aroused some suspicion: a person named "Mary Marvell," who claimed to be Marvell's wife, wrote the preface to the book. "Mary Marvell" was, in fact, Mary Palmer—Marvell's housekeeper—who posed as Marvell's wife, apparently, in order to keep Marvell's small estate from the creditors of his business partners. Her ruse, of course, merely contributes to the mystery that surrounds the life of this great poet. Marvell died on August 16, 1678. by this poet Andrew Marvell | English poet | Britannica.com Andrew Marvell Lord Byron Andrew Marvell, (born March 31, 1621, Winestead, Yorkshire , Eng.—died Aug.

18, 1678, London ), English poet whose political reputation overshadowed that of his poetry until the 20th century. He is now considered to be one of the best Metaphysical poets . Marvell was educated at Hull grammar school and Trinity College , Cambridge, taking a B.A. in 1639. His father’s death in 1641 may have ended Marvell’s promising academic career. He was abroad for at least five years (1642–46), presumably as a tutor. In 1651–52 he was tutor to Mary, daughter of Lord Fairfax, the Parliamentary general, at Nun Appleton, Yorkshire, during which time he probably wrote his notable poems “Upon Appleton House” and “The Garden” as well as his series of Mower poems. Although earlier opposed to Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth government, he wrote “An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell’s Return from Ireland” (1650), and from 1653 to 1657 he was a tutor to Cromwell’s ward William Dutton. In 1657 he became assistant to John Milton as Latin secretary in the foreign office.

“The First Anniversary” (1655) and “On the Death of O.C.” (1659) showed his continued and growing admiration for Cromwell. In 1659 he was elected member of Parliament for Hull, an office he held until his death, serving skillfully and effectively. After the restoration of Charles II in 1660, Marvell turned to political verse satires—the most notable was Last Instructions to a Painter, against Lord Clarendon, Charles’s lord chancellor—and prose political satire , notably The Rehearsal Transpros’d (1672–73). Marvell is also said to have interceded on behalf of Milton to have him freed from prison in 1660. He wrote a commendatory poem for the second edition of Milton’s Paradise Lost. His political writings favoured the toleration of religious dissent and attacked the abuse of monarchical power. At Marvell’s death, his housekeeper-servant Mary Palmer claimed to be his widow, although this was undoubtedly a legal fiction. The first publication of his poems in 1681 resulted from a manuscript volume she found among his effects.

While Marvell’s political reputation has faded and his reputation as a satirist is on a par with others of his time, his small body of lyric poems, first recommended in the 19th century by Charles Lamb , has since appealed to many readers, and in the 20th century he came to be considered one of the most notable poets of his century. Marvell was eclectic: his “ To His Coy Mistress ” is a classic of Metaphysical poetry; the Cromwell odes are the work of a classicist; his attitudes are sometimes those of the elegant Cavalier poets; and his nature poems resemble those of the Puritan Platonists. In “To His Coy Mistress,” which is one of the most famous poems in the English language , the impatient poet urges his mistress to abandon her false modesty and submit to his embraces before time and death rob them of the opportunity to love: Had we but world enough, and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime. . . . But at my back I always hear Time’s wingéd chariot hurrying near; And yonder all before us lie Deserts of vast eternity . . .

Andrew Marvell – To His Coy Mistress | Genius About “To His Coy Mistress” Metaphysical poetry Andrew Marvell’s poem To his Coy Mistress is an important example of a Metaphysical poem, a classification encompassing distinctive characteristics. The poems are highly intellectualized, use inventive and sometimes bizarre imagery, frequent paradox and complex reasoning. The similes and metaphors are often outlandish, incorporating references to scientific discoveries and exploration in the New World. Despite living in a time when the Puritan Movement was gathering strength, many Metaphysical poems deal with seduction and descriptions of sexual relationships. However, Metaphysical poetry is not regarded as a genre. The poets of this group didn’t read each other’s work and weren’t aware that they were part of a classification; it didn’t yet exist. Literary critic and poet Samuel Johnson first invented the term ‘Metaphysical poetry’ in his book Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets (1779-1781). Johnson identified a group of 17th-century British poets that included John Donne, George Herbert, Richard Crashaw, Andrew Marvell and Henry Vaughan. He noted how the poets shared many common characteristics, especially wit and elaborate style.

What Does Metaphysical Mean? The word ‘meta’ means ‘after,’ so the translation of ‘metaphysical’ is ‘after the physical.’ Metaphysics deals with questions that can’t be explained by science, and explores the nature of reality in a philosophical way. Common metaphysical questions include the following: •Does God exist? • What is the difference between reality and perception? •Is everything that happens already predetermined? If so, then is free choice non-existent? •Is consciousness limited to the brain? Of course, there is no one correct answer; Metaphysics is about exploration and philosophy, not about science and mathematics. Characteristics One common characteristic is that Metaphysical poetry is clever and witty. The poets examined serious questions with humour. Metaphysical poetry also sought to shock and challenge the reader; to question the unquestionable. The poetry often mixed ordinary speech with intellectual paradoxes and puns. The results were strange, comparing unlikely things, such as lovers to a compass or the soul to a drop of dew. These bizarre comparisons were called ‘conceits’. Metaphysical poetry also explored a few common themes — religion; the theme of carpe diem (seize the day) and the nature of humanity and emotions.

To his Coy Mistress The poem deals with several themes; of time, the fragility of life, and the constant looming of death. The overriding message is carpe diem or ‘seize the day’. The poet wants to make love to his ‘mistress’ because death could take one or both of them without warning. Structure The poem comprises three stanzas of unequal length, in the form of rhyming couplets . The metrical rhythm is iambic tetrameters , that is, four metrical feet per line. This gives the poem a smooth, elegant flow. Language and imagery The voice is that of the poet, a first person narrator, trying to persuade his girlfriend to have sex with him, using a range of arguments. As the detailed analysis will show, he employs imaginative and inventive imagery. For example, there is the famous metaphor ‘my vegetable love’ in line 11 of the first stanza. There is humour, wit and variety. Fanciful ideas, like ‘time’s winged chariot’ are juxtaposed with concrete references to worms and the pores of his mistress’s skin. Themes This is a seduction poem, urging his girlfriend to agree to sex. The closeness of death.

*Carpe Diem** – literally ‘seize the day’. This is a quote from Roman poet, Quintus Horatius Flaccus, known as Horace; “carpe diem quam minium credo la postero” meaning enjoy the present and trust as little as possible to the future. NB For comparison see John Donne’s The Flea , another seduction poem by a near contemporary poet. For additional analysis see Hidden This page is accessible to Verified artists on the song Locked This song has been locked and is considered "done." You need 600 IQ to add annotations to locked songs. "To His Coy Mistress" Track Info The Metaphysical Poets: John Donne and Andrew Marvell. - GCSE English - Marked by Teachers.com The Metaphysical Poets: John Donne and Andrew Marvell. Extracts from this document... Introduction The Metaphysical Poets: John Donne and Andrew Marvell All three poems are about love, passion and romance; they are by two metaphysical poets, Andrew Marvell and John Donne. Both these poets wrote their poems to try and successfully seduce a woman. All three poems have different styles and techniques that the poets think will appeal to the woman of their lust and desire.

The poems that I have chosen to compare are, 'To His Coy Mistress' by Andrew Marvell and 'The Good-Morrow' by John Donne. The first poem I will study will be Andrew Marvell's 'To his Coy Mistress'. Andrew Marvell's poem 'To His Coy Mistress', uses flattery throughout the first stanza, for example he begins by trying to gently ease his beautiful lady 'out of her shell', for she is young, timid and shy. Shyness is shown in the title of the poem 'To his 'Coy' Mistress', coy meaning shy, and she is also still a virgin so Marvell uses a 'softly softly' approach trying to cajole his fair dame. He knows if he opens softly and slowly he can build up to the climax of his flattery as he slowly does throughout the poem. In lines 5,6 and 7 Marvell talks about two rivers, "Thou by the Indian Ganges' side Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide Of Humber would complain..." He is talking about the Humber and then the Ganges, the Humber being dull and plain and the Ganges being holy and exotic.

Marvell compares the woman of his desire to the rivers saying that she can only be compared to the Ganges because of her exotic beauty. He compares her uniqueness to that of the Ganges. In line 8 Marvell says, "I would love you ten years before the flood", what I think he means by this is that he knew he loved her before he met her. The flood is a metaphor for the period of time when she was to come into his life. ...read more. Middle The central image in 'The Good-Morrow' and the one that gives the poem its title, is, as I have mentioned above, that of the two young lovers waking up into a new world of love. It is a brave image, and there is much that is brave and exciting about this poem. Notably, the courage with which Donne seeks to acknowledge the past and the future, as well as the present reality of their love, and the ambition which leads him to include so wide a range of feeling and mood in the short space of twenty-one lines.

How far the courage and the ambition are eventually justified by the success of the poem as a poem, that is, a piece of art and moving account of human trials and tribulations, is, however an open question. The first few lines of 'The Good-Morrow' are often cited, quite justly, to illustrate the remarkable directness of Donne's poetic voice, "I wonder by my troth, what thou, and I Did till we lov'd? Were we not wean'd till then? But suck'd on countrey pleasures, childishly? Or snorted we in the seaven sleepers den? T'was so;" John Donne has two related tasks here: firstly, to recognise the fact that both he and his lover have loved before, "what thou and I did..." and secondly, to insist that what they are now discovering together is at last the real world of love, and not merely another realm of 'fancies'. It would be dishonest to ignore the past; indecent to dwell on it unduly.

Donne accepts it, as he must, but without alarm, and deprives it of any power to harm them by converting it into a series of comic affairs marked by hopeful enthusiasm and graceless incompetence in about equal measure. The vocabulary is at once affectionate and dismissive: "not wean'd", "suck'd", "childishly", "snorted". The bungled "countrey pleasures" of the past, which might have become a barrier between them, provide instead an opportunity for them to express their love in shared laughter. ...read more. Conclusion He is saying that when you are dead you are in your grave, quite a private and fine place, for a dead person anyway, but no one can make love there, so they must do it, if they are going to, while still alive. The third technique that he uses in the final stanza is imagery. He tries to get the lady to picture herself in the embrace. He tries to use passionate images that could 'get her going', as it were.

The best example I can pick out from the final stanza is in lines 41 and 42, this is the strongest image, and it says, "Let us roll all our strength and all Our sweetness up into one ball..." It is an image of the two of them making love with all their strengths and sweetness connected. This image may make the lady feel she would want to try it now that she can see it in her head. Donne doesn't seem to have the confidence that Marvell does. Through the middle section of his poem 'The Good-Morrow', it appears that he has the confidence but the doubt creeps into his mind when he looks forward to the future, and all his built up confidence is lost. I also thought that Donne's poem was difficult to comprehend as a poem to 'woo' a lady. It was a poem more directly linked to the trials and tribulations of love itself rather than the initial attracting of a mate. I also found Andrew Marvell's poem 'To His Coy Mistress' the easiest to understand in the sense of a love poem, so maybe that would make it easier for the receiving lady to understand it also.

It uses the most clich�s and innuendo, and has some of the best 'wooing' techniques of the two poems that I have studied. So in conclusion Marvell's poem, 'To His Coy Mistress', is the best love poem from the two metaphysical poets, John Donne and Andrew Marvell. Alex Fox 11.3 26th June 2002 English Coursework ...read more. The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Andrew Marvell section. Found what you're looking for? Start learning 29% faster today 150,000+ documents available To His Coy Mistress - Poems | Academy of American Poets Academy of American Poets The Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting American poets. For over three generations, the Academy has connected millions of people to great poetry through programs such as National Poetry Month, the largest literary celebration in the world; Poets.org, the Academy’s popular website; American Poets, a biannual literary journal; and an annual series of poetry readings and special events.

Since its founding, the Academy has awarded more money to poets than any other organization. browse poems & poets sign up to receive a new poem-a-day in your inbox sign up poem About this Poem Often dismissed for his lewdness, Marvell didn't become very popular until T. S. Eliot wrote an essay praising him for his abililty to shift between high seriousness and humor. This particular poem was first published after Marvell's death, by his housekeeper. Andrew Marvell , 1621 - 1678 Had we but world enough, and time, This coyness, Lady, were no crime. We would sit down and think which way To walk and pass our long love's day. Thou by the Indian Ganges' side Shouldst rubies find: I by the tide Of Humber would complain. I would Love you ten years before the Flood, And you should, if you please, refuse Till the conversion of the Jews.

My vegetable love should grow Vaster than empires, and more slow; An hundred years should go to praise Thine eyes and on thy forehead gaze; Two hundred to adore each breast; But thirty thousand to the rest; An age at least to every part, And the last age should show your heart; For, Lady, you deserve this state, Nor would I love at lower rate. But at my back I always hear Time's wingèd chariot hurrying near; And yonder all before us lie Deserts of vast eternity. Thy beauty shall no more be found, Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound My echoing song: then worms shall try That long preserved virginity, And your quaint honour turn to dust, And into ashes all my lust: The grave's a fine and private place, But none, I think, do there embrace. Now therefore, while the youthful hue Sits on thy skin like morning dew, And while thy willing soul transpires At every pore with instant fires, Now let us sport us while we may, And now, like amorous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour Than languish in his slow-chapt power.

Let us roll all our strength and all Our sweetness up into one ball, And tear our pleasures with rough strife Thorough the iron gates of life: Thus, though we cannot make our sun Stand still, yet we will make him run. This poem is in the public domain. This poem is in the public domain. Andrew Marvell A well-known politician, English poet and satirist Andrew Marvell held office in Oliver Cromwell's government and represented Hull to Parliament during the Restoration. To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell | Poetry Foundation To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell Had we but world enough and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime. We would sit down, and think which way To walk, and pass our long love’s day. Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide Of Humber would complain. I would Love you ten years before the flood, And you should, if you please, refuse Till the conversion of the Jews.

My vegetable love should grow Vaster than empires and more slow; An hundred years should go to praise Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze; Two hundred to adore each breast, But thirty thousand to the rest; An age at least to every part, And the last age should show your heart. For, lady, you deserve this state, Nor would I love at lower rate. But at my back I always hear Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near; And yonder all before us lie Deserts of vast eternity. Thy beauty shall no more be found; Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound My echoing song; then worms shall try That long-preserved virginity, And your quaint honour turn to dust, And into ashes all my lust; The grave’s a fine and private place, But none, I think, do there embrace. Now therefore, while the youthful hue Sits on thy skin like morning dew, And while thy willing soul transpires At every pore with instant fires, Now let us sport us while we may, And now, like amorous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour Than languish in his slow-chapped power.

Let us roll all our strength and all Our sweetness up into one ball, And tear our pleasures with rough strife Through the iron gates of life: Thus, though we cannot make our sun Stand still, yet we will make him run. "World enough, and time"—Andrew Marvell's Coy Mistress | EDSITEment "World enough, and time"—Andrew Marvell's Coy Mistress Tools Introduction Andrew Marvell (1621–1678), one of 17th-Century Britain's most illustrious poets. "Had we but world enough, and time"—with these words, Andrew Marvell begins his impassioned proposal to his "Coy Mistress" to "sport us while we may." In his seductive verse, Marvell draws on a theme made popular by the Roman poet Horace, carpe diem, or "seize the day," a phrase students may remember from the popular film Dead Poets Society. Using the language of courtly love, the poem's speaker warns his lady of time's fleeting nature and the imminence of death, urging her to make the most of their time on earth by consummating their relationship.

In this lesson, students will focus on how Marvell's use of tone and imagery serves to promote his theme of fleeting time. Guiding Questions How does Marvell use tone and imagery both to woo and warn his lady? How do tone and imagery work to emphasize Marvell's concern with time and death? Learning Objectives In the process of studying this poem, the student will be able to Recognize the poem's examination of the conflict between youth and age, instant gratification and delay, life and death, mortal time and eternity Understand Marvell's use of tone and imagery Name and describe the form of Marvell's poem Gain a broad understanding of Marvell's place in the literary canon Preparation Instructions Review the lesson plan. Locate and bookmark suggested materials and other useful websites. Download and print out documents you will use and duplicate copies as necessary for student viewing. This lesson plan involves students reading Marvell's poem "To His Coy Mistress" at home, with an accompanying guiding Annotation Worksheet . This at-home exercise will prepare students for class discussion the next day.

Ideally, the teacher will introduce the background material during the first day of class (using either a full or partial day), allow students to read the poem carefully that night using the accompanying guiding materials, and then hold classroom discussion on the second day. Teachers, however, should adjust the lesson plan as necessary to best fit their schedule. In preparing to teach this lesson, the instructor may benefit from exploring several of EDSITEment's reviewed websites, which offer biographical and contextual information, online versions of the poem, and clear definitions of literary devices in terms understandable by students. First a tutor, and then a politician, Marvell wrote many lyrics and political satires throughout his lifetime; most, however, remained unpublished until 1681, three years after his death. Today, of Marvell's lyrics, "To His Coy Mistress" ranks among his best known. Biographical information on Marvell is available via: The Norton Literary Glossary , available via the EDSITEment-reviewed Academy of American Poets , provides more information on these terms, if needed. Activity 4.

Tone and Imagery As students come back from their individual or group reading, begin this activity by reading the entire poem aloud again (or ask students to read a stanza aloud). Remind students that a poem should be read several times in preparation for class discussion. Ask them their impressions of the poem based on their reading. They might provide annotations or pose questions that naturally lead into the discussion of tone, imagery, and theme, but if not, you can use the following questions to help students work through these issues in the poem. Tone: In lines 1-7, how would you characterize the speaker's tone? For example, is he casual, relaxed, whimsical, worried, hurried? In the second stanza of the poem (lines 21-24), what seems to be the speaker's tone? Anxious? Fearful? Humorous? Realistic? How does the tone in these lines compare to the tone at the poem's beginning? How might the tone in lines 21-24 affect the listening lady? What is the speaker's tone in the final couplet of the second stanza (lines 31-32)? Blackly humorous? Morbid?

What tone does the speaker adopt as he draws his argument to a close (lines 41-46)? If you were the listener, how might you be affected by the tone? Imagery: Marvell mixes positive and negative imagery throughout the poem. For a quick visual activity that explains this concept, have students use two different colored highlighters (either digital, in a word processor, or regular ink) and ask them to highlight each image, using one color for positively-worded images, and the other color for negatively-worded images. The first stanza is predominately positive; the second, negative. In the final stanza, the positive and negative imagery literally intertwines (which is rather suggestive in itself). Ask students to consider the following questions: What does Marvell mean by "vegetable love should grow / Vaster than empires" (lines 11-12)? To what empire does he refer to earlier in the poem? The Representative Poetry Online version of the poem footnotes Marvell's earlier references to the British Humber River and the Ganges in India. What is the imagery Marvell uses in lines 21-24?

How do lines 21-22 work to snap the speaker and his lady out of their reverie of having all of the time in the world? Students might first consider the images of "Time's winged chariot" which recalls Apollo, the sun God, and his fiery chariot. The word "winged" suggests speed—the idea that time is running out. The image of the sun itself emphasizes the passage of time, the cycle of the journey from dawn to dusk. Ask students to consider why Marvell might have the winged chariot be at the speaker's back? Might he be trying to suggest that time (death) is inescapable and that time (death) is something that both haunts and hunts us? What does the word "deserts" connote? Death? Infertility? Lines 25-30: How are the images "worms," "dust," "ashes," and "lust" persuasive warnings to the lady about the transforming power of time and eternity?

Lines 33-37: Consider particularly the images: "youthful glue," "morning dew," "willing soul," and "instant fires." How do these images compare to the previous ones in lines 25-30? Lines 38-40: What is a bird of prey? Give an example. What are birds of prey known for? Why might the speaker compare himself and his lady to birds of prey? Activity 5. Forming a Theme Ask students to consider the various interpretations of the poem's theme. While students should note the broader themes of time and death, the poet's obvious aim is that of seduction. Remind students about the form of the poem and ask them to reconstruct the overall argument of the syllogism (which they learned about in the first activity). They should move from stanza to stanza, with particular attention to the final stanza of the poem. As students examine each stanza's building argument, they might note that the syllogism is a bit more complex than the examples provided earlier. Marvell, however, still follows the basic structure.

Students might offer an answer akin to the following: Stanza 1: If we had all the time in the world, we could spend years exploring and developing our love. Stanza 2: We are mortal, and time will consume us and our passion. Stanza 3: Therefore, let us embrace immediately with the passion of infinite time even though we are constrained by mortality. Once they have reconstructed Marvell's argument, they should be able to see how he carefully uses line, rhyme, and stanza to order the poem in a logical framework, while simultaneously offering a passionate appeal to his mistress to consummate their relationship. Assessment Ask students to choose a single metaphor or image and argue why that metaphor or image is appropriate to the stanza, based on their understanding of how each stanza builds Marvell's overall argument. Extending The Lesson Use the EDSITEment-reviewed to continue your exploration of other 17th-century poets, in both the metaphysical and cavalier schools. The EDSITEment-reviewed Academy of American Poets has a description of the metaphysical school of poetry with links to other metaphysical poets.

Likewise, the Luminarium website , via EDSITEment-reviewed Labyrinth, has a wonderful introduction to the metaphysical poets with links to further reading and other 17th- century poets, such as the Cavalier poets , who were contemporaries of the metaphysical poets. Selected EDSITEment Websites Discuss Marvell's poem "To His Coy Mistress" as an example of metaphysical poetry. | eNotes Discuss Marvell's poem "To His Coy Mistress" as an example of metaphysical poetry. vangoghfan | College Teacher | (Level 2) Educator Emeritus Posted on August 12, 2011 at 8:07 AM The term “metaphysical poetry” is not a term ever used by Andrew Marvell to discuss his own poems. In fact, none of the poets often called “metaphysical poets” ever classified themselves as such. That term was invented by later commentators to describe (often disparagingly) the style of such authors as Marvell and John Donne.

Two brief, reliable treatments of “metaphysical” poetry appear in The Cambridge Companion to Literature in English, edited by Ian Ousby (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991) and in an essay by John D. Jump in Webster’s New World Companion to English and American Literature, edited by Arthur Pollard (New York: Popular Library, 1976). Here are some traits listed these books as typical of metaphysical poetry, followed by discussion of the appearance of those traits in “To His Coy Mistress.” “strenuous argument” (Jump 457): Such argument appears throughout the poem as the obsessive male lover tries to convince a reluctant woman to have sex with him. Argumentation is especially apparent in such lines as the following: Now let us sport us while we may, And now, like amorous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour Than languish in his slow-chapped power.

(37-40) “a dramatic and colloquial mode of utterance” (Jump 457): This poem is dramatic not only in the literal sense (since the speaker addresses another person) but also in the figurative sense, since his phrasing is sometimes startling (as in lines 27-28). “urgent feeling” (Jump 457): Again, the entire poem displays this trait, but it is especially apparent in lines 21-32. “agile thought” (Jump 457): This trait is particularly obvious in the first stanza of the poem, in which the speaker quickly and easily shifts from one kind of imagined behavior to another. “pun[s]” (Jump 457): The most famous example of a pun in this poem is the play on the word “quaint” in line 29, where the word can mean “old-fashioned” but can also refer to female genitalia. “paradox[es]” (Jump 457): One example of a paradox is the speaker’s claim that he would love his lady “ten years before the Flood” (8) – obviously a temporal impossibility.

imagery drawn from “widely varied fields of knowledge” (Jump 457): in the course of the poem, the speaker refers to India, England, very early history, the end of history, classical myth, Biblical teachings, the behavior of animals, human sexuality, and various other “fields of knowledge.” “serious wit” (Jump 457): The entire poem is witty in the sense that it displays the speaker’s cleverness, inventiveness, and skills at improvisation. metaphysical “conceit[s]” (Jump 457): No conceit (or extended metaphorical comparison) appears in this poem in the way that one appears, for instance, in lines 25-36 of John Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning.” Nevertheless,Marvell’s ability to play at length with a single idea appears in lines 1-10 of his poem. “unification of thought and feeling” (Ousby 615): The entire poem exhibits this trait, since the entire poem uses reason to promote passion.

“violation of decorum” (Ousby 615): It would be hard to think of a more blatant breach of expected, acceptable phrasing than lines 25-30. like 1 dislike 0 Andrew Marvell: Poems Study Guide | GradeSaver Andrew Marvell: Poems Study Guide Buy Study Guide Most of Andrew Marvell ’s poetry was not published during his lifetime, due to political controversy and the popular tradition of manuscript circulation. Poets in 17th century England often refused to print and publish their work as sign of social exclusivity, or to avoid unfounded rumors and steer clear of legal persecution. In Marvell's case, the lack of official publication has made it difficult for scholars and historians to ascertain the authorship of some of his poems. The first Folio edition of Andrew Marvell’s poetry was not published until 1681, three years after his death. It was based on a collection of papers held by his wife, Mary, but Marvell himself never officially approved their publication. Nearly 100 years later, a more thorough collection of Marvell's poetry and prose was published.

Its content came from manuscripts belonging to the descendants of William Popple, Marvell's nephew and close friend. The Popple manuscript and Mary Marvell's collection are the major sources for all subsequent printed anthologies of Marvell’s work. Marvell is often associated with the 17th century school of English metaphysical poets, which also includes John Donne, George Herbert, Henry Vaughan, Robert Southwell and Richard Crashaw, among others. Scholars and historians define these writers' style by their elaborate and often outlandish metaphorical constructs, or “conceits,” such as Marvell’s extended poetic comparison of the human soul to a drop of dew. In some cases, conservative critics have accused the metaphysical poets of bad taste, impropriety, and sacrilege for using images of bodily desire, physical pleasure, and sensuality to convey theological or sacred themes. Marvell was also known as a charged political writer, and many of his poems – such as "An Horatian Ode Upon Cromwell’s Return to England" – illustrate his strong belief in Republican government and principles that opposed absolute monarchy. Marvell’s poetry was not fully appreciated until the 20th century, when T.S.

Eliot renewed critical interest in his work. Eliot published essays about the metaphysical poets, Marvell in particular, arguing for a renewed appreciation of their highly intellectual style. Eliot praised Marvell's elaborate poetic techniques, which he believed earlier generations of critics had wrongfully dismissed.

Question: ‘To His Coy Mistress’ is the most famous work of which of the metaphysical poets?
Answer: ANDREW MARVELL