This is all for the poem "To His Coy Mistress" They're all short answers.
1) What is the speaker trying to convince his mistress to do?
2) Why is she being "coy"?
3) Outline the author's argument in the form of a syllogism or a logical argument where the conclusion is inferred from the two previous truths. Use if, but, and therefore, to form your syllogism.
4) Explain why the poet uses the term "vegetable love"
5) What simile in section 3 contrasts with "vegetable love"? How so?
6) What image in section 3 contrasts with the image of the distance between the Ganges and the Humber?
7) Explain what the poet means by line 24 "Deserts of vast eternity"?
8) For what is sun a metonymy?
9) What philosophy is the poet advancing with this poet?
10) What might acting on physical desire symbolize for the author?
Thanks!
1) The speaker is trying to convince his mistress to engage in a physical relationship with him.
To find this answer, you need to read the poem and analyze the speaker's words and intentions.
2) She is being "coy" because she is seemingly hesitant or reluctant to engage in a physical relationship with the speaker.
To understand why she is being "coy," you need to analyze the speaker's description of her behavior in the poem.
3) The author's argument can be summarized as follows:
- If there was infinite time, the speaker would patiently adore his mistress.
- But time is fleeting and death is inevitable.
- Therefore, the speaker urges his mistress to seize the present and engage in a physical relationship.
To identify the structure of the author's argument, you need to analyze the poem and identify the main points that the speaker uses to persuade his mistress.
4) The poet uses the term "vegetable love" to describe an innocent and pure love that grows slowly, like the growth of plants or vegetables.
To understand why the poet uses the term "vegetable love," you need to consider the context in which it is used and analyze the imagery and ideas associated with it.
5) The simile in section 3 contrasts with "vegetable love" when the speaker compares their love to "amorous birds of prey."
The contrast lies in the nature of the love being described. While "vegetable love" is slow and patient, the simile of "amorous birds of prey" suggests a more passionate and aggressive form of love.
6) In section 3, the image of the "iron gates of life" contrasts with the image of the distance between the Ganges and the Humber.
The contrast comes from the speaker's description of time and opportunities being limited. While the distance between the Ganges and the Humber is vast, suggesting opportunities for fulfillment, the image of the "iron gates of life" implies that access to those opportunities is restricted or limited.
7) By referring to "deserts of vast eternity" in line 24, the poet means the endless emptiness that awaits beyond death.
To understand the meaning behind "deserts of vast eternity," you need to analyze the poet's use of imagery and the overall theme of time and mortality in the poem.
8) In this context, the sun is a metonymy for the passing of time and the fleeting nature of life.
To recognize the sun as a metonymy, you need to consider its symbolic role in the poem and how it represents the passage of time.
9) The poet is advancing the philosophy of Carpe Diem, which encourages living in the present and seizing the opportunities that life offers.
To identify the philosophy being advanced, you need to analyze the theme and message of the poem.
10) Acting on physical desire can symbolize the embrace of earthly pleasures and the fulfillment of natural instincts for the author.
To understand the symbolic meaning, you need to consider the broader themes and context of the poem, including the speaker's argument and philosophy.