Cavalier and metaphysical poetry may seem like two completely different genres, but they actually have quite a few similarities. For one, both types of poetry often make use of conceits, or extended metaphors. In addition, both cavalier and metaphysical poets often write about love and desire.
However, there are also some key differences between these two genres. Cavalier poetry is often more lighthearted and playful, while metaphysical poetry tends to be more intellectual and serious. In addition, cavalier poems often focus on the physical aspects of love, while metaphysical poems often explore the more spiritual side of things.
All in all, both cavalier and metaphysical poetry offer a unique perspective on love and desire. If you’re interested in exploring these two genres further, be sure to check out some of the examples below.
Robert Herricks Cavalier poem Counsel to Girls and Andrew Marvells metaphysical poem To His Coy Mistress are comparable in many ways, while they differ in others. These poems of love and life might be summed up with the phrase Gather ye rosebuds while you may, because Old Time is still fleeting away from Counsel to Girls. This line encapsulates the message of Carpe Diem expressed throughout these works. Robert Herricks Counsel to Girls is a Cavalier poem written in the 16th century.
He is giving advice to young girls on how to enjoy life and love while they still can. The speaker tells the girls that time is fleeting and they need to take advantage of their youth by gathering experiences and pleasures. He also advises them to find a good husband, as that is the best way to have a fulfilling life. The speaker in To His Coy Mistress is also advising his lover on how to live life. However, this poem has a more metaphysical feel to it. The speaker in this poem wants to love his mistress forever, but knows that they will not be able to because of the brevity of life.
He tells her that they should enjoy their time together while they can, and even though they will not be able to be together in the end, they will always be in each others hearts. Both of these poems are about Carpe Diem, or seizing the day. They are warning the readers that life is short and that they should enjoy their time while they can. These poems are also similar in that they both advise the readers to find a good husband.
A husband would provide stability and a good life for the woman in these poems. However, there are some differences between these two poems. The Cavalier poem Counsel to Girls is more light-hearted and happy than To His Coy Mistress. The speaker in Counsel to Girls is giving advice to young girls who are just starting out in life, while the speaker in To His Coy Mistress is giving advice to his lover who is already in a relationship.
Counsel to Girls is also more straightforward in its advice, while To His Coy Mistress contains more metaphors and hidden meanings. Overall, these two poems are similar in that they both advise the readers to enjoy life and find a good husband. They contrast in that Counsel to Girls is more light-hearted and happy, while To His Coy Mistress is darker and more metaphysical.
In this poem, by Andrew Marvell, a woman is talking about life and love to a younger person. The speaker advises the younger individual to enjoy herself while she may, since it will pass away. Personification is prevalent in this lyrical poem, such as the Lamp of Heaven. Life is personified as a lamp (sun). The poet uses solar movements to represent different aspects of life. Youth is symbolized by the sun rising, and death is represented by the sun setting fast. This poem’s main topic is Carpe Diem. To His Coy MistressAndrew Marvell’s passionate metaphysical poem focuses on love.
The speaker tries to persuade the woman with several different ways that she should spend less time being coy and more time enjoying life with him. The speaker talks about how they could spend eternity together if only she would agree to his advances now.
However, the speaker also talks about how time is fleeting and death is inevitable, so they should take advantage of the time they have now. Counsel to Girls and To His Coy Mistress are both Cavalier poems that explore the theme of Carpe Diem. Counsel to Girls is a more lighthearted look at life, while To His Coy Mistress is a more serious exploration of the theme.
Both poems use personification to emphasize their points, with Counsel to Girls using the sun as a metaphor for life and To His Coy Mistress using the idea of a ticking clock to represent the urgency of seizing the day. Cavalier poems are typically more lighthearted and playful, while metaphysical poems are more serious in tone. This is reflected in the two poems discussed here. Counsel to Girls is more focused on enjoying life, while To His Coy Mistress is more concerned with making the most of the time that they have.
The two poems are both about a young lady whose emotions are controlled by an older man. He personifies their love as it grows like vegetables and tries to entice her to love him. Marvell also personifies time when he says that time gradually consumes love.
He wants her to grab hold of each day and return his affection. Both works deal with the concept of seizing the day or Carpe Diem in some way. Both poems, like many lyric poems, emphasize the importance of youth. The lyric poems are likewise concerned with the significance of youthfulness.
Cavalier poetry was written in the 1600s and metaphysical poetry was written in the early 1700s. The Cavalier poets wrote about a life of leisure and luxury, while the metaphysical poets wrote about more abstract topics such as love and death. The Cavalier poets were more interested in writing pretty poems, while the metaphysical poets were more interested in making their poems deep and meaningful.
Metaphysical poetry is seen as a precursor to Romantic poetry, which is evident by its focus on intense emotions and its interest in the spiritual world. In my opinion, I believe that Cavalier poetry is better than metaphysical poetry. Cavalier poetry has a light-heartedness about it that I enjoy, while metaphysical poetry can be a bit heavy-handed at times.
However, both styles of poetry have their merits and it is ultimately up to the reader to decide which they prefer. Counsel to Girls is a light-hearted poem that tells girls to enjoy their youth and not worry about getting married. To His Coy Mistress is a bit more serious, but still deals with the theme of carpe diem. Both poems are well-written and offer different perspectives on life.