Time is an important issue in both poems, yet both poets have different views of the importance of time. In ‘The Sun Rising’ by John Donne, he makes it clear that he believes that when you are in love, time should not be an issue. “Love, all alike, no seasons knows, nor clime, nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time.” John Donne also seems to not be looking into the future, because whereas Andrew Marvell tends to focus on death, John Donne is focused on that particular moment, and that moment happens to be when he would like more time in bed with his lover, this could also make John Donne look arrogant. Andrew Marvell however, treats time as more of a threat and an annoyance to him and his mistress. “Had we but world enough, and time, this coyness lady, were no crime.” Andrew Marvell’s fear of time can be seen as a compliment to his mistress because he is scared of time because when time runs out and they die, they will be parted permanently.
The style and tone of ‘To his Coy Mistress’ is very negative, its shows how pessimistic Andrew Marvell can be. Andrew Marvell is also very blunt and straight to the point, “And now, like amorous birds of prey, rather at once our time devour than languish in his slow-chapt power.” This also shows how passionate Andrew Marvell was when he wrote the poem, which can be a compliment to his mistress. However, although he has written the poem in a way that does compliment his mistress, it isn’t very personal, so it could be that he is going to use this poem for any mistress that he may have at any time. John Donne took a completely different approach to Andrew Marvell’s sensitive yet blunt approach; John Donne is aggressive and argumentative, “Busy old fool, unruly sun.” He is also threatening, “I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink.” John Donne is also witty and shows how clever he is by having an argument with the sun (this is the conceit in the poem), “…and since thy duties be to warm the world, that’s done in warming us.” This also shows John Donne’s sarcasm.
One of the main themes in ‘To His Coy Mistress’ is carpe diem (seize the day). This shows his awareness that death is inevitable, so he believes that he and his mistress should cherish the time that they do have together. “But at my back I always hear, Time’s winged chariot hurrying near; And yonder all before us lie, Deserts of vast eternity.” This also shows that Andrew Marvell doesn’t believe in life after death, so he must therefore value his time even more. “The grave’s a fine and private place, But none, I think, do there embrace.” Whereas John Donne takes an opposing view of the issue of life and death, and, unlike Andrew Marvell’s pessimistic approach, he is takes an optimistic attitude. I think that he has taken this approach because he seems to think that rather than worry that there isn’t an afterlife, he should just live each day as it comes, and in this case all he wants to do is spend some more time with his lover because he believes that when two people are in love, time should not be an issues. “Love, all alike, no seasons knows, nor clime, Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time.”
John Donne’s intention is to demonstrate how clever and witty he is. He also wants to show his lover that the point of living is to be in love, “Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere.” He also wants to show that he believes that social ranking is subordinate to love, he does this by showing how he thinks that he is far more important than the King, “Go tell the court-huntsmen that the king will ride.” Whereas Andrew Marvell has more sincere reasons to write this poem, he wants his mistress to realise how short time is, for her benefit and for his. He also doesn’t want her to die as a virgin and to open up to him as they have little time left and he believes that it will be impossible for them to be together when they die, “Had we but world enough and time, this coyness, lady, were no crime.” My final reason as to why Andrew Marvell wrote the poem is because he wants to show off his skill as a poet so that he can impress his mistress.
So in conclusion, I think that Andrew Marvell’s ‘To His Coy Mistress’ is most effective as, although I question his intentions, he compliments his mistress in many ways, for example: he says that he is willing to spend thirty thousand years worshipping every part of her body, his desperation to value their time as time is running out is also flattering to his mistress because it shows that he is willing to spend the time he has left with her, rather than anyone else. I also think that ‘To His Coy Mistress’ is more effective than ‘The Sun Rising’ because in ‘The Sun Rising’ John Donne looks quite arrogant and doesn’t seem to care about his woman very much – he seems more interested in himself and how he wants more time in bed. He also looks arrogant because he seems to think that he is more important than the king; “Go tell the court-huntsmen that the king will ride.” Another reason that Andrew Marvell’s poem is more effective than John Donne’s is because John Donne makes it quite clear that all he is interested in is physical love, whereas Andrew Marvell seems to have an equal balance because although he makes it clear that he wants a physical relationship with his mistress, he also is aware that she needs to be and deserves to be adored, he shows this by after having said that he would spend thirty thousand years worshipping her, he goes on to say; “And the last age should show your heart; For, Lady, you deserve this state, Nor would I love at lower rate.” Andrew Marvell also has sincere reasons to write his poem, he wants his mistress to realise how short time is, for her benefit and for his. He also doesn’t want her to die as a virgin and to open up to him as they have little time left and he believes that it will be impossible for them to be together when they die, “Had we but world enough and time, this coyness, lady, were no crime.”
