"To His Coy Mistress" is a poem written by the English metaphysical poet Andrew Marvell in the 17th century. The poem is a seduction poem, in which the speaker attempts to persuade his mistress to succumb to his advances and engage in a sexual relationship.
Throughout the poem, the speaker employs a number of rhetorical devices and persuasive techniques in an attempt to win over his mistress. One of the most prominent of these is the use of flattery, as the speaker lavishes praise on his mistress, praising her beauty and charm. He also makes use of hyperbole, exaggerating the length of time he would be willing to wait for her, if only she would agree to be his.
At the same time, however, the speaker also employs a number of logical arguments in an attempt to convince his mistress. He argues that the fleeting nature of life means that they should seize the opportunity to enjoy each other while they can, and that they are "wasting" their youth by not indulging in a physical relationship. He also points out that the societal norms of the time dictate that they should be married and having children, and that by rejecting his advances, his mistress is rejecting the expectations placed upon her by society.
Despite the speaker's persuasive efforts, however, it is ultimately unclear whether or not his mistress succumbs to his advances. The poem ends with the speaker urging his mistress to "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."
In conclusion, "To His Coy Mistress" is a powerful and skillfully crafted seduction poem, in which the speaker employs a variety of rhetorical and logical techniques in an attempt to win over his mistress. While the ultimate outcome of the poem is left ambiguous, the speaker's persuasive efforts serve as a testament to the enduring power of love and desire.
To His Coy Mistress Poem Summary and Analysis
Metaphysical poetry also explored a few common themes — religion; the theme of carpe diem seize the day and the nature of humanity and emotions. If they had enough time, his beloved would sit beside the river Ganga in India and collect some valuable stones like rubies. They reject the idea that Marvell's poem carries a serious and solemn mood. The narrator uses this instance of hyperbole to suggest to his beloved that, as mortal human beings, we do not have all the time in the world before we grow old and die. Structure The poem comprises three stanzas of unequal length, in the form of Language and imagery The voice is that of a speaker who may or may not be the poet. See eNotes Ad-Free Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. The third and final section of the poem shifts into an all-out plea and display of poetic prowess in which the speaker attempts to win over the Lady.
To His Coy Mistress: Meter
In the second part of the poem, there is a sudden transition into imagery that involves graves, marble vaults and worms. To His Coy Mistress has the structure of a neat syllogism with witty treatment of time and with hyperboles and conceits typical of metaphysical poetry. The results were strange, comparing unlikely things, such as lovers to a compass or the soul to a drop of dew. His point is that, if he had an eternity to court his mistress, he would have started way back in Old Testament times, and his love would have endured even the great Flood. The last date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. Thus, the possibility that the beloved feels less—or even no—desire for the speaker may also account for her restraint.
To His Coy Mistress Summary
In listing these parts, he imagines his own arousal growing to massive proportions. Metaphor A metaphor is an indirect or implied comparison between two things where there is a point of similarity. . 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 am'rous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour Than languish in his slow-chapp'd power. In his celebrated love lyric, To his Coy Mistress, for instance, the basic trait of precision in metaphysical poetry remarkably comes out. The second is the date of publication online or last modification online. The poem illustrates his precision in the description of natural scenery.
