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Introduction

Kiran Ramsaroop Candidate no: 9055 English Coursework Analyse "To his coy mistress" by Andrew Marvell The poem is about Marvell's desire to bed the woman to whom he's writing the poem. He is talking to the woman and the piece is essentially persuasive writing, the writer is writing to prove a point and to get his on way. He's breaking into the woman's emotions and using it against her. He talks about "Vegetable love," love of the mind. He also says that this love, "Should grow Vaster than empires and more slow." This statement is such a massive exaggeration because it's impossible, but nevertheless it shows how deeply he feels for her, or how deeply he wants her to think he feels about her. This type of exaggeration runs right through the poem, it is exaggeration to prove a point, the point that the writer loves this woman and that he wants the best for her. "A hundred years should go to praise Thine eyes... ...But thirty thousand to the rest." ...read more.

Middle

He is comparing something biblical to their love, although it hasn't started yet, he is so sure that the love they would share would be a legend, just like the great flood. But after section one he brings in the negativity. It is begun with a sudden change in tone, "But." He is saying what will happen if she doesn't do what is in effect just what he wants. It's yet another way of getting his way. He tells of time loss in life and therefore death, which is quite a macabre idea for a love poem. This shows the lengths he's prepared to go to, to prove his point and persuade someone to agree with what he's saying. Another interesting thing he says is, "Deserts of vast eternity." Surely a marriage or partnership should fruitful, more like forests of vast eternity? Perhaps Marvell wants to portray the image to this woman that anything could lay before them, it's just present at this time in the form of a desert, and the blanks need filling in with anything that you may want. ...read more.

Conclusion

Marvell is getting quite romantic and mutual here; he's talking about everything happening between them, them sharing everything as one person. He wants to share everything, yet another indication of love. "Our strength...Our sweetness...Our pleasures." He then goes on to say what life is like to go through, heavy, cold even. The imagery is very simple yet appealing. "Iron gates of life." It is the final two lines that made me realise what the writer's saying. He's gone from talking mythically about the bible and the conversion of the Jews to death and decay. He has made so many points because there's simply so much to say, and now he's saying there's so much to love that you must seize every moment of life to grasp not only love, but also life itself. He's contrasted the lows of decay with the highs of youthfulness, and he realises that you only have one chance. Although Marvell is writing to this woman in terms that don't seem to pass just lust, he has made valid points, and therefore it's use as a piece of persuasive writing is invaluable. 1 ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Love Poetry section.