Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson we will:

1. Be able to analyse To his Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell

Coy Definition

Coyness: Evasiveness, hesitancy, modesty, coquetry, reluctance; playing hard to get.

Affectedly and usually flirtatiously shy or modest.

(pretending to be) shy

One more clue

rubies: Gems that may be rose red or purplish red. In folklore, it is said that rubies protect and maintain virginity.

Task One

Each group will be assigned a person who has studied the poem already.

If you have studied the poem already it is your job to take the rest of the group line by line and explain what is happening in the poem.

What happens in the poemThe speaker of the poem addresses a woman who has been slow to respond to his sexual advances.

In the first stanza he describes how he would love her if they had an unlimited amount of time. He could spend centuries admiring each part of her body and her refusal to comply would not faze him.

In the second stanza, he remembers how short human life is. Once it is over, the opportunity to enjoy each other is gone because no one embraces in the grave.

In the last stanza, the speaker urges the woman to comply, arguing that in loving each other with passion they will make the most of the brief time they have to live.

What I missed: To His Coy Mistress

Although Andrew Marvell writes "To His Coy Mistress" in first-person point of view, he presents the poem as the plea of another man.

The poet enters the mind of the man and reports his thoughts as they manifest themselves. The young man is impatient, desperately so, unwilling to tolerate temporizing on the part of the young lady. His motivation appears to be carnal desire rather than true love; passion rules him. Consequently, one may describe him as immature and selfish.

Task Two

I want you to compare two images from the poem. One romantic image and one image to do with death.

You need to focus on:

1. What the speaker is trying to say2. What this shows about the speaker’s relationship4. What this shows about his personality3. What is the poet trying to say in this poem – what are it’s themes and issues

How does he use language to do this

Task Three

If you had to compare this poem to one other in the relationship cluster which one would you choose and why?

Draw a spider diagram of what you would say in an essay on this poem and one other in the relationship cluster.