Andrew Marvell is known as a Metaphysical poet. A metaphysical poem incorporates strange images, paradoxes, or conceits within a logical or philosophical argument.
One poem which is clearly metaphysical is “To His Coy Mistress.” In it, the speaker attempts to convince his love that they should have sex now while they are still young. He attempts a logical argument to convince her to make the most of their time before they get old and die. He states that if they had all the time in the world, he could spend hundreds of years adoring each part of her. However, he argues, “Time’s winged chariot” is always threatening—they will grow old and die and will spend eternity in a “marble vault.” Therefore, he implores, they must seize the day before “worms shall try/ That long-preserved virginity.” He concludes that although a grave is a private place, it’s not the ideal place for love, so they should now be “amorous birds of prey” and “devour” time.
The speaker attempts to reason with his love that to stay a virgin is a waste of life. However, the images presented are bizarre for a so-called love poem. Thus, Marvell utilizes metaphysical elements to get across his message to make the most of time—carpe diem.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
How does Andrew Marvel bring out the elements of metaphysical poetry in "To His Coy Mistress"?
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