To His Coy Mistress | Andrew Marvell | Study Guide

Author: Andrew Marvell

 

Year: 1650s (estimated)

 

Type: Poem

 

Genre: Metaphysical poetry

 

About Title

"To His Coy Mistress" is a compelling and provocative poem by Andrew Marvell, celebrated for its passionate plea for love and the urgency of seizing the present moment. Written during the mid-17th century, this poem exemplifies Marvell's skillful use of wit, imagery, and rhetorical devices to explore themes such as love, time, and mortality.

 

Characters

The speaker: Represents Marvell himself or a persona created by the poet, expressing desire and longing for the object of his affection.

The coy mistress: Though not directly named, refers to the object of the speaker's desire, depicted as hesitant or reserved in reciprocating his advances.

 

Summary

In "To His Coy Mistress," the speaker addresses his beloved, urging her to abandon her coyness and embrace the fleeting pleasures of love before time steals away their youth and beauty. The poem is structured as a persuasive argument, with the speaker employing various rhetorical strategies to convince his mistress to yield to his advances. He begins by flattery, praising her beauty and suggesting that if they had all the time in the world, her coyness would be admirable. However, he then shifts to a more urgent tone, arguing that time is fleeting and they must seize the present moment to experience the joys of physical intimacy.

 

Throughout the poem, Marvell employs vivid imagery and metaphors to convey the urgency and intensity of the speaker's desires. He uses hyperbolic language to exaggerate the consequences of delaying their love, painting vivid pictures of decay and destruction to emphasize the fleeting nature of human existence.

 

Symbols

Time: Represents the central theme of the poem, symbolizing the relentless passage of time and the inevitability of mortality.

Carpe diem: Symbolizes the poem's underlying message of seizing the present moment and embracing life's pleasures before it is too late.

Love and desire: Symbolize the transient but powerful forces that drive human behavior, inspiring the speaker to plead for his beloved's affection.

 

Themes

Carpe diem: "To His Coy Mistress" explores the theme of carpe diem, urging the reader to seize the present moment and embrace life's pleasures before it is too late.

Love and desire: The poem celebrates the transformative power of love and desire, portraying them as potent forces that can overcome human hesitations and reservations.

Mortality and the passage of time: Marvell reflects on the inevitability of mortality and the relentless passage of time, urging the reader to confront the transience of human existence and make the most of the time they have.

 

Overall, "To His Coy Mistress" is a powerful and evocative exploration of love, desire, and the passage of time. Through its compelling imagery and persuasive rhetoric, the poem invites readers to reflect on the fleeting nature of human existence and the importance of seizing the present moment to experience life's joys to the fullest.