To His Coy Mistress What do you think is the meaning of the word 'coy'? Read through the poem. In pairs, discuss what you think the poem is about.

Andrew Marvell ( ) Marvell was an important poet of his age. He studied Latin and Greek, and went to study at Cambridge University at the age of 13. He became an MP and tutor to one of Oliver Cromwell's wards after the end of the English Civil War. In this poem, Marvell is exploring the classical theme of carpe diem (seize the day), but the sentiment of the writing does not fit in at all with the strict Puritan attitudes of Cromwell's era. The speaker's declarations of love to his mistress have so far met only with 'coyness'. He argues that they must take advantage of the moment and 'sport us while we may'. All too soon their youth will be gone, and there will only be the grave, which will turn 'into ashes all my lust'. It is important to place the poem in its historical context: England was in the midst of a bloody and destructive civil war, and so its theme of grasping opportunities while there's still time would be one that his contemporaries would fully understand.

To His Coy Mistress Ha d we but world enough, and time, This coyness, Lady, were no crime, We would sit down and think which way To walk and pass our long love’s day. Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide Of Humber would complain. I would Love you ten years before the Flood, And you should, if you please, refuse Till the conversion of the Jews. My vegetable love should grow Vaster than empires, and more slow; An hundred years should go to praise Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze; Two hundred to adore each breast; But thirty thousand to the rest; An age at least to every part, And the last age should show your heart. For, Lady, you deserve this state, Nor would I love at lower rate.

But at my back I always hear Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near; And yonder all before us lie Deserts of vast eternity. Thy beauty shall no more be found, Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound My echoing song; then worms shall try That long preserved virginity, And your quaint honour turn to dust, And into ashes all my lust. The grave’s a fine and private place, But none, I think, do there embrace. Now therefore, while the youthful hue Sits on thy skin like morning dew, And while thy willing soul transpires At every pore with instant fires, Now let us sport us while we may, And now, like amorous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour Than languish in his slow-chapt power. Let us roll all our strength and all Our sweetness up into one ball, And tear our pleasures with rough strife Through the iron gates of life. Thus, though we cannot make our sun Stand still, yet we will make him run. ANDREW MARVELL

1. In pairs, highlight the words or phrases which are about slowing down time in one colour, and the words which are about speeding things up in a different colour. Why does Marvell use this contrasting language in the poem? 2. In stanza one, why does Marvell make extensive use of the conditional tense? (E.g. 'We would..', 'you should..', 'I would...') 3. Identify an example of hyperbole or exaggeration. What is the effect of this? 4. In stanza two, what verb does Marvell repeat to indicate their certain future? What effect does this have? 5. What extended metaphor is used in this stanza is used to describe the future predicted by speaker if they delay? 6. In stanza three, what word is repeated to emphasise the importance of taking action immediately? 7. Why do you think the poet makes greater use of the pronouns 'we' and 'us' in this stanza than in the previous two stanzas?