Marvell

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Recommended: Treatment of women in literature

Is love empty? Is there nothing except the pursuit of lust and no time for courtship or time to love another person emotionally? Physical love provides a quick bond but often has no emotional or lasting value. Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” develops a carefully constructed argument as the speaker seeks to persuade his lady to surrender her virginity to him.

The argumentative point made by the speaker in this poem is the importance of time and a man in love not being able to wait another second to express his love for the women he desires. He begins with “Had we but world enough, and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime.” (L 1-2) The speaker is attempting to woo his love interest and court her in order to give her the time she needs to make the important decision. He writes, “We would sit down, and think which way To walk, and pass our long love’s day. Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side Shouldst rubies find: I by the tide of Humber would complain.” Although they were apart they would enjoy the life and time they were given and would plan their future together (L 3-7).

The speaker says he would love her ten years before the flood (the flood of Noah’s ark in the Bible) and he says that if she please she could refuse till the conversion of the Jew’s (the end of the world). He would give her all the time in the world. (L7-10). The speaker says that he would praise her eyes for one hundred years and adore her face. (L13-14) He would gaze in to her eyes and express the love he has for her for one hundred years. Two hundred years to each breast and thirty thousand years to all the rest. The speaker would love and adore her body and would be gentle and warm loving her the way a lover should. He states, “An age to least to every part, and the last age should show your heart.” The lover would explore her heart and feelings and emotions and love them the same (L15-18).

Complementing her, the writer says, “For lady you deserve this state; Nor would I love at lower rate.” He feels that she deserves to be pampered and doted on and treated right, like a princess.

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