Persuasion methods used in "The Passionate Shepherd to his Love" and "To His Coy Mistress"

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Syazana Ahmad Nordin

11 GD2

Persuasion methods used in “The Passionate Shepherd to his Love” and “To His Coy Mistress”

To persuade can be defined as “to induce to undertake a course of action or embrace a point of view by means of argument, reasoning, or entreaty”. In this assignment, I am going to compare the ways in which Christopher Marlowe and Andrew Marvel persuade the woman in “The Passionate Shepherd to his Love” and “To His Coy Mistress” to be their lovers.

        The poem “The Passionate Shepherd to his Love” is a pastoral poem. It is a class of literature that presents the society of shepherds as free from the complexity and corruption of city life. Many of the idylls written in its name are far remote from the realities of any life, rustic or urban. The climax of poetic writing in this pastoral tradition provided a unique blend of freshness.

        Marlowe’s poem, “The Passionate Shepherd to his Love”, presents an overly optimistic view of love. He personifies the shepherd’s love to both nature’s beauty and bounty. From the title of the poem, “Love” suggests that the poet has a good feeling towards the woman.

        “Come live with me and be my Love,”

        The quote shows that Christopher Marlowe is a light-hearted, unpretentious and also a direct person who asks earnestly for what he wants. The poetry starts out with a direct invitation. This shows his purpose clearly, which is asking the woman he admires to be his lover. The poet uses repetition sentences three times in the poem – “Come live with me and be my Love” may work as the function of emphasising, and expression of eagerness. It is a kind of proposing by Marlowe.

        “Come live with and be my Love,

        And we will all the pleasures prove,

        That hills and valleys, dale and field,

        And all the craggy mountains yield.

        There will we sit upon rocks,

        And see the shepherd feed their flocks,

        By shallow rivers, to whose falls,

        Melodious birds sing madrigals.”

        In these lines, Marlowe claims that they will together experience all the pleasures that nature can give. Nature’s pristine views, and her birds’ songs will all be for his love. Marlowe himself paints the picture of an easy and happy life of just lounging around and enjoying the beauty of nature and of each other’s company and love. The poet uses an alliteration technique to make the poem more persuasive. He especially employs soft sounds such as the ‘m’ and the ‘s’ at the ends of the words to give the impression of gentleness and care.

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        Christopher Marlowe goes on by offering her love tokens, again, taken from nature’s bounty.

        “And I will make thee beds of roses,

        And a thousand fragrant posies,

        

        “A gown made of the finest wool,

        Which from our pretty lambs we pull”

        

        He promises the woman to give her beautiful flowers, and to make her extravagant clothing made out of wool and exotic vegetation. The roses symbolize romance and love, as well as showing that Marlowe is a romantic man.

        “Fair lined slippers for the cold,

        With buckles of the purest gold

        A belt ...

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