To His Coy Mistress

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To His Coy Mistress

Compare and Contrast “To His Coy Mistress” By John Donne.

“To His Coy Mistress” and “ To His Mistress Going to bed” are two

poems that feature “carpe diem”; they are also written by two of the

most well known metaphysical poets. Andrew Marvell, the author of “To

His Coy Mistress” and John Donne, the writer of “To His Mistress Going

To Bed”. Both poems were written through the 16th and 17th Century,

where love and sex were describe as two different things. 16th and 17th

century attitudes to love and relationship were much stricter than in

the 21st Century, as wealthy men who wished to court a woman, would

need to use the convention of writing a letter or a poem to try and

win her over. This is precisely what these poems are about. Each man

is trying to bed women, using their poetry. Their poems are more about

sex, rather than love or romance. Using their metaphysical ways, they

used their sexual images and witty conceits, to try and seduce the

woman in question. In the 21st Century, it is not recommended for a

man to take such action in doing so. Also in the 16th and 17th

Century, woman was expected to be virgins until a chosen time. It was

also unheard of for woman to have children out of wedlock, and if it

did occur, then the woman would be seen as an outcast. Although in

the 21st Century, it is more common if a woman has a child out of

wedlock, she still could be seen as an outcast. Both men take a

different way in choosing how to seduce the woman, but both take the

same thought in the process, “To bed the woman”. Throughout time, the

way of having sexual ways with each other, has changed

Throughout this essay, I will be explaining the different and

similarities, between these ...

... middle of paper ...

...The each use a different beat, Marvell’s poem suit’s a simple

octosyllasic couplet. It is centring the poem on time. Donne’s poem is

an iambic pentameter. This gives it a slow pace, as if it is savouring

the moment.

In conclusion, after reading both poems, I discovered that I enjoyed

reading Donne’s poem more than Marvell’s. I found both poems an

interesting read, because over 500 years, love has changed. You would

not find a man living in the 21st Century, writing poetry and letters

to a woman, he wishes to bed. I think that this was a very romantic

way of doing this. The reason why I enjoyed Donne’s poem is because it

was sincere and passionate. Marvell’s being cool, witty and somewhat

threatening. Both poets live up to their metaphysical ways on these

poems, with their imagery, similes, metaphors, alliteration,

repetition and sexually explicit words.

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