A Critical Analysis and Comparison 'Between Come, My Celia' and 'To His Coy Mistress'

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Jon Wood – English GCSE Coursework – Mr. Moore

A Critical Analysis and Comparison ‘Between Come, My Celia’ and ‘To His Coy Mistress’

Ben Jonson was born around June 11, 1572, the posthumous son of a clergyman. He was educated at Westminster School by the great classical scholar William Camden and worked in his stepfather's trade, bricklaying. The trade did not please him in the least, and he joined the army, serving in Flanders. He returned to England about 1592 and married Anne Lewis on November 14, 1594.

Andrew Marvell was born in Yorkshire, on March 31st 1621. He travelled abroad writing poems until 1950 when Marvell became the tutor of twelve-year-old Mary Fairfax (later Duchess of Buckingham.) Around this time Marvell wrote ‘To His Coy Mistress’ and many other famous poems. During his last twenty years of life, Marvell was engaged in political activities, taking part in embassies to Holland and Russia. Marvell's poems were printed in 1681. Marvell died on 16th August 1678 of tertian ague. He was buried in the church of St. Giles-in-the-Fields.

In ‘Come, My Celia’ we gain an insight into an unequal partnership where love seems unimportant where as in ‘To His Coy Mistress’ the couple are obviously in love.

‘Come My Celia’ was written to try and woo a member of the opposite sex. This is quite obvious in the first couplet. “Come, my Celia, let us prove, whilst we may, the sports of love”(Lines 1 & 2). These rhymes that are used in the opening couplet are underlying the philosophy ‘Carpe Diem’ or ‘Seize the Day’ as some of us are more aware of. The poem is in the form of couplets with each set of lines rhyming. Jonson uses a variety of persuasive techniques throughout the poem. A number of times Jonson hints that any antics in the bedroom will be strictly lust not love “Why should we defer our joys?”(Line 9). He calls fame and rumour toys, trying to persuade ‘Celia’ that they could just ignore the aftermath of any sexual encounter they had, as though making love means nothing to him. When Jonson writes, “Cannot we delude the eyes of a few household spies?” he is trying to say to ‘Celia’ that they will not get caught. They will be able to avoid the eyes of a few household spies, the neighbours. Throughout this poem you can tell from the language that it is a very persuasive poem, the poet asks a lot of questions in it. The language throughout is old fashioned and as I have mentioned persuasive techniques are obvious.

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Andrew Marvell’s ‘To His Coy Mistress’ is a passionate, loving and free poem. It is the description of a man who has constantly been working hard at seducing a woman (his mistress). The character puts over a logical argument in order to persuade her to make love to him. It is written in a sarcastic and witty way that makes the reader wonder weather he is serious in his seduction towards her, “if you please, refuse Till the converse of the Jews.”(Lines 9 & 10). He asks her if she will stay a virgin until the Jews converse, in other ...

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