Analyzing Carpe Diem 'To His Coy Mistress'

Carpe Diem is Latin for “seize the day” Andrew Marvell expresses Carpe Diem in his poem “To His Coy Mistress.” Another poet by the name of Sir John Suckling shows the same idea of Carpe Diem in his poem “Song.” Sir John Suckling was born in the 17th century where life was very different when it came to culture media and hygiene. This is shown when a critic by the name of Michael P. Parker who describes Suckling’s early life when he says “Sir John Suckling was born in February, 1609, into a prominent gentry family. His father, also Sir John, was a longtime member of Parliament who held a number of minor positions at court.” However, Carpe Diem is not just shown in 17th century poems but in modern music today a rapper that goes by the name of …show more content…
Andrew Marvell expresses Carpe Diem in his poem “To His Coy Mistress” when the male character beings to try and persuade the female character to try and marry him because life is short. This is an example of Carpe Diem because he is trying to convince her into marriage because will not be young and beautiful forever and back in the 17th century people did not live too long due to lack of medicine. This is shown when the author says. “Had we but world enough, and time, / This coyness lady was no crime/ we would sit down, and think which way/ To walk, and pass our long love’s day” (Lines 1-4). This quote is important to the idea of Carpe Diem because it shows the male characters first attempt …show more content…
I know this because the artist says “Big old houses and three car garage, pull off, ha-ha-ha/ Keep the hammers out in traffic, boy I hopped out, bla-bla-bla” (Lines 9-10). This quote shows Carpe Diem because it shows how he lives almost every day like it is his last because tomorrow is not guaranteed. Another example of Carpe Diem from this song is when the artist says “Now i can see at night, go spend 10 Gs a night” (line 43). This quote also shows Carpe Diem because he spends a lot of money in one night doing what he wants and likes because he is trying to seize each day. Carpe Diem is to seize each day or to live each day as if it were your last. In both poems and the song Carpe Diem is expressed in its own way. The way Carpe Diem was shown in the 17th century is much different than the way it is shown now because we have a longer life expecting in this day and age with this such as improvements in health, medicine, and personal hygiene. Carpe Diem is defined similarly by the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia as “a descriptive term for literature that urges readers to live for the moment.” This is very similar to my own definition of Carpe Diem which is to “Seize the