Sunday, March 17, 2019
The Theme of Carpe Diem in Robert Herricks To the Virgins to Make Much
The mind of Carpe Diem in Robert Herricks To the Virgins to Make Much of Time Robert Herricks metrical composition, To the Virgins to Make Much of Time, foc exercises on the idea of carpe diem. More specifically, in this poem the idea of marriage patch love and flesh are quiesce young should be heeded or one may suffer in their later years whole and loveless. Herrick suggests that this gift of virginity might be a great waste if non given while it is still desirable. Virginity is a gift for the simple rationalness that it can single be given once to the taker of the prize, which he believes should be the husband. Therefore, he says to go out and find husbands, for youth is not unremitting and will eventually succumb to grey age and loneliness. Through Herricks use of colorful imagery and personification, the reader detects a sense of spurring and province for the virgins to go forth and marry while duration is still at hand and love is bountiful, thus creating the overa ll idea of carpe diem.The first stanza of the poem opens to the personification of the flowers as the virginsGather ye Rose-buds while ye may,Old Time is still a flyingAnd this same flower that smiles today,To morrow will be dying. (ll. 1-4)The rosebuds delay to the virgins in that they are beautiful and delicate, yet they have not reached their effective potential and maturity by becoming full bloomed roses. Time is alike personified as, Old Time, which suggests a genial greybeard more than a dark reaper (Rollin 83). Time is still a flying suggests a amusive image more than ominous but still one of urgency (Rollin 83). The image of the smiling flower indicates innocence and freshness but it only smiles today, To morrow it will be dying. A grim and abrupt end comes to t... ...s crossways his idea of carpe diem in a very understandable way. The images used were easily comprehended, and the poem was often comical. His advice is very typical of a charismatic patch who easily c an manipulate words in his favor. One example that came across from this poem was one of entertainment, and not surprisingly mostly on the behalf of men. I can imagine the laughter this poem would draw from women in a bar if a man attempted to use these arguments as pick-up lines. Yet, the message does have a serious light in that time should not be taken for granted. Something that one may possess today, much(prenominal) as beauty or youthfulness, will eventually succumb to old age. Experience things while they are still fresh and untouched, for later on one may regret not having done so.Works CitedRollin, Roger B. Robert Herrick. in the altogether York Twayne Publishers, 1992. 83-84.
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