A Comparative of Robert Herrick’s and Andrew Marvell’s Carpe Diem Poetry
Introduction
The phrase “carpe diem” is a literary cliche that dates back centuries. This essay compares and contrasts Robert Herrick’s poem “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” and Andrew Marvell’s poem “To His Coy Mistress,” both of which explore this theme. The essay examines the authors’ beliefs and attitudes to determine what “carpe diem” means and how it is shown in the poems. The poems are a great reminder to live each day to the fullest according to the concept of carpe diem.
Background About Carpe Diem
Carpe diem is a Latin concept that encourages people to seize each day as it comes rather than ruminate on the past or make plans for the future. This idea has been expressed in poetry and other forms of writing for a long time. Carpe diem is a Latin phrase that means “seize the day” and encourages people to enjoy life when they have the opportunity. “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell and “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick are excellent examples of the carpe diem philosophy. Every one of the poems exhorts the reader to live in the moment and make the most of every opportunity they are given.
The carpe diem concept, as used in literature, helps to emphasize that every individual has a limited amount of time on this planet and should make the most of every single second of it while they have it. Poets often use the ideology of carpe diem to encourage readers to live in the moment and make the most of every opportunity. The two poems written by Herrick and Marvell are great examples of how the carpe diem philosophy can inspire readers to make the most of the present moment. The poets provide an excellent poetic expression of the Carpe Diem philosophy by encouraging their audience to seize the day and live it to the fullest and by stressing the importance of making the most of the present moment.
Analysis
Robert Herrick’s poem is a call to action for today’s young ladies to embrace their youthful beauty and strength while they still can. Specifically, “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” is meant for young women. At the outset of the poem, the narrator advises the “virgins” to make use of their limited time by gathering as many “rosebuds” as possible (Herrick 1). Herrick employs the image of the rosebud to convey the fleeting nature of youth and beauty, urging readers to use these qualities while they last. The poem warns the virgins that time is passing quickly and that they must decide soon by telling them, “And while ye may, go marry” (Herrick 9). Herrick encourages the virgins to enjoy life and live fully in the present moment because they will never have this opportunity again.
The poem emphasizes the importance of making the most of every chance because life is short and full of surprises. Herrick’s optimistic and cheery worldview is on full display when he tells the virgins to “live together, not alone” and encourages them to “sport while ye may” (Herrick 5-6). The poem evokes a sense of urgency as if the speaker wants to make the most of the present moment.
In Andrew Marvell’s poem, the speaker tells his mistress to make the most of the moment and get sexual with him. Had the world enough and leisure, and the coyness, lady, was no crime, the speaker reflects (Marvell 1-2). This shows how much the speaker loves his mistress and how far he would go to protect and care for her if they had an endless amount of time together. However, when the speaker admits they do not have endless free time, the poem’s focus changes significantly. Throughout the poem, the speaker urges his mistress to “Let us roll all our strength and all / our sweetness up into one ball” (Marvell 41-42In this way, it represents the carpe diem attitude highlighted all through the poem.
Marvell’s exhortation exemplifies this bold and risky outlook on life to the speaker to seize the moment and make the most of the opportunity given by their physical wants. The poem stresses the importance of savoring the here and now and maximizing life’s material pleasures because one never knows how long one has. The tone of “Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near” emphasizes the haste and zeal with which the speaker expresses his warning that time is going along too quickly (Marvell 22). Feelings of longing and a desire to seize the present moment by all means necessary are communicated in this poetry. The speaker’s desire expresses this yearning and openness.
Marvell emphasizes the importance of enjoying the simple things in life and living in the present. Still, the poem has a darker side because the speaker’s pleading desperation comes from his fear of death and time passing. The poems praise the idea of “seizing the day” and the importance of living in the moment. Herrick and Marvell use vivid imagery and accessible language to underline the fleeting nature of life and the significance of making the most of one’s opportunities while one has them. They stress that life is too short to wait for the “right time” to act. One should make the most of each moment and seize each opportunity. The poems display a consistent attitude and belief system through their recurrent themes of embracing the day and living in the now. Despite their stylistic variances, both poems convey that life is short and should be lived to the fullest. The expression “carpe diem” was popularized by poets such as Herrick and Marvell, and it is evergreen advice for living in the now.
Comparison and Contrast
Herrick and Marvell’s poems deal with the theme of carpe diem. Even though both poems deal with the same issue, their presentations of that topic reveal remarkably divergent perspectives. In “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time,” Herrick advises young women to grasp the day and enjoy their youth and beauty. Herrick’s use of phrases like “while ye may” (Herrick 1) and “gather ye rosebuds while ye may” (Herrick 2) highlight the fleeting nature of youth and the need to act quickly. The poem also emphasizes the importance of making the most of one’s life and not worrying about trivia. Herrick underlines the need for time management by stating, “but being spent, the worse, and worst, times still succeed the former” (Herrick 7-8). It means that lost time cannot be returned, so it is better to make the most of what a person has while they still can.
On the other hand, the speaker of Marvell’s poem tells his lover to “seize the day” by having sexual contact with him. It is a more romantic take on the same idea of “carpe diem.” Marvell justifies why the woman should act now rather than later. To paraphrase, the speaker urges them to use their youth and attractiveness while they still have the opportunity. Unlike Herrick’s poetry, Marvell acknowledges death and the importance of grasping the moment. For example, he says, “The grave is a fine and private place, but none, he thinks, do there embrace” (Marvell 27–28), meaning that death cannot deliver the fullness and joy that life does. The poems all have “carpe diem” as a common theme, yet they also take different techniques and demonstrate different ideas and perspectives. The poems talk about how important it is to make the most of one’s time on earth. Herrick’s poem talks about how important it is not to waste one’s life, while Marvell’s song talks about how important it is to take advantage of romantic opportunities while they are still there.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the two poems by Herrick and Marvell discuss the theme of carpe diem. The poets encourage their respective audiences to grasp the day and make the most of life while they still have the opportunity. Although the poems deal with related topics, they tackle the subject matter in diverse ways and reveal very varied perspectives on the world. Herrick writes about how important it is to live in the present and make the most of an individual’s time on earth. It differs from Marvell, who writes more about improving a person’s chances of finding love. The theme of “carpe diem” in these poems is interesting because it shows how the authors felt about life and the passing of time.
Works Cited
Herrick, Robert. “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time.” Poetry Foundation, n.d., Web.
Marvell, Andrew. “To His Coy Mistress.” Poetry Foundation, n.d., Web.