How do two poems you have studied explore the differences between men and womens experience of love in the 17th century?

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Priya Thakrar

 English coursework essay: How do two poems you have studied explore the differences between men and women’s experience of love in the 17th century?

    “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell is a metaphysical poem structured as syllogism. “The Sun Rising” by John Donne is an aubade and also an example of metaphysical writing. Both of these poems explore the differences between men and women’s experience of love in the 17th century.

     The structure of “To His Coy Mistress” helps to make Andrew Marvell’s poem clearer and shows how one idea flows into another. Marvell’s poem is organised into a three-part argument, which is called syllogism. The theme of the poem is carpe diem or seize the day: to seize opportunities while you can. The declarative title of the poem: “To His Coy Mistress” informs to the audience that Marvell owns the mistress, as a result of the use of the possessive pronoun “his”.

 The first paragraph explains what Marvell would do if he and his lover could make time last forever. In this paragraph, he uses the rhetorical features of flattery, and exaggeration to, try and tell his mistress how much he loves her. For example:

 

  “A hundred years should go to praise

 Thine eyes and on thy forehead gaze”

He is trying to make his lover see how much he is worth to her, and that if time lasted forever he would stay for her that long. On the other hand the readers know that this is probably not true, because he is using this poem to persuade his lover not to express his love for his mistress.

   

 In the second paragraph, Marvell explains what is likely to happen, if she isn’t persuaded. He uses fear and disgust to convince her. For example:

then worms shall try

That long-preserved virginity”

He is saying here that if his lover does not let him sleep with her, no one else would, and so when she dies “worms shall that long preserved virginity”. Therefore it could be considered her that Marvell is being very insulting, because he is implying that  she not good enough to get any one else, and she has no choice but to stay with him. Here again we can see a difference between men and women’s experience of love, as Marvell thinks he owns his mistress forever.

    In addition the use of the compound adjective “long- preserved” links the two adjectives, to emphasise the phrase. This technique allows Marvell to highlight his opinion, as “long- preserved”  implies to the reader that his mistresses virginity has been left unspoiled for too long.

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    The last paragraph concludes the argument by emphasising the theme carpe diem (or seize the day). In this paragraph, Marvell explains what he and his mistress should do now, while they are both young. For example:

And tear our pleasures with rough strife

Thorough the iron gates of life

By doing this, Marvell is insisting that his mistress should agree with him. This adds to the persuasion. He is saying they should make the most of what they have. The use of the intensifying adjective “rough” has connotations of violence,  and force. The use of ...

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