Carpe Diem in Ronsard's Poetry

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Recommended: Renaissance impact on literature

The 16th century marks the end of the Middle Ages and opens the world to a different point of view. While the focus of the Middle Ages was mainly religion, the Renaissance centers on new ideas concerning the human life. More and more people learn to read and enjoy the stories of the Antiquity, allowing them to base their ideas and stories in the old stories, while also expanding them and relating it to the man of the 16th century. One of the great writes of the Antiquity was Horace, whose theme of Carpe Diem or seize the day, has been taken on by many Renaissance writers, including Pierre de Ronsard. In many of his poems, for instance in the “Ode to Cassandre” and “Quand vous serez bien vieille…”, Ronsard uses the theme of Carpe Diem in order to illustrate to his muses the shortness of life and beauty, urging them to accept his love without wait.
While at first glance, these two poems seem very different because of their tones, “Quand vous serez bien vieille…” having a much more menacing and sinister tone in comparison to the light and loving tones of “Ode to Cassandre”; however, bo...

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