Andrew Marvell: Poems

What is the main theme of Marvell's poem' To His Coy Mistress'

What is the main theme of Marvell's poem' To His Coy Mistress'

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Marvell wrote this poem in the classical tradition of a Latin love elegy, in which the speaker praises his mistress or lover through the motif of carpe diem, or “seize the day.” The poem also reflects the tradition of the erotic blazon, in which a poet constructs elaborate images of his lover’s beauty. He compares the Lady’s skin to a vibrant layer of morning dew that is animated by the fires of her soul and encourages her to “sport” with him “while we may.” Time devours all things, the speaker acknowledges, but he nonetheless asserts that the two of them can, in fact, turn the tables on time. They can become “amorous birds of prey” that actively consume the time they have through passionate lovemaking.

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http://www.gradesaver.com/andrew-marvell-poems/study-guide/summary-to-his-coy-mistress