How to Read Andrew Marvell? Representative Poet of the Late 17 th Century

Reading Andrew Marvell  (1621 – 78), a representative poet of the late 17th century, requires an appreciation for his unique blend of metaphysical and lyrical poetry. Marvell's works are characterized by their intellectual depth, wit, and intricate use of imagery. As a poet who lived during a time of political turmoil and societal change, his poems often reflect a complex interplay between personal emotions and broader themes. To delve into Marvell's poetry, it's crucial to understand the metaphysical conceits he employs – elaborate and extended comparisons that link seemingly disparate ideas. These conceits offer layers of meaning and demand careful analysis to fully grasp their implications.

Of the puritan poets and satirist, who were not many, one of the most endearing was Andrew Marvell  (1621 – 78) and the other the greatest of the poets of the century was John Milton. Marvell was tutor to the daughter of Lord Fairfax, the great parliamentary general. Marvell was, strangely, unlike ‘the conventional harsh and gloomy puritan, the enemy of all wordly and artistic amusement’. 

Andrew Marvell’s portrait, done by Hanneman, represents him as a thirty seven year old, brilliant – eyed laughing person with a mocking mouth and a calm brow. His verses written in his thirtieth year glow with human love and feeling for nature. Even in poems of maturity we find the same gaiety – a jovial and mirth – loving spirit. There is not much of space for religion in Marvell’s poetry. Marvell's works often weigh conflicting values, such as introspection versus action, or nature versus society.

Scholars consider 17th-century English poet Andrew Marvell a member of the “metaphysical” school, along with poets John Donne, George Herbert, and others. Marvell’s poetry covered many forms, ranging from sharp political satires to pastorals and love poems.

 

True to the Zietgiest – the Renascence, Marvell suffused his poems with a sense of joyous romanticism which is its cordial, vital quality. He respected the Bible, but at the same time ‘loved wine, women and song’. Through he disliked pastoral convention and descriptions, he was inspired by the country. 

Andrew Marvell was lover of nature. His love of nature was spontaneous as that of the lake poets. He strikes a Wordsworthian note in the poem Upon the Hill and Grove at Billborough. He describes with familiarity the aspects of the country and its trees and birds in his longest poem, Upon Appleton House. He anticipates Wordsworth when he prefers the song of the dove to that of the nightingale. Marvell’s love for animal is gracefully expressed in his poem The Nymph Complaining for the Death of her Fawn. Marvell identified the suffering of those creatures with that of his own. It was Marvell who sang first about the glory and beauty of gardens and orchards. That was his dearest joy. It seemed to him that all creation is  / Annihilating all that’s made / To a green thought a green shade.

Now let's quote few famous lines from Andrew Marvell :-

"I have a garden of my own,

But so with roses overgrown,
And lilies, that you would it guess
To be a little wilderness."

-"The Nymph Complaining for the Death of her Fawn"

"Such was that happy garden-state,

While man there walk'd without a mate."

-"The Garden"

"Had we but world enough, and time,
This coyness, Lady, were no crime.
We would sit down, and think which way
To walk, and pass our long Love’s Day.
Thou by the Indian Ganges side
Should'st rubies find: I by the tide
Of Humber would complain. I would
Love you ten years before the Flood,
And you should, if you please, refuse
Till the conversion of the Jews.
My vegetable love should grow
Vaster then empires, and more slow;
An hundred years should go to praise
Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze.
Two hundred to adore each breast;
But thirty thousand to the rest.
An age at least to every part,
And the last age should show your heart.
For Lady you deserve this state;
Nor would I love at lower rate."

-"To His Coy Mistress"

Furthermore, Marvell's political and satirical writings, such as "Upon Appleton House" and "The Last Instructions to a Painter," require a contextual understanding of the political landscape of his era. Reading his work through the lens of historical and social influences can enhance comprehension. Marvell's use of paradox, irony, and intricate wordplay adds another layer of complexity to his poems. As you read, consider the tension between the rational and emotional aspects of his verse, appreciating how he navigates philosophical inquiries and personal introspection within the same poem. Engaging with Andrew Marvell's poetry offers a glimpse into the multifaceted literary landscape of the late 17th century, inviting readers to explore the intersection of intellect, emotion, and society.

Ardhendu De