To The Virgins, to Make Much of Time
Robert Herrick
At first glance this poem seems to be talking solely about the passing of time and heeding a warning to all that they must use every moment to their best potential so as not to let time be wasted. Herrick is saying not to let time be wasted but he is also saying it specifically to a group a people. Look first at the title of the poem. The poem is addressed specifically to "The Virgins". The Virgins are most commonly interpreted as young women because with being so young, they have not experienced the act of sex (Muller, 2011). Since Herrick is directly addressing people who are young, it changes the context in which the poem is read from. Herrick is not talking to everyone, just the young women and is quite obviously saying to them to take advantage of their youth. Whether because love is most often found in youth (or more likely lust), it isn't clear until the poem is read further to discover deeper connotations.
The poem then becomes more complex after the title. Herrick references the passing of time while comparing youth's beauty with nature, which will also grow old and lose it's beauty similarly to women. Muller says,"In the first stanza, the speaker tells the women to “gather ye rosebuds” (line 1) as long as they can, using the flower to symbolize the women's beauty" (2011). Herrick also compares the beauty of women's youth to the sun. He notes that as the sun becomes higher in the sky, the sun becomes "glorious". By saying that the sun becomes more beautiful the higher it gets in the sky, he is also saying that the beauty of women increases from very young to mid-life, since the sun then begins to descend in the sky half way through the day; his words being "The sooner will his race be run, / And nearer he's to setting" (line 7-8). Herrick not only references the decrease of beauty in old age, but also death (Muller, 2011). Since he has made it clear that he is talking to women who are young and pure, it is assumed that Herrick is telling these women to not go their whole youth (or life) without experiencing the act of sex since "That age is best which is the first, / When youth and blood are warmer;" (line 9-10). Muller goes on to say this: "The speaker results that if the women wait forever and not lose their virginity now while they are young, they will be alone for the rest of their life" (2011). From reading and dissecting the poem, what Muller states is fairly accurate. When women start to age, they become undesirable, and Herrick warns these women of youth to not let themselves become undesirable.
Since Herrick tells the masses of young women not to let time take away their youth and ultimately their desirability, it is safe to say that this is not the romantic poem that is interpreted at face value. In fact, it could be seen as a way to persuade women to give away their virginity to anyone since time could take them sooner than they planned. It even says this in lines 13-14: "Then be not coy, and use your time, / And while ye may go marry:" Because there is an undertone of persuasion towards women to give up on purity so they can seize the day and live in the moment, this throws away the idea that this poem is referencing acts of love being done whenever possible. The content of the poem does not promise love either, only the possibility. It can only be assumed that where there is desire there is also lust, therefore making this poem more about the lust and desire of men after women.
Ultimately, the idea of carpe diem in To The Virgins, to Make Much of Time by Robert Herrick is flawed. Seizing the day is a great concept and should definitely be used in daily life, but the concept is meant for everyone, not just young women. Seizing the day is not the same as seizing impurity because of the possibility of being undesirable later. The way carpe diem is utilized by Robert Herrick is lustfully driven.
The poem then becomes more complex after the title. Herrick references the passing of time while comparing youth's beauty with nature, which will also grow old and lose it's beauty similarly to women. Muller says,"In the first stanza, the speaker tells the women to “gather ye rosebuds” (line 1) as long as they can, using the flower to symbolize the women's beauty" (2011). Herrick also compares the beauty of women's youth to the sun. He notes that as the sun becomes higher in the sky, the sun becomes "glorious". By saying that the sun becomes more beautiful the higher it gets in the sky, he is also saying that the beauty of women increases from very young to mid-life, since the sun then begins to descend in the sky half way through the day; his words being "The sooner will his race be run, / And nearer he's to setting" (line 7-8). Herrick not only references the decrease of beauty in old age, but also death (Muller, 2011). Since he has made it clear that he is talking to women who are young and pure, it is assumed that Herrick is telling these women to not go their whole youth (or life) without experiencing the act of sex since "That age is best which is the first, / When youth and blood are warmer;" (line 9-10). Muller goes on to say this: "The speaker results that if the women wait forever and not lose their virginity now while they are young, they will be alone for the rest of their life" (2011). From reading and dissecting the poem, what Muller states is fairly accurate. When women start to age, they become undesirable, and Herrick warns these women of youth to not let themselves become undesirable.
Since Herrick tells the masses of young women not to let time take away their youth and ultimately their desirability, it is safe to say that this is not the romantic poem that is interpreted at face value. In fact, it could be seen as a way to persuade women to give away their virginity to anyone since time could take them sooner than they planned. It even says this in lines 13-14: "Then be not coy, and use your time, / And while ye may go marry:" Because there is an undertone of persuasion towards women to give up on purity so they can seize the day and live in the moment, this throws away the idea that this poem is referencing acts of love being done whenever possible. The content of the poem does not promise love either, only the possibility. It can only be assumed that where there is desire there is also lust, therefore making this poem more about the lust and desire of men after women.
Ultimately, the idea of carpe diem in To The Virgins, to Make Much of Time by Robert Herrick is flawed. Seizing the day is a great concept and should definitely be used in daily life, but the concept is meant for everyone, not just young women. Seizing the day is not the same as seizing impurity because of the possibility of being undesirable later. The way carpe diem is utilized by Robert Herrick is lustfully driven.
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