Christopher Marlowe’s “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” and Robert Herrick’s “To the Virgins, Make Much of Time” share the same common theme of Carpe Diem. They also have many differences such as the tone, and the type of poem. Marlowe’s is more of a romantic poem, a Shepherd expressing his love to a woman. Herrick’s is more of a preachy poem, the poet is telling these young virgins that they need to hurry up and get married because they do not have much time. Both Marlowe’s “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” and Herrick’s “To the Virgins, Make Much of Time” Share the same common theme; Carpe Diem. Carpe Diem means seize the day. In both poems, the poets express that they have a short amount of time and that they need to live life to the fullest. In Marlowe’s Poem, the poet wants this woman to marry him and live a happy life together. “The shepherds' swains shall dance and sing for thy delight each May morning: If these delights thy mind may move, Then live with me and be my love” (Marlowe) In Herrick’s poem, the poet expresses his opinion to these young virgin women, tellin...
These poems have quite a few similarities, as well as their differences. Mariam Waddington’s, “Thou Didst Say Me,” displays love being overly joyous but also heart-breaking and despondent. On the other hand Alfred Tennyson’s, “Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal,” depicts a sugary love story all calm and beautiful. Both offered their end of the bargain: conflicting sentiments toward love relations to the table and ultimately delivering a unique testimony about the subject of, love. And as always love may have its golden tragedies but one always has a hold of their own feelings of love.
Both poems represent the despairs and failures of the love they hone for their beloved, with brings a touch of sadness to the poems. From this the reader can feel almost sympathetic to the unrequited lovers, and gain an understanding of the perils and repercussions of love.
The them of “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” and “To His Coy Mistress” is carpe diem. The carpe diem them states, “life is brief, so let us seize the day.” In “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” Herrick simply states:
Romeo Montague, age 16, died due to poison on August 14, 1595, in the tomb of the Capulets. Born on December 16, 1579, Romeo lived a short life, but it was a full of love, heartbreak and fun. Romeo was the only son of the Capulet family. He was loved dearly by both his mother and father, Lord and Lady Montague and many others. Romeo is survived by his parents, Lord and Lady Montague, of Verona; his relatives, Benvolio and Mercutio (Dead), of Verona; and his servant, Balthasar. A great leader and strong role model, Romeo knew when to have fun and when to fool around with his friends.
"'Carpe Diem'('seize the day') is a Latin phrase which has come to denote an important literary motif especially common in lyric poetry: the encouragement to make the most of present life while it lasts, or to 'live for the moment," (The UVic Writer's Guide). Both Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and Dylan Thomas's "Do Not Go Gentle" explore the idea that people should attempt to live life to its fullest. Thomas's poem, written to his father, employs a very emotional, pleading style that deeply appeals to the audience, while Frost's poem, a series of thoughts about his own eventual death, exhibits a more pensive, practical, subtle style that craftily forces the audience to think of their own eventual demise. The themes of the two poems are similar in that both explain that death is impending, that people should not take for granted the time they have left on earth, and that people need courage to face death and to realize when death can wait. Thomas, however, strongly believes that people should take an active role in what happens to them during their lives as evident in his fervent, cogent tone, while Frost believes that each person has an appropriate time to die, and that people should try to accomplish their obligations before they let themselves give in to death's temptation.
Ever hear of the phrase “carpe diem”? It is a common Latin phrase meaning “seize the day” or in plain English, make the most of the time you have. This phrase is very well portrayed in Robert Herrick’s most popular poem “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time”. Herrick was an established poet in the mid-1900’s who lacked ambition but wrote remarkable poems. He was a graduate from Cambridge University, which took him seven years to complete, and a member of Ben Jonson’s circle of young friends (Herrick 380). Herrick was later appointed a priest at the parish of Dean Prior, in Devonshire. He carried this title at Dean Prior until he died at the age of 83 (Herrick 380). His education, unique living style, and his friends, all greatly influenced his extraordinary poems. In Herrick’s poem he describes carpe diem by using vivid words and images and by connecting the meaning and theme to personal feelings.
Come live with me and be my love" Written in any stanza of a poem would suggest that the poem was about love, but here Marlowe chooses to start and end the poem with the same. line. The. This suggests two things that this indeed was the reason for writing the poem, to woo his love. Or maybe the line was not meant.
The logical argument for the "carpe diem" theme is built up from beginning to end. At the start, the first stanza of the poem is full of flattery. This is the appeal of pathos. The speaker uses the mistress's emotions and vanity to gain her attention. By complimenting her on her beauty and the kind of love she deserves, he's getting her attention.
Comparing Sir Walter Raleigh's "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd" to Christopher Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love"
The purpose of the sorrowful imagery in "The Garden of Love" was to create a negative mood and the purpose of the love-filled diction was to create a positive mood, but to take it one step further one must ask what the purpose of establishing these contrasting moods in each poem? "The Garden of Love" contains depressing images and has a gloomy mood to portray hell as the epitome of depression and negativity whereas "The Shepherd" contrasts this setting by using friendly diction to create a joyful mood to portray heaven as the quintessence of joy and peace.
These two poems are alike and different in their own way. The Passionate Shepherd to His Love and The Nymphs Reply to the Shepherd are both trying to mirror each other on their structure of the poems. Both Christopher Marlowe and Sir Walter Raleigh had a very unique way of writing and making these poems so similar, but throwing in different types of love and view points.
Comparing How do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and A Brithday by Christina Rosetti
The idea of carpe diem, seize the day, is seen in many works of literature. Many people use this as a mantra, believing that it is important to stop and take in the little things that can go unnoticed in life. Some people also believe that people should try, whenever possible, to help each other out. In “Two Tramps in Mud Time”, Robert Frost shows the idea of carpe diem as well as how we should take of other people.
The use of figurative language and imagery in the two sonnets “How do I love thee” by Elizabeth Browning, and “Shall I compare Thee to a summer’s day” by William Shakespeare, convey complex emotions pertaining to love. The way that Shakespeare describes his feelings toward his significant other, suggests that he desires for the love he shares with his possible mistress to transcend death and last eternally. Mrs. Browning’s use of figurative language is more apparent, as she describes the various ways that she loves this particular person, expressing the extent of her intense unconditional love. Shakespeare uses personification of the Sun, during a summer’s day, to determine whether a summer’s day actually captures the essence of this individual that he loves so dearly. Shakespeare’s sonnet asks a question that he answers when he writes this person into an existence that will last for an eternity, which a limited summers day cannot. Shakespeare’s use of imagery and figurative language is more effective.
The only strong comparison between the poets, in terms of structure and technique, is that the meaning of their poems run much deeper then the specific words on a page. Even this can come as a contrast when looking at these three poems. “Home Burial,” by Frost is a fairly straightforward poem, written in dialogue, with the writer working as the narrator. The poem is about a married couple dealing wi...