1. To His Coy Mistress Andrew Marvell
To understand Marvell’s use of humour and persuasion in the poem.
Persuasive technique
Rank
Threats
Bribery (incentives)
Flattery
Warning
Pronouns (we/our/you)
Exaggeration
Humour

2. Annotate the title of this poem
Annotate the title of this poem. What does this suggest about both the speaker and subject?
His Coy Mistress
Think about the connotations of ‘his’ and the double meaning of ‘Mistress.’
Coy: making a pretence of shyness or modesty which is intended to be alluring.

3. Andrew Marvell
Andrew Marvell is often described as being a metaphysical poet, using images and word play to express complex ideas and feelings.
Much of his poetry deals with ideas of existence and truth.
His poetry is also humorous, often using satire to attack or mock others.
His poems are often centred on wealthier people, especially those at court - high up enough in society to be around royalty and those in power.

4. To His Coy Mistress Had 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.
To His Coy Mistress

5. But at my back I always hear Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near;
To His Coy Mistress
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.

6. 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-chapped 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.
To His Coy Mistress

7. Subject and Message
The speaker of the poem is trying to convince his "mistress" that they should seize the day and not hold back from expressing their feelings for each other, and so should sleep together.
The fact that this is something he is proposing tells us the couple are not married.
What is the message of the poem?

8. Structure & Language
There are three stanzas. What is the topic of each stanza? What is the speaker talking about in each one?
In the first stanza, find all the words and phrases that relate to romance and traditional courting and flirting.
In the second stanza, find all the words and phrases that relate to death and decay.
In the third stanza, find all the words and phrases that relate to speed, urgency, and passion.

9. How does the speaker try to persuade his subject?
Look through your given stanza and annotate:
The rhyme scheme
Language techniques
Persuasive techniques
Threats
Bribery
Flattery
Warnings
Pronouns
Exaggeration
Humour
2 tables to look at each stanza.

10. Pronouns (we/our/you)
Persuasion
Threats
Bribery (incentives)
Flattery
Warning
Pronouns (we/our/you)
Exaggeration
Humour
Write a poem, trying to persuade Mr. Kempner to let you out of lesson early.
Think about how you could incorporate as many different persuasive techniques as you can.