"To his Coy Mistress" analysis lines 11-25

By Andrew Marvell

In the lines 11-25 the poet describes the woman by using time and by analyzing her physical appearance. The poet says that his love for her grows as a vegetable. He uses time in order to make the reader understand that his lover is more and more beautiful with the passing of time. He uses an ironical tone.

In line 10 The poet uses an ironical tone. There is no time but even if there were a lot of time ( "till the conversion of the Jews") his lover would always refused him.

In line 11 The poet calls his love "vegetable" in order to explain that his love grows up as a vegetable and it is also fragile.

In line 12 He compares his love to an empire in order to make us understand that it is something big, wide and powerful. It is something that is not easy to reach. The poem reminds us the concept of female coyness in love.

In line 13 Also in this line the poet uses an ironical tone emphasized by an Hyperbole.

In line 14 The word "forehead" underlines the proximity with her.

In lines 15-16 The poet uses a temporal Hyperbole referring to her breasts. He uses a metaphor in order to make fun of her coyness. We also find the rhyme "breast-rest".

In lines 17-18-19 He says that every part of her body must be devolved for 100 years. Also here we find an ironical tone because it's impossible that people can live more that 100 years.

In lines 21-22 The poet here uses a metaphor "time's winged chariot" in order to underline the passing of time.

In line 23-24 The poet does not agree with her coyness because they don't have much time left. We also find an ossimoro "vast eternity": it is used with an ironical tone. He tries to defend himself from what he cannot get.