Meaning of to his coy mistress. What is the meaning of To His Coy Mistress? 2022-10-25
Meaning of to his coy mistress
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"To His Coy Mistress" is a poem written by Andrew Marvell in the 17th century. The poem is a seduction poem in which the speaker, a man, tries to convince a woman to sleep with him. The speaker uses flattery and persuasion to try to win the woman over, using arguments based on the passage of time and the fleeting nature of life.
The poem begins with the speaker addressing the woman as his "coy mistress," implying that she is hesitant or reserved in her affections towards him. The speaker then goes on to praise her beauty and express his love for her, saying that if he had the time, he would "love [her] ten years before the flood" and "woo [her] with my verse." However, the speaker recognizes that time is fleeting and that they do not have the luxury of waiting. He argues that they should seize the moment and enjoy each other's company while they can, because "tomorrow" may never come.
The speaker goes on to use the metaphor of a "vegetable love" to argue that a love that is not acted upon is like a plant that withers and dies. He urges the woman to "be not coy," and to "forsake" her "cruel" and "stubborn" ways. The speaker's persuasive language and flattery are meant to convince the woman to give in to his advances.
Overall, "To His Coy Mistress" is a poem that grapples with the theme of the passage of time and the importance of seizing the moment. The speaker uses flattery and persuasion to try to win the affections of his mistress, arguing that they should enjoy each other's company while they can because life is short and uncertain. The poem is a classic example of the genre of seduction poetry, and its themes and language continue to be relevant and relatable to readers today.
To His Coy Mistress Summary
Second, metaphor and irony communicate different types of meaning. The imagery helps to bring the abstract concept of love to life, creating a vivid mental image for the reader. I am your fate. His poems are famous for surprising the reader with the use of language to explore questions about love, sex, the earth, the universe, and the divine. There are two metaphors used in this poem. Is irony a metaphor? In the next 16 lines, it can be sensed the reader has upon his lips a slow smirk forming that coincides with the sly tone of the first argument. Finally, the sun is personified as being able to "run"; the speaker hopes that they will take charge of time and control it rather than being controlled by it.
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Language
What do the last two lines of To His Coy Mistress mean? 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. Here, I will give you several strong reasons why Andrew Marvell should be your favorite too. He says that her "marble vault," the place where she will be buried, will house the "worms" that will "try" her "long-preserved virginity. He also makes a pun of her "quaint honour". Thus the worms are shown to have the power of seducing a woman. A 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; Again, this is an obvious overstatement when the speaker says that he would make the sun run.
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Coy Definition & Meaning
What vegetable love means? However it is the detail that he spends 4 times the time on each of her breasts rather than her eyes to prove that it is not his love for her that is growing but in fact his cod piece! Enjambment When a sentence continues to the next line of a verse without pause, it is called an enjambment. The poem concludes that the lovers should lose no time enjoying the pleasure of love. In our destined tomb, our beauty will slowly but surely turn into dust. Birds of prey The speaker imagines themselves as amorous preying birds devouring time. Is Wall Street a metonymy? I would Love you ten years before the Flood, And you should, if you please, refuse Till the conversion of the Jews.
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Andrew Marvel To His Coy Mistress Meaning
It is also well known from Greek mythology that Apollo with the aid of four horses drew the sun across the sky. If they had enough time at their disposal, he would have started loving her ten years before the great flood while she could refuse to satisfy his desire until the Day of Judgment. However, in the last set of lines, the mood brightens again; the poet has a solution! He is presenting a courtship which may sound wonderful, but is one he states from the outset is impossible. Marvell uses several types of figurative language in this poem. Adjective It is distinctly odd to read a whole page dedicated to Hitler's life and character without a reference to his anti-Semitism. My vegetable love should grow Vaster than empires, and more slow; A 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.
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Critical Appreciation of “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell
The poet speaks of rolling all their strength into one ball in the last lines. All her delicate sense of humor will then turn to dust, and all his desire to make love will then turn to ashes. This creates a sense of urgency and builds up the tension in the poem. The main theme of To his Coy Mistress is The Transience of Life, expressed through a sense of time pursuing us and propelling us into the grave before we have achieved fulfilment. This suggests to the reader that even one hour with your loved is very precious and should cherish the moment. Had we but world enough and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime. It is this abrupt change of imagery and metaphors which the writer uses to confront and confuse his audience in order to persuade her into submitting to him.
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To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell
What is amorous birds of prey mean? Answer: In the poem, the speaker is trying to persuade his mistress that such coyness is a waste of time, and that she should give in to her desires and sleep with him. Moreover, he is talking about love. This expression shows the similarity between two things on some aspects. Personification Personification is a literary device in which human qualities are attributed to non-human things. Is Coy a compliment? This could be seen as a reference to her naïve preservation of her virginity even though death - alluded to by "turn to dust" - is inevitable.
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What is the meaning of the poem To His Coy Mistress?
Caesura A caesura in poetry is a pause with a comma, semicolon etc. Both of the poets are trying to say that time is in control and it is very powerful. The speaker says that he cannot make the sun wait but can surely make him run. Who said Carpe Noctem? The first section is where he talks about his flattery and his fantasies for her. It would be a fitting challenge to the running of time then. The idea of "ashes" stands in for something that has been used up or consumed.
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To His Coy Mistress Summary & Analysis
In exaggerated traditional references of lovemaking, the speaker expresses how much he loves his coy mistress. The grave's a fine and private place, But none I think do there embrace. It maintains AABB rhyme scheme. That is why it seems barren and like a desert to us. .
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What is the message of To His Coy Mistress?
What figure of speech is vegetable love? See This Answer Now Time is personified in the poem—meaning it is given human attributes such as the ability to drive a chariot or to purposely pursue us to our deaths. Life is short, however, and opportunities must be seized. We have no idea of the other world after death. What does love you ten years before the flood mean? He admits that this is the admiration and love that she deserves and that he would gladly give it to her if he could. For, Lady, you deserve this state, Nor would I love at lower rate. This line in the poem is revealed as flattery, showing his mistress how he worships her.
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