To His Coy Mistress

Published posthumously in 1681, “To His Coy Mistress” is among Andrew Marvell’s most well-known works and is often cited as an exemplary entry in carpe-diem poetry. It follows the argument of a speaker who is trying to persuade his mistress to engage in a physical relationship. The argument is divided into three parts: The first details all the ways he would dote on her if given the time. It is full of grand declarations and clarifies that the speaker’s appeals are not out of impatience but love. The second shifts the imagery away from long walks by the river and instead portrays time as a villainous pursuer out to rob the lovers of their youth. Striking examples of imagery, like worms and marble vaults, reject the notion of an eternal afterlife, an idea uncommon in Puritan-dominated 17th-century England. This culminates in the call to action in the third section where the speaker encourages his lady to seize the day along with him so that they can make the most of the time they have left together. The essence of the carpe-diem poem is captured here as the lady is called to reject modesty and instead take her pleasure alongside the speaker. In doing so, the couple can win a victory over time through their shared happiness.