Seizing the Moment: Sensory Imagery and Carpe Diem in Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress”
Md.Elius Hossain *
Department of English Language and Literature, City University, Bangladesh.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study explores the detailed textual analysis of imagery in Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress," emphasizing how sensory details amplify the poem's emotional and persuasive aspects. Through close reading of key metaphors and temporal imagery, the study explores Marvell’s use of vivid visual, tactile, and temporal imagery to convey the urgency of time, the intensity of desire, and the inevitability of mortality. The research reveals that imagery functions not merely as ornamentation but as a central rhetorical and aesthetic device that bridges intellect and emotion, embodying the tension between physical passion and metaphysical reflection. By situating the poem within the carpe diem and metaphysical traditions, the study highlights how Marvell’s sensory language captivates readers’ senses while reinforcing his philosophical argument about love and transience. The paper will conclude that the imagery in 'To His Coy Mistress' is crucial for making abstract thought tangible and human, ensuring the poem's long-lasting impact in English literature.
Keywords: Carpe diem, sensual imagery, love, mortality, metaphysical poetry