To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell (detailed analysis)

Detailed analysis by Claire's Notes of To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell
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I have been an English teacher and private tutor for more than 20 years.
Please note that any literature analysis is highly subjective and may disagree with analysis by another person. All interpretations are valid if they can be justified by reference to the text. This interpretation is my own: it is not exhaustive and there are alternatives!
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[@krisyallowega5487]

I am not a student, sadly those days have past. What had me restart this journey was through a documentary. Although not about literature, but a moment shared by a father and son. The Redfords as they shared the Eliot quote "But perhaps neither gain nor loss, for us there is only the trying. The rest is none of our business." The look on their faces as it was recalled was momentous for me. I don't know why it affected me so much, but I have been reading and researching much more. So much so, that I have been enjoying T.S. Eliot's The Love song of J Alfred Prufrock. I have read it numerous times and have had many interpretations of it. As Eliot alludes to many epic pieces in this particular poem, "squeeze the universe into a ball." I commented elsewhere today, about "talking of Michelangelo," is that not similar to thinking of a potential mistress being coy? He does not hear them talking about it as he is outside looking in. Another point on Prufrock, oh blast, I apologize for ranting about another bit of prose. But I will get to my point eventually, there is a reason for Eliot alluding to other works. It is not because they sound good, we must research a little more in order to get to what he is trying to say. As you said, there is no wrong answer as long as a reader can prove it.

[@shahimaad3527]

Amazing explination very helpful.....

[@ClairesNotes]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Thelightening_guy]

Loved the description, thank you!

[@ClairesNotes]

You're so welcome!

[@pavithrab987]

Nice mam if you have time please explain British literature poetry

[@sanaans8466]

great analysis. thanks

[@ClairesNotes]

My pleasure! I'm glad you found it useful!

[@litzonee9818]

So helpful✨

[@ClairesNotes]

I'm so pleased you found it useful 😀

[@minoninha]

Very nice, thank you.

[@ClairesNotes]

Glad you liked it!

[@rohullaamin]

Long live.. Receive my Love!

[@ClairesNotes]

Thank you! :-)

[@kenmorley2339]

No , mistress is wife . The speaker is an old man who has married a young woman for convenience . One morning he wakes " full of the joys of Spring " . He decides to have carnal knowledge but his young wife refuses . Her objection is " why should I when you do not love me " . Then he mocks the concept of romantic love , after which there is the menace and then a conciliatory mood .

[@amerjason3717]

Very detailed and amazing explanation. Teacher if i were to make a literary critique what best theme or approach should i use? Psychological, feminism etc i really had a hard time picking what js suitable

[@ClairesNotes]

Thank you very much. You are very kind. Feminism didn't exist at the time Marvell was writing so be careful when applying labels such as "feminist" or indeed "anti-feminist" to works that were written before feminism existed as a concept because it's meaningless. Also, make sure you separate the poet from the speaker as in this poem, they are not one and the same. Marvell's fictional speaker tries to use language and false logic to trick his mistress into bed but that does not mean that Marvell shared those views or, indeed, approved of them. By all means talk about how Marvell's speaker presents women though - and how gullible he believes them to be! Hope this helps! :)