cause time is very short. We do not know what will happen tomorrow, so we should not waste today.
In literature, the Carpe Diem theory is used to say:
- Life is short
- Time passes quickly
- Death will come soon
- So we should enjoy love and happiness now
Many poets used this idea in their poems, especially in the 17th century. Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) was one of them. He used the ‘Carpe Diem’ theory in his famous poem “To His Coy Mistress,” most likely written in the 1650s. This poem is an attempt by the poet to seduce his “coy mistress.” He says that time moves very fast, and if they wait too long, they will lose the chance to enjoy love. So, he proposes that they should enjoy love now, while they are young and full of energy. Here is how he talks about time and death/uses this theory in this poem.
First Part—If We Had Time: At the beginning, Marvell says that if they had so much time, he would wait forever to love her slowly and gently. He would spend a hundred years praising her eyes.
“An hundred years should go to praise
Thine eyes,...”
Moreover, he would spend two hundred years to adore each of her breasts, and thousands of years for each part of her body. He also says that his vegetable-like love would grow slowly and vaster than empires. The speaker assures that his lovely lady deserves this kind of admiration. But this is only possible if they had unlimited time.
Second Part—Time is Running Fast: Then, Marvell changes his tone. He reminds her that time is passing quickly. He says he always hears:
“Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near;”
This is a metaphor (conceit). It means time is chasing them like a fast chariot. Death is coming closer every minute. When they die, her beauty will be gone. She will be in a grave, where nobody can love or kiss her. He says:
“The grave’s a fine and private place,
But none, I think, do there embrace.”
This shows that they should not wait too long. Love is not possible after death.
Third Part—Enjoy Love Now: In the last part of the poem, Marvell gives his final message:
They should love each other now, while they are still young and full of energy. He says they should enjoy loving each other with full energy, like amorous birds. He says:
“Now let us sport us while we may”
Here, “sport” refers to loving each other with full energy. Moreover, Marvell says that though they cannot stop the sun, they can make time run faster by loving each other with full passion. This means that they can enjoy life so fully that it will feel like time is passing happily and faster for them. This is the full spirit of ‘Carpe Diem.’
To wrap up, Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” is a perfect example of the ‘Carpe Diem’ theory. He tells his coy mistress that life is short, time is fast, and death is near. So they should not waste their youth. They should enjoy love now, before it is too late. Through clever metaphors and strong feelings, Marvell shows that we must seize the day and live fully in the present moment.
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