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To His Coy Mistress poem
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- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
To His Coy Mistress poem ENG1501
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The po em i s an el abo r ate act She do es n' t w ant to s l eep w i th hi m, thusto per s uade a w o man to s l eep the po et des cri bes her as “co y ”: hes i tant,
w i th a man. She do es no t wi s h mo des t.
to do s o , and the s peaker has
To His Coy Mistress
to per s uade her.
Andrew Marvell (1621-1678)
“w ” alliteration
Had we but world enough, and time,
Li nes 1-20: Hi s wi s h fo r “c” alliteration
thei r rel ati o ns hi p to be a This coyness, Lady, were no crime.
certai n w ay (“w o ul d”).
We would sit down, and think which way
Us es emo ti ve l anguage o f “l” alliteration “o” assonance Enjambmentt
fl atter y i n the 1 s t s ecti o n to To walk, and pass our long love's day.
per s uade her to s l eep wi th Major river in India
hi m & al s o s tro ng arguments
& i rr es i s tabl e l o gi c to Thou by the Indian Ganges' side 5
In folklore, it is said that rubies protect & maintain verginity
co nvi nce her o f the fo l l y o f
po s tpo ni ng thei r phys i cal Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide
pl eas ur e. River in the North of England
Of Humber would complain. I would Hyperbo l e: He wo ul d l o ve her
Hyperbole Allusion ten
her year s befobefo
ten years re grr eat fl o o d
e great
Love you ten years before the Flood; (G
fl o en. 5:8-10;32)
o d (Gen. & wo
5: 28-10; 32) ul d& s ti l l
lwooveul dhers tiunti
l l l olve
al lher
Jews
untibecame
l
Image: Vegetabl es (l i ke l o ve)
And you should, if you please, refuse C
alhri s ti ans
l Jews at the Cend
became hri sotif ans
the
ar e no ur i s hi ng.
w
atothe
rl d. end o f the w o rl d.
B o th hi s l o ve & the vegetabl e Allusion
wo ul d gro w s l o wl y and s pr ead Till the conversion of the Jews. 10
o ver centur i es unti l they
Metapho r: co mpares l o ve to a
beco me eno r mo us and co ver (My vegetable love should grow) vegetati ve gr o wth, whi ch i s
huge ar eas .
s l o w and unco ns ci o us .
Vaster than empires, and more slow.
Hyperbole
An hundred years should go to praise
Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze;
Hyperbole
Two hundred to adore each breast, 15
Hyperbole “t” alliteration
But thirty thousand to the rest.
Hyperbole
An age at least to every part,
“s” alliteration
And the last age should show your heart.
Lofty position; dignity
For, Lady, you deserve this state,
C o ntr as ti ng po i nt o f vi ew –
Pun: heartrate or price
di fferent po i nt o f vi ew.
Nor would I love at lower rate. 20
Logical marker
Metapho r : enhances “ti me
(But at my back I always hear fl i es ” & s ets the dar ker to ne o f
Theme o f ti me: the s peaker Death Enjambmentt the 2 n d s ecti o n o f the po em
deal s w i th huge tr acks o f Time's winged chariot hurrying near;)
ti me – centur i es , ages , C o nno tati o ns o f s peed and
epo chs . And yonder all before us lie rus h + “ti me” & “hurr yi ng” =
Afterlife i mage o f r api d mo vement.
Deserts of vast eternity.
Us es equal l y emo ti ve
ho r ro r s o f death & decay
Thy beauty shall no more be found; 25
Her tomb/grave
i n the 2 n d s ecti o n & al s o Li nes 27-29: Wo rms w i l l take
s tro ng arguments & Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound
her o f her vi r gi ni ty when s he i s
i rr es i s tabl e l o gi c to Only living thing
dead, then s he wi l l deco mpo s e
co nvi nce her o f the fo l l y o f My echoing song; then worms shall try (“turn to dus t”)
po s tpo ni ng thei r phys i cal
pl eas ure.
, Li nes 21-32: W hy thi s That long preserved virginity:
canno t be the cas e (“ but” &
Old-fashioned respect
Ti me i s rus hi ng by).
And your quaint honour turn to dust,
Sees her ver gi ni ty as endeari ng.
2 n d s ecti o n evo kes an i mage
that i s bare, l i fel es s & bar ren. And into ashes all my lust: 30
She w o ul d no t be di s tur bed & Parado x : The po et, s tarts by s ayi ng
The grave's a fine and private place, they have al l the ti me i n the w o rl d
there wo ul d be no l o ve-
maki ng (“embr ace”) there.
Logical marker humurous & ends i n the fact that they do n' t.
But none, I think, do there embrace.
No “embraci ng” i n thi s ar ea (death).
Logical marker
C o ncl udi ng appeal . Now, therefore, while the youthful hue A s tr o ng l i ne o f ar gument has l ed
Simile
Glow to thi s po i nt.
Sits on thy skin like morning glew*,
Erupts, breaks out The wo man s ecretl y real l y w ants to
And while thy willing soul transpires 35
s l eep wi th hi m: s he has a “w i l l i ng
s o ul ” - r epres enti ng her r eal
Si mi l e (l i ne 38): Reveal s des r i res - w hi ch has “i ns tant fi r es ”
the s peaker' s des perati o n
At every pore with instant fires, o f l us t.
and r i s i ng pas s i o n, o r
Now let us sport us while we may; Metapho r : l o vers s o ul (des i res )
barel y co ntai ned l us t.
Sexual desire Lustful sport br eathers thro ugh her bo dy w i th
He i s tryi ng to i ntro duce a
heat (“i ns tant fi res ”).
bo l d, aggr es s i ve i mage And now, like amorous birds of prey,
i nto the mi s s tr es s ' s mi nd
i n o r der to s ti r her Rather at once our time devour,
pas s i o ns .
Personification
Than languish in his slow-chapped* power. 40
Parado x (l i nes 39-40): The
Let us roll all our strength, and all s peaker wants to get r i d o f
ti me, but needs ti me i n o rder
Our sweetness, up into one ball: to enj o y l i fe (to have s ex )
Li nes 33-46: He as ks
(tri es to pers uade) hi s Violent sexual intercourse
bel o ved to s l eep w i th hi m. And tear our pleasures with rough strife
Through
Metapho r: The r es tr i cti o ns &
ex pectati o ns fro m s o ci ety to
Thorough* the iron gates of life: be a cer tai n way.
Logical marker Metaphor for time
Metapho r : They canno t s to p
Thus, though we cannot make our sun the pas s i ng o f the ti me.
Al l i terati o n
Stand still, yet we will make him run. 46
Per s o ni fi cati o n: Image o f the
s un wear i ng runni ng s ho es and
*glew - glow runni ng aw ay fr o m te s peaker.
*slow-chapped - slow
*thorough – through
Allusion: Reference to a statement, person, place, event or thing that is known from literature, history,
religion, mythology, ploitics, sports, science, or popular culture.
Hyperbole: An outrageous exaggeration used for effect.
Paradox: a contradiction in terms; words with an implication that is opposite to their meaning.
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