Analysis of an Argument
The speaker is arguing to a woman about how much he would like to admire her, and ultimately become sexually intimate with her if there were “time.” Based on his conviction, time is running out, since time cannot be stopped and so the speaker and woman will miss out on the opportunity to enjoy each other’s physical body and pleasures. He is also finding ways to basically make her see why she should have sex with him because it will allow time to stop (so-to-speak).
Is the argument valid?
I think that depending on the perspective of the reader, it may or may not be valid. From the speaker’s perspective it is valid because he’s saying “why not just enjoy sex because we will die one day and regret not doing it!”. However, from the perspective of anyone else, there are aspects that are invalid about his argument. For example, why would he not be able to enjoy her beauty considering she is standing there in front of him? Also, the excuse about time is a bit weak for his attempt to convince her to be with him. Depending on the nature of their relationship, it may or may not be a romantic gesture. If they just met, then it is a horrible for him to say this, but if they have been in a committed relationship, then it may be quite romantic. Like I mentioned, it is about perspective. (Street, 2008).
How would you refute it?
I would refute this argument by stating that time is what you make of it, and that when, who, and how abruptly one has sex is in no way going to make time stop, therefore the argument is ludicrous.
Many consider this poem to be a satire; what is satirizing?
It is fairly obvious to see this poem as a satire due to the extreme desperation and foolishness of his comparison of time with sex. To state that sex has that much power over an individual really appears to be intended to show the mockery of pathetic behavior common in men in order convince a woman to have sex. Clearly this speaker is insisting in the most fanatical sense the reasons for the two of them to become intimate.
Marvell uses a literary technique called “hyperbole”- (a form of exaggeration); give two examples:
Example 1-My echoing song; then worms shall try
That long preserv’d virginity
Example 2- Thus, though we cannot make our sun
Stand still, yet we will make him run.
Why does Marvell use hyperbole?
Marvell uses hyperbole to add flair and vividness to the poem. By using the ideas of worms “taking her virginity” the message of how sad and pointless it would be for her to remain without having has sex, in case she died a virgin, it really amplified here. Then in the second example of making the sun run delivers the sentiment of the power that sex could have on time through the experience.
What conclusion does Marvell draw?
Based on my understanding of the way that the poem unfolds, Marvell draws the conclusion that all these nuances of the sadness of her dying prior to losing her virginity could all be gone once they have sex, which apparently eases his mind.
What support(s)/evidence does he give?
The primary pieces of evidence he give are in describing the pleasure of the passion that would be felt and the freedom that they would feel. The last two stanzas show the sense of achievement also.
How does his commentary use the support to argue for the conclusion?
His commentary about the death of the lady as a virgin left for worms to crawl up her genitalia to “de-virginize” her seems like it was convincing enough to put such a terrorizing thought in her mind that she proceeded to go for his suggestion.
Write a counter-point (poetry or prose) from the woman’s point of view
Mine life is not but to feel your touch,
I think of other thing so much,
Like where I go
As I grow
Do not be silly,
I need not your willy,
For mine life is more,
Than to be your whore.
Works Cited
Grube, G. M. A. ""To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell." Five Dialogues. 2nd ed.
Indianapolis: Hackett Pub., 1981. Print.
Shoemaker, S.L. Recognizing Arguements and Logical Fallacies. PowerPoint Presentation. 26
June 2015. Web.
Street, Marc D. Taking Sides. 11th ed. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill Contemporary Learning
Series, 2008. Print.
