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Marvell & Donne: 17th Century Metaphysical Poetry
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Analyzes 17th century metaphysical poetry by comparing & contrasting two poems: Andrew Marvell's TO HIS COY MISTRESS & John Donne's VALEDICTION FORBIDDING MOURNING.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Analyzes 17th century metaphysical poetry by comparing & contrasting two poems: Andrew Marvell's TO HIS COY MISTRESS & John Donne's VALEDICTION FORBIDDING MOURNING.
Paper Introduction:
The poems "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell and "Valediction Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne are both examples of what is called metaphysical poetry from the seventeenth century. This poetry was produced by a group of poets of the seventeenth century, called the metaphysical poets by critics Herbert Grierson and T.S. Eliot because the poets showed certain similarities in their philosophical conception of the universe and in the way they expressed this philosophical view in their poetry (Lanstaff and Kermode 14).
Andrew Marvell wrote such poetry and addressed a number of recurring themes, shaping his poetry through symbolism and the development of involved conceits that included more than a little sense of coy humor along with the philosophical base (Roth 98). "To His Coy Mistress" is a poem of seduction offered as an
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Donne is trying here to dispel such fears(Lanstaff and Kermode 18). The argument is logical and carefully arranged, whichgives the poem an interesting tone considering the subject matter, a tonein which the poet is apparently being unemotional as he shapes his appealas a logical seduction. Separation may mean that the physical beingsare not together, but lovers can be together even so: Our two soules therefore, which are one, Though I must goe, endure not yet A breach, but an expansion, Like gold to ayery thinnesse beate (Donne 21-24). Marvell tries to convince his lady with an argument, andDonne tries to assuage his lady's sadness at his departure with an extendedmetaphor showing how she is the center of his world. Donne's poem is playful in a more intellectual manner. Both poets write about themselves and their relationships in thesepoems, and both address their poems to the ladies with whom they are havinga relationship. The fact that the poet here forbidsmourning seems contradictory until the true nature of the valediction isunderstood. The first stanza begins with thestatement of what could be if certain conditions were met: Had we but World enough, and Time, This coyness Lady were no crime. Marvell's playfulness is evident in the title to hispoem--"To His Coy Mistress" indicates to whom the poem is written, hernature, and her relationship to the poet, all in a way that makes her seemfrom the first to be unreasonable in her refusal to accept him. Poetry in the seventeenth century was given to mixing the religiousand the secular, as can be seen in John Donne's metaphysical poetry inwhich religious devotion and sexual love are combined in complicatedconceits, such as is seen in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning:" So let us melt, and make no noise, No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move, 'Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love (Donne 5-8).In Donne's poem, the very title brings together contrasting elements toshape the conceit, or extended metaphor, that infuses the poem, for avalediction would normally be a part of mourning, yet in this case itforbids mourning. In the ninth stanza the image is of a circle beingdrawn so that there is a completion--the lover begins at one point andreturns to that point, and so he will always be drawn back to the lover bythe strength of their love (Machacek 3). Both poets take an approach to poetry that makes their poetry somewhatlike a puzzle that has to be deciphered. The Metaphysical Mode from Donne to Cowley. 1995.Taylor, Mark. In Collier's Encyclopedia, Vol. He may use logic to develop his argument, but at heart he ispleading for her to agree with him. The use ofthe word "coy" suggests that she is only pretending to resist and that herresistance can be overcome. The poems "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell and "ValedictionForbidding Mourning" by John Donne are both examples of what is calledmetaphysical poetry from the seventeenth century. The likening of the departure to adeath is accomplished by the title of the poem, since a valediction isusually reserved for such an occasion. The thirdstanza leads to the "therefore" part of the argument--the lovers should notwait given the circumstances of life (Taylor 18). In the second stanza, though, the fact that this is an argument isindicated as a shift takes place with the word "But" showing a disagreementwith the possibilities raised in the first stanza: But at my back I alwaies hear Time's winged Chariot hurrying near: And yonder all before us lye Desarts of vast eternity (Marvel 21-24).This vast expanse of time is barren because the lovers will be dead. The toneof the two poems is different, for Donne's poem seems much more serious inthe way it makes use of its central metaphor. Donne, does much the same thing with a far moreelaborate metaphor. Theyonly have the here and now to do anything, and after that the beauty of thelover will disappear, overtaken by death: Thy Beauty shall no more be found, Nor, in thy marble Vault, shall sound My echoing Sound: then Worms shall try That long preserv'd Virginity (Marvel 25-29). More than this, the poem combines images of death withimages of sexuality, no doubt making use of the idea of sexual release as a"small death," and thus a death no one should mourn. Marvell usesthe image of impending death as a spur to living life now while you can.Donne imagines his temporary absence as a form of death that should not bemourned because it is not death at all and so will end (Roth 97). The last two lines emphasize that the reason the poet always returnsis because the lover is faithful: Thy firmnes drawes my circle just, And makes me end, where I begunne (Donne 34-35).The entire poem has itself drawn a circle, beginning with the departure ofthe poet and ending with his return. "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning." In The Norton Anthology of English Literature, New York: W.W. Publishing, Inc. This poetry was producedby a group of poets of the seventeenth century, called the metaphysicalpoets by critics Herbert Grierson and T.S. "To His Coy Mistress" is a poem ofseduction offered as an argument directed at the lady of the title, and sheis "coy" because she has been resisting the advances of the poet. The imagery he selects is related to geography, maps,and navigation, all showing that he is taking a trip and that he willalways be able to find his way back because the woman to whom he is writingthis poem is his compass (Machecek 7). Each poet takes acentral metaphor and draws it out. Norton, 1995.Lanstaff, Richard and Kermode, Frank. Works CitedDonne, John. Vast amountsof time could be spent on praising each of the lover's attributes. He is notshaping his poem as an argument but as an elaborate conceit serving tocompliment the object of his love and to reassure her that he will returnfrom his journey. Both poems draw on images or ideas of death in order to affirm life,and such an intermixture is common to metaphysical poetry. We would sit down, and think which way To walk, and pass our long Loves Day (Marvel 1-4).In the remainder of this stanza, the poet describes all that could be doneif there were time--the two could travel the globe seeking treasure toprove their love; they could transcend time: I would Love you ten years before the Flood: And you should if you please refuse Till the Conversion of the Jews (Marvel 7-1 ).The poet likens his love to a vegetable which would grow as slow asvegetation does grow until it covered vast empires of space. The image of the circle is a depiction of the way the loversare always connected and will always come back together (Machacek 5). Now, heoffers an argument as to why she should submit to him, and he uses anextended metaphor to describe the life-cycle, to show how short it trulyis, and so to argue that time is fleeting and so the lovers shouldconsummate their love while they may. The poem itself is in the form of anexaggerated persuasive argument intended to overcome this coyness and togive the lady reasons for abandoning her pose and acquiescing to thedesires of the poet. The remainder of the poem is dedicated to analyzing themeaning of separation and to showing how love endures even when there is aseparation. 8, 1996.Machacek, Gregory. The poem is written in iambic tetrameter, and the regularity gives ita sing-song quality that emphasizes that the poet is pleading with thewoman. Some might treat it as a death, but lovers areunified in a way that allows them to be one even when they are far from oneanother (Miner 189). "Donne's A Valediction: Forbidding." Explicator. "John Donne (1572-1631). Princeton: Princeton University Press.Roth, R. The poem is actuallyabout the parting of two lovers as the poet shows that this parting is notan occasion for mourning. "Marvell's To His Coy Mistress." Explicator September 1, 1994. Eliot because the poets showedcertain similarities in their philosophical conception of the universe andin the way they expressed this philosophical view in their poetry (Lanstaffand Kermode 14). The poet now shows that what was formerlydescribed in terms of eons of time is now tied to the real world: Now let us sport us while we may, And now, like am'rous birds of prey, Rather at once our Time devour Than languish in his slow-chapt pow'r (Marvel 37-4 ). "Andrew Marvell, To His Coy Mistress." In The World's Best Poetry, R.J. "To His Coy Mistress." In The Norton Anthology of English Literature, New York: W.W. The separation is not to be mourned because it is not a fullseparation but is instead a continuation of the love just as walking is acontinuing process. June 1, 1995.Marvell, Andrew. The argument in thefirst stanza is that the lovers could wait if they had the time to do so.The second stanza indicates that they do not have the time. The poem is delivered in threestanzas with the shape of a syllogistic argument. In verses seven and eight, the separation oflovers is compared to walking, to the movement of first one leg and thenthe other. The imagery throughout is of separations that are not separations.The earthquake in the third stanza may be a portent of things to come, butthe movement of the spheres is an example of harmony such as will be thecase when two lovers part. In the third stanza, the poet calls to mind the dual idea of anearthquake and of people believing the earth moves when they achieveorgasm. For Marvell, the passage of time is themetaphor which he addresses in several different ways, while for Donne itis the shape and action of the compass, a mapping device used here as ameans of connecting himself to his love though they be far apart. The third stanza carries the logical argument through to itsconclusion, beginning with the syllogistic "therefore" and returning fromthe images of death and decay in the second stanza to images of life,beauty, and possibility more closely linked to the first stanza, thoughwith a different time frame. Both are generally playful intheir poetry even when it is at its most serious, though Marvell is moreovertly playing as he seems to toy with the object of his affections as heseduces her with words. Norton, 1995.Miner, Earl. Andrew Marvell wrote such poetry and addressed a number of recurringthemes, shaping his poetry through symbolism and the development ofinvolved conceits that included more than a little sense of coy humor alongwith the philosophical base (Roth 98). On the one hand, earthquakes are seen as portents of things tocome and as warnings of greater disasters, for "Moving of th'earth bringsharmes and feares" (Donne 9).
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