Points for To His Coy Mistress?

i'm also really hoping that it doesn't come up! The only points i've got so far are:

- there is a lexical field (a lot of ) death related words- he is manipulating her by threatening her.
- the alliteration and 's' sounding of the words on lines 41 and 42 could show that he has become aggressive (a change in mood) and annoyed as it can be linked to a sly snake.
- on lines 13 and 15, hyperbole (exaggeration) is used to show his lust towards her and also that he is manipulating her by, in a way, paying her a compliment and adoring her.
- the fact that the poem is made up of rhyming couplets shows that he has traditional views about love and therefore is confused as to why he will not sleep with her when that is seen as the norm within society.
- lines 38 and 39 could show that he only wants her for a physical relationship as the metaphor/simile 'like amorous birds of prey' and 'devour' shows his lust towards her and the concentration on the physical side of the relationship - also helps to show society at the time as women were used as objects.
- lines 23 and 25 uses imagery 'deserts of vast eternity' to challenge religious views- he is saying that there is nothing after death and so she needs to make the most of her life now (have sex with him) before time runs out.
- again, the metaphor 'my vegetable love will grow' also shows how the relationship is purely physical and he feels lustful towards her.

You can compare it to:

-hour (the preciousness of time and time running out and also a lustful relationship)
-in paris with you (the relationship is not emotional but physical and based purely on lust and 'using' women)
-the farmer's bride (lust and a man lusting after the women, also that the women never speaks- she is weaker)

hope this helped a bit

The part of the exam that will include To His Coy Mistress is marked on A01, A02, and A03.
A01
Ideas
To His Coy Mistress has a particularly strong theme of Time. One of the main ideas involved is that you ought to savour what you have in the moment because everything expires and dies eventually. It is also a very physical poem, focusing on aesthetic attraction rather than 'pure' love, or love of someone's traits. It is also a sexual poem, trying to coerce a partner into sex.
A02
Language
-Structure
To His Coy Mistress is split into three paragraphs, each speaking of a different sort of reality. The first paragraph is an 'ideal' scenario in which he can love her forever. The second is a 'what's going to happen if you carry on like this' - in which she is defiled by worms after death. The third is a 'what should happen now, since we can't have the first and we don't want the second' in which he suggests that she allow him to have sex with her. The effect of having a negative second paragraph is that it takes the reader through a sort of 'whiplash' and destroys the initial idea that this is going to be a poem in which the poet is going to worship his addressee. The slightly kinder third paragraph has the effect of softening the blow from the second paragraph. This structure is somewhat manipulative as the first paragraph portrays the poet as loving and devoted so that once the second paragraph makes its entrance, the reader views it as a truth rather than a man being overtly harsh.
-Form
To His Coy Mistress is written in rhyming couplets. This lulls the reader into familiarity whilst the aim of the poem is to coerce someone into doing something they are not necessarily comfortable with, which again plays on the poet being manipulative.
-Language
'This coyness, lady, were no crime' - The effect of breaking this sentence into two with the word 'lady' is that it 'marks' the lady. It draws her out as the addressee. It also holds connotations of disapproval, as the aim of the poet is to convince her not to be coy, but by marking her out as 'lady', this imperfection of hers is noted in the reader's mind.
'My vegetable love should grow' - Using the word 'vegetable' gives this line of the poem an odd, disjointed feel. It simultaneously marks the love as something that is everyday and something that doesn't do anything at all except grow - the thought of which is somewhat disturbing.
'Then worms shall try' - The thought of worms doing what they are implied to be doing at this point in the poem is frankly disgusting, and would certainly encourage the addressee to reconsider her stance on maintaining her virginity.
A03
Comparison
To His Coy Mistress can be compared to Hour, as they share a theme of time. It can be compared to The Manhunt and In Paris With You, due to the physical themes. It can be contrasted with Sonnet 43, due to the contrasting themes of purity vs physicality in both.

I hope this was helpful! (It was for me to write it, anyway, which is what I'm mostly focused on at the moment)

I saw this thread title and I was like "oh my, I remember that poem from GCSE!"

It was the first poem my class studied. Scarred us for the rest of the year.

Anyway, yes, the points made above are excellent (I got an A* in GCSE English Lit.) Good luck to you all and I hope that this poem doesn't come up - what will you compare it with?

I'm thinking of either Hour or In Paris With You. I might do a practise essay on them now

Ooh, good choices. I did Hour in my exam, I remember that much. Don't tire yourself out though doing so many essays, I speak from experience - I'm currently in the middle of my A2s and I do 3 essay based subjects. :/

What subjects do you take if you don't mind me asking? I've chosen mine ready for next year, but i'm not sure if to change them.

I do History, Religion, and Politics at A2. I dropped English Lit back in March. What have you chosen?

History, Maths, French & Psycology i'm worried i'll struggle too much...

um not sure but im thinking of comparing to his coy mistress to Ghazal? is that a good idea ^-^