What does we had the world but enough and time mean?

The first lines of “To His Coy Mistress,” a poem by the seventeenth-century English poet Andrew Marvell. The poet tells a woman whom he loves that if they had endless time and space at their disposal, then he could accept her unwillingness to go to bed with him.

Considering this, have we had the world enough and time?

Had we but world enough and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime. To walk, and pass our long love's day.

Likewise, what does Time's winged chariot mean? In poetry, especially love poetry, time is personified as being the enemy of lovers. Time will bring death, the awareness of which is always with the speaker, "at my back I always hear / Time's winged chariot hurrying near". A chariot is an old type of carriage pulled by horses, commonly associated with war.

Secondly, had we but world enough and time this coyness lady were no crime Meaning?

Some critics believe the poem is an ironic statement on sexual seduction. They reject the idea that Marvell's poem carries a serious and solemn mood. Rather, the poem's opening lines—"Had we but world enough, and time/ This coyness, Lady, were no crime"—seems to suggest quite a whimsical tone of regret.

What do Herrick and Marvell say about time?

Herrick's poem is a warning to young, beautiful, unmarried women to make the most of their time and marry young. He uses to metaphor to compare the women's youthful beauty to flowers that will begin to die as they age. Meanwhile, Marvell's poem is a bit more personal.

13 Related Question Answers Found

What is a carpe diem poem?

Carpe Diem is a Latin phrase which means “seize the day”. This phrase is taken from considered one of Horace's Odes. In carpe diem poetry, the speaker places emphasis on the truth that life is brief and the time is fleeting. He insists on his auditor to benefit from the current scenario.

What vegetable love means?

Answered Nov 2, 2019. The vegetable love reference in Andrew Marvell's poem explains the years that he would spend growing his love, like a vegetable grows slowly, rooted and strong, in the earth. And he would bide his time admiring her physical beauty.

What is the speaker urging his sweetheart?

What is the speaker urging his sweetheart to do? Why is she being "coy"? The speaker is urging his mistress to live life to its fullest, and in the moment. He's propbably trying to get her to have sex with him by employing the "we could die tomorrow" argument, and that is most likely why she is being so very coy.

What is meant by metaphysical poetry?

Definition of metaphysical poetry. : highly intellectualized poetry marked by bold and ingenious conceits, incongruous imagery, complexity and subtlety of thought, frequent use of paradox, and often by deliberate harshness or rigidity of expression.

What does deserts of vast eternity mean?

The “Deserts of vast eternity” have also a meaning concerning the tenor of time, not only the space will be endless, but also their time together. Another use of imagery that is worth mentioning in this poem is love in a more physical way. And a third, other theme is called tempus fugit, which means that time flies.

What is a marble vault?

the "marble vault" is a reference to. a. the grave and the Mistress's body. b. the Mistress's perfume.

What does it mean to be coy?

coy. Take the adjective coy for a person who pretends to be shy but really isn't, or someone who could give a definite answer but won't. Originally meaning "quiet and shy," today someone who is coy pretends to be shy in a playful manner — often as a form of flirting.

What does the speaker in to the virgins say about marriage?

The speaker of "To the Virgins" doesn't say anything about marriage until the second-to-last line of the poem, where he tells the virgins to "go marry" so they don't spend their whole life being single. It turns out, in fact, that the whole poem has been about marriage.

When was to the virgins written?

Well, people weren't as picky about plagiarism back in 17th century as they are today. We're not entirely sure when Herrick wrote "To the Virgins," but he published it in 1648 in a collection of poems called Hesperides.