A Comparison between To His Coy Mistress and Sonnet 116 Essays -- Andr

A Comparison between To His Coy Mistress and Sonnet 116 The poem To His Coy Mistress was written in the mid 17th century byAndrew Marvell, being written in this time Marvells poem was unableto be published as its taboo topic was unfavoured by the puritans inpower at the time. Whereas Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare waswritten in the late 16th century, a time of liberation and freedom forthe gunpoint and literature.Both poems are similar in theme and yet different in procession, theyboth pursue the theme of love although Marvell in a satirical CarpeDiem love style whereas Shakespeare in a traditional sonnet style.To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell is about a young mans attemptsto lure a cleaning lady into bed the true theme of the poem being more lustthan love, the poem is in fact a parody of Carpe Diem love poetry andcritiques the approach of an over eager young lover. Sonnet 116takes a more serious approach to the theme of love addressing theconcept of eternal love love alte rs not with his brief hours andweeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom.The voice of the two poems also changes dramatically with Marvellthere is an eager young lover spontaneous to change tactics often in orderachieve his goal. The voice is fickle and immature it evokes nigglingsympathy from the reader and has rather a humourous tone to it, this comictone is highlighted by the fact that the poem is written in an iambic rhythm with four heavy stresses generally a rhythm used for comicvalue as it short and snappy allowing just the right amount of timefor punnery and wit this effect is backed up by the poems rhyming dyads generally a rhythm used for comic value as it has a lighttone to it.Shakes... ...imselfmerely a victim in a constant struggle to keep righteousness alive andif winning is impossible then better to lose a lot than a littleThus, though we cannot make our Sun Stand still, yet we will make himrun..Shakespeare also ends on a rhyming couplet though this modest coupletis to lighten the serious tone If this be error and upon me proved, Inever writ, nor no man ever loved. though Shakespeare stresses thatunless love is timeless and priceless and needful it is nonexistentfor Shakespeare believes there are no half measures in love.I personally enjoyed both poems though I preferred WilliamShakespeares Sonnet 116 as I feel the more serious classic approachto love makes more enjoyable reading, although the comic approach ofAndrew Marvells To His Coy Mistress was entertaining it did becomesooner tedious after a while.