Friday, August 15, 2014

Can Andrew Marvell be considered a Metaphysical poet in his poem "To His Coy Mistress"?

Andrew Marvel can indeed be considered a metaphysical poet
in his classic “To his Coy Mistress.” He uses extended logic when dealing with emotions,
especially here when it comes to something as illogical as emotions and the seduction of
his mistress.  He compares two very dissimilar things to prove his point, as when he
says that if she doesn’t give in to him, then “That long preserv'd virginity” will be
enjoyed only by the worms in her grave.  Not the greatest image to use in a seduction,
but Marvell makes it work.


Like many of the other
metaphysical poets, Marvell pays particular attention to the meaning of his poetry, and
even though at times his meaning might not be clear at first, after careful reading one
can see the ingenious use of analytic reasoning in his poetry.

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