Introduction: “To His Coy Mistress”
The central idea of the poem “To His Coy Mistress” is seduction and time. Time flits around in the first section, and its slow movement is ideal for those who express love. However, in the second part, time enters threateningly and relentlessly reminds those who like to postpone joy that it shows no happiness at all. Other themes include mortality, confinement, and freedom. The poem has several levels of meaning. On the surface, it serves as an argument of a lover urging the pursuit of worldly happiness. The title suggests a lady who pretends to be reserved or shy, but in reality, she does not accept his love and plays games. The setting of the poem is not explicitly mentioned; however, it is likely set in a poorly lit bar of a hotel. The tone is depressed and lonely.
Speaker in “To His Coy Mistress”
The speaker initiates the poem by assuring his mistress that if they had an abundance of time, he would love her slowly, dedicating thousands of years to the growth of his “vegetable love” (10). However, in the second stanza, he alters his approach, emphasizing the scarcity of time and urging her to act quickly: “At my back I always hear/ Time’s winged chariot hurrying near” (21-22). The speaker attempts to persuade his beloved to consummate their love promptly, employing images of death and decay to instill fear, cautioning against delaying intimacy until “worms shall try/ That long-preserved virginity” (27-28).
In this stanza, the speaker stresses the urgency of their actions, emphasizing their youth, desirability, and capability. They must seize the moment and “sport” to triumph over the destructive force of time. The speaker likens them to sportive animals, presenting a choice between becoming birds of prey to devour time or succumbing to the eternal predator: “And now, like amorous birds of prey, /Rather at once our time devour” (44-45).
Form of “To His Coy Mistress”
The structure of “To His Coy Mistress” is crafted as a dramatic monologue a literary form that allows a single speaker to convey their thoughts, emotions, and intentions directly to an audience. Divided into three stanzas, the poem unfolds across forty-three lines, each composed in the form of rhymed couplets. The consistent rhyme scheme throughout the poem follows the pattern AABBCCDD, contributing to the poem’s rhythmic and harmonious flow.
The choice of a dramatic monologue provides a glimpse into the speaker’s innermost reflections, allowing readers to delve into the complexities of his emotions and persuasive tactics. The three-stanza arrangement serves to delineate the evolving stages of the speaker’s argument. The first stanza presents an idyllic and leisurely view of love, contrasting sharply with the urgent tone that emerges in the subsequent stanzas.
The regular rhyme scheme enhances the poem’s musicality, creating a melodic quality that engages readers and underscores the speaker’s passionate plea. This formal structure, combined with the thematic progression, adds layers of meaning to the poem, offering both aesthetic pleasure and a deeper exploration of the speaker’s intricate attempt to sway his coy mistress.
Meter in “To His Coy Mistress”
The poem is composed in iambic tetrameter, where each line consists of four iambs or eight syllables. An example of this rhythmic pattern can be found in the lines, “Had we but world enough, and time,/This coyness, Lady, were no crime” (1-2). The style follows a syllogistic or logical argumentation.
Various literary devices enrich the poem’s expression, including hyperbole. For instance, the exaggerated notion that if the mistress dies as a virgin, worms would utilize her body for sexual purposes is a notable use of hyperbolic imagery. Additionally, the poet employs vivid imagery related to wings and incorporates symbols of time and imperialism to convey deeper meanings within the text. Irony is another device skillfully utilized to underscore the speaker’s persuasion.
Incorporating these literary elements enhances the overall texture and depth of the poem, allowing readers to engage with both the explicit and nuanced layers of the speaker’s discourse.
Works Cited: “To His Coy Mistress”
Marvell, Andrew. “To His Coy Mistress.” Poetry Foundation. n.d. Web. Accessed 22 Nov. 2022.
Relevant Questions: “To His Coy Mistress”
- “To His Coy Mistress”: How does the poem’s use of vivid imagery such as the reference to time’s winged chariot, contribute to the overall persuasive tone of the speaker in urging his coy mistress to act swiftly in love?
- How does the thematic progression within “To His Coy Mistress” reflect the contrast between the leisurely view of love presented in the first stanza and the urgency conveyed in the subsequent stanzas, emphasizing the speaker’s shifting emotional stance?
- “To His Coy Mistress”: Explore the significance of the poem’s formal structure, including the use of iambic tetrameter and the AABBCCDD rhyme scheme, in conveying the persuasive arguments of the speaker and enhancing the overall impact of the poem.
