Poetic Techniques Employed by Robert Herrick Essay

a good deal of the song of the 17th century was heavily romantic, focusing on damsels and decadent originateies w here(predicate) the Roman wine God Bacchaus ruled supreme. Amongst the endeavours t severallyings was the idea of Carpe Diem the Latin phrase for seize the twenty- four-spot hours. Herrick, fascinated by this ancient philosophy, centred numerous a nonher(prenominal) of his songs on the motion, cautioning people to aim their metre wisely.Robert Herrick was unrivalled of the Tribe of Ben, a group of poets who followed and were inspired by the works of the dramatist Ben Jonson. The Cavalier Poets were follow upn as followers of Ben Jonson beca pulmonary tuberculosis, in the al-Qurans of Professor Jennifer Mooney, they drank with, frostd with and modeled themselves after(prenominal) Jonson. The name Cavalier was open upn to the group as they were a movement who believed in living animation conviction to the full. Anniina Jokinen supposes They dole out fe el cavalierly, indeed, and sometimes they treat poetic convention cavalierly excessively They glorified the ordinary quite a than great historical or fantastical epics. However it is non lonesome(prenominal) this group of poets that Herrick is connected with, that with the Carpe Diem poets such as Andrew Marvell who was the author of the renowned To His Coy Mistress and Christopher Marlowe.This dissertation will look at the texts each(prenominal) Things Decay and Die, To live(a) Merrily and To Trust to unafraid Verses, To Daffodils, To grapple of Tulips, Corinnas Gone a whitethorning and the famous To the Virgins to Make Much of season. Each of these rimes are very uniform, however there are many differences that render them unique. This dissertation aims to analyse Herricks carpe diem verse line by studying the techniques routine by Robert Herrick in his exploration of the c at one timept.One reason wherefore Robert Herricks poetry is so successful is because it is bare(a). Part of this simplicity is helped by symbolization that is used to mirror the ideas of mortality and carpe diem. These symbols are universally understood and give the numberss non only richness merely excessively an element of lucidity that is gracefully treated. This simplicity is brilliantly manifest in To the Virgins, To Make Much of TimeGather Ye rosebuds while ye mayOld Time is notwithstanding a flyingBut this homogeneous fluxer that smiles to mean solar daytomorrow will be Dying.This commencement stanza displays Herricks stiff simplicity. Sarah Gilead states that the frontmost descent is the di unsoundedation of the carpe diem heart and soul as it states a mere accompaniment of keep we are here for a limited time only and we must(prenominal) use our time wisely. It is the universality that has made Herricks poetry lead astray throughout the ages. He uses parallels that are utter(a). The rosebuds in this stanza symbolize the fruits of life thi ngs we entrapuate out to gain in our lives. The rosebuds could be anything they could be ordinary bodily objects such as a house, or something more than than than sentimental interchangeable love. Herrick advises us though, to get them while we are young, for young person quick dies. and then the rosebuds not only symbolize the objects and aspirations of life, notwithstanding life its self for we too tomorrow will be dying. A similar use of flowers as a symbol of the drawingness of life is evident in To tipsFair pledges of a fruitful tree,Why do ye fall so tumultuous?Blossom is, of course, the blooming of flowers. However, despite their obvious beauty, they quickly diminish and die. In this verse Herrick looks upon the dying blossoms of a tree. with this Herrick sees that these blossoms video display how it is the temperament of all things to pass forth. This is evident as Herrick describes how in its leaves one send away read how soon things can end, and by saying desire you awhile, they glideInto the grave.Thus, Herrick is comparing the lives of blossom, to the lives of valets to find that they are both the very(prenominal) they are both mortal and must die. By choosing something like Blossom that passes away so quickly, Herrick exaggerates the nobbleness of the human life span only if in doing so unveils that we too life for only a brief time.This idea is as well shown in All Things Decay and Die, which concerns itself not with flowers, but rather with the strengthy trees of the forest. Again Herrick shows how no one is invincible by showing that tear down the mightiest of trees has to decay and die. Nothing withstands time but time itself. Herrick portrays this typography by using the idea of trees. Trees, distant blossoms, live for hundreds of years. Yet they are not immortal and must so die. Herrick displays this by physical compositionThe sovereign of all plants, the oakDroops, dies and falls without the goose grass stroke.What is interesting is the use of the al-Quran sovereign as its connotations to royal family and King. This concept of power and nobility is repeated in front in the song when the oak is described as the proud dictator of a state like wood, which once more implies strength, power and authority. So why does Herrick use such words to describe a tree? The exercise is because he wanted to show that the mighty fall as sound that they are not immune to the rules of the cosmos. at that placefore it is evident that through the use of vegetation Herrick has holdd a simple, yet efficacious parallel of human life that explains just how short our lives are and illustrates why exactly we should seize the day.Herricks poetry, though, has other ideas which illuminate the theme of carpe diem. The flowers in To the Virgins and To a fanny of Tulips not only symbolize life, but are used to spiel virgin women. These two poems urge the virginsBe not coy, but use your timeAnd while ye may go marryFor having lost but once your primeYou may forever tarry.Robert Herrick strikes a note here as it is human spirit to put things off and to say Theres always tomorrow, but if we forever tarry then we shall never do what we planned time will catch up on us. In other words seize the day To a Bed of Tulips has an almost identical last stanza as again Herrick repeats his message to those unmarried maidens by saying Come virgins, then and seeYour frailties, and deplore yeFor, lost like these, twill beAs time has never known yeOnce more Robert Herrick is drawing a parallel among his two subjects as he compares these virgins with the Tulips. In this final stanza he describes the virgins as frail and insignificant in the reality. This mirrors the rest of the poem as the tulips quickly wither and that they, like the virgins, will die even as the meanest flower. However, these stanzas show some other side of Herrick which, four hundred years after these poems were written, is not quite as common. To the modern reader, who may regard these stanzas as sexist, might find these final verses as an anti climax. After three attractively melodious verses of flowers and emergent suns, a final stanza describing marriage as a womans greatest ambition is not going to invoke to the career woman of the 21st century. So why, then, are these poems simmer down popular in our modern times? The answer is quite simply that the earlierverses with their simple imagery and the parallels of the sun and flowers make up for a slenderly dated ideology.Flowers though are not the only use of symbolisation in Herricks literature. The sun and its daily path of sunrise and sunset has also acceptd in some of his poems. For example in To the Virgins the morsel stanza beginsAs yet the primeval-rising sunHas not attaind his noon.This shows how the suns rising and backdrop are used to symbolize the cycle of life. Perhaps not an uncommon thing in literature or religion, but effe ctive as it not only parallels life and death but it also holds links to the idea of heaven and timeless life an ironic feature in poems about mortality. The connection with heaven is evident in To the Virgins when in verse two Herrick statesThe glorious lamp of heaven, the sunThe higher hes a gettingThe sooner will his race be precedeAnd nearer he is to setting.What Herrick is saying here is that time is wearing on and that life is drawing to a close for the sun is almost setting on a day and on a life. However it is the first line in this stanza The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun that is the most effective. It has connotations with God, the land of eternal youth and happiness the immortality that does not exist in our physical world. The word glorious makes the sun seem dazzling, brilliant, and because glory is also a biblical term, it echoes this link with God and heaven. Lamp though is a curious term to be used to describe something of such importance and beauty. Yet it works, for the sun is the sapless of Heaven, which all people hope to be our final destination and homeland. Roger B Rollin says in his study of Herricks poetry that the rules of the atmo force field mirror the rules of all life whether it be animal or plant, and that we are fated to die ahead we get in to our prime. This argument is extremely accurate as the suns daily routine of rising and setting is a mirror of human life that begins in child hood and ends in a wasting away old age.As Herrick has used symbol and imagery expertly in his work he has created many beautiful poems which, despite outdated views on the role of women in society, remain favourite verses in this modern world of equal opportunity. Another reason though, why Herricks poems are still popular today is his cultural experimentation namely the influence of Greek and incorrupt mythology in his writings.Greek mythology, which appears frequently in Herricks writings, has greatly influenced his poetry. H. R. Swardson says all the girls are Antheas and Julias and Corinnas and even the sea-scourged merchant is going to Ithaca. In fact such is this influence that some critiques suggest that it shows a devotion to the irreligious spirit. However as Robert H Denning statesIt is a humanistic fusion which is neither exclusively Christian nor classical-pagan, but rather an imaginative intermix.This imaginative blend creates what Denning describes as ceremonial universality meaning that the poem can pull ceremonially to all faiths and generations. This is most clearly seen in Corinnas expiration A Maying where classical myths are used in harmony with more Christian ideas and rituals to describe the idyllic English countryside in spring. For example, in the first stanza Herrick describes the birds as singing hymns and it being a sin to still be inside at Dawn.However, whilst these two references are plainly Christian the version of the Titan on the eastern hill is distinctly classical. The celebration of May is also heaped in lore as its many myths show that it is a pagan festival about fertility when familiar relations, which were generally not accepted in Herricks day,were tolerated. May sidereal day is used in Corinnas Gone A Maying as a celebration of youth. This is effective as May Day is the gathering of spring and spring is youth. This is evident in the poem as Herrick writesTheres not a budding boy or girl this dayBut is got up and gone to bring in MayA deal of youth, ere this, is comeThis describes the festive spirit of the occasion a mood that is portrayed so often in Herricks writings. By depicting the boys and girls as budding he reflects the setting of the warm spring day and the flowers opening in the sun of May. Herrick also shows that it is a celebration of youth by saying it is the boys and girls getting up and describing the youth as orgasm to bring in May. However the moral holiday is evident afterwards in the poem when Herrick saysMany a kiss, both queer and evenMany a glance, too, has been sentFrom out the eye, loves fieldThis part of the poem exhibits the social looseness of May Day as Herrick illustrates the flirtatious nature of the day by describing how the kisses are both odd and even which gives the impression that many advances induce been made that day. Also, by writing how love has been sealed by looks from out the eye Herrick shows the festivity and the sexual nature of the day. Swardson suggests though, that Herrick is only able to create this relaxed atmosphere in a strict society because the classical framework or setting allows a temporary suspension of Christian standards. It may provide, in the modern phrase, a moral holiday . In other words, because Herrick uses both strict Christian doctrines and the more liberal atmosphere of pagan May Day and classical ideas he is able to write a poem using loosermorals than would ordinarily be allowable.This moral holiday that Swardson describes is essential in Carpe Diem poetry for Christian guidelines generally promoted patience, simplicity and in some factions it discouraged the art of homophile(a) making. Herrick though, uses the looser principles of Paganism along in harmony with Christianity to create a legitimate, but festive setting. The festive setting is fundamental in Herricks poetry as he uses it to mirror the idea of living life to the full and get hold of the day.This technique is evident in To Live Merrily and to Trust to Good Verses as once more classical mythology plays its part. This poem is about the observance of rapture and uses mythology to create as in Corrinnas Gone a Maying, a loose and festive setting in which to portray the theme of seizing the day. To Live Merrily and to Trust to Good Verses follows distinctive Herrick tortuous body part in its simplicity and lyrical style. Each verse toasts a classical writer like Homer. However the poem starts by describing the flowering earth. in a flash is the time for mirth,Nor cheek or tongue be dumbFor with the flowry earthThe golden pomp is come.Swardson says in his article Herrick and the Ceremony of mirth that the festivity of the moment is associated with the flowering of the earth (spring). This is evidently very similar to Corinnas Gone A Maying which also uses the gaiety of May Day as a platform for the theme of seizing the day. The theme of this poem is slightly variant than others though as Herrick recognizes that there is an element of immortality in writing after all Homer and Ovid were all writers many centuries in front and yet they were alive in Herricks day , and are still alive in ours through their art. Swardson describes this by sayingDeath is conquered not by renouncing the frail world whose beauty dies, in favour of an everlasting other world, but by realizing most successfully the beauty and mirth in the natural world. Thus you do not abjure verses but trust to good verses.Swardson explains how by recognizing the magni ficence of this temporary world, rather than be loyal to that of the next you can become immortal. This is evident in his poetry as it consistently conveys the beauty of the world. Therefore Herrick sees his poetry as immortalizing himself. The poem His Poetry His Pillar displays this theory as it describes how Herrick fears ensuing death and hopes that his poetry shall remain when he is gone. This is an uncommon idea in Carpe Diem poetry. The mass of writers in this movement wrote poems that seemed as fleeting as life and youth themselves in the hope of convincing their lover to cast caution to the wind. The Sonneteers though, wrote poetry for a reason similar to Herrick in the hope that they and their loves could become immortal.Part of To Live Merrily and to Trust to Good Verses festivity though, is due to its structure. The majority of Herricks poetry uses a simple ABAB rhyme scheme, and To Live Merrily is no exception. Although the poem is longer than the majority of Herricks poetry (which is usually no more than four verses long) is simple rhyme scheme and satiny verse help to mirror the party atmosphere in which the poem is set. The majority of Herricks poetry is lyrical short and songlike. Most of his poems are no more than four verses and use only six to septet syllables per line. This factor, and the simple rhyme scheme create a quick and fast flowing lyrical verse. This is apparent in the poem To a Bed of Tulips. opalescent Tulips, we do knowYou had youre coming hitherAnd fading time does knowThat ye must quickly wither.This technique results in a poem that is short and to the point (another similarity between Herrick and his fellow Cavaliers). This simple, song-like metre and rhyme scheme are very effective as they help to create that joyful party atmosphere that is so well portrayed in To Live Merrily and to Trust to Good Verses. However another interpretation sometimes offered is that this flowing metre mirrors the reality of mortality. Cr itic Gordon Braden describes Herricks lyrical style as almost round-eyed for he says in his volume The Classics and English Renaissance Poetry that Herricks poetry is likeThat of childlike discovery and amazement, a short but bright faculty of maintenance continually distracted by something new.This is evident as in To the Virgins each parallel the sun, flowers, the description of youth are all dealt with quickly before Herrick begins his new channel of thought. The idea of Herricks poetry as being child-like in aspects is also evident in his subject matter as although his theme is serious, his glorification of the sun and of the festive party atmosphere creates something more sportive and fun.Yet not all Herricks lyrical poems comply with the same structure. To Blossoms and To Daffodils are both slightly more erratic and complex in rhythm and rhyme. To Blossoms consists of one stanza of eighteen lines, its rhyme scheme is In To Daffodils we have two stanzas of eleven lines wi th only the occasional rhyme such as soon and noon and spring and thing. The number of syllables in these two poems is also not consistent. In To Blossoms lines range from having four to eight syllables and in To Daffodils there is from two to seven.These poems, you assume on first glance, would have a more rambling rhythm rather than flowing style of the majority of Herricks other poems, and yet when read the poems retain Herricks musical sound. This is retained simply by the combination of both styles. For example at the start of To Daffodils we have his more regular soundFair Daffodils, we weep to seeYou haste away so soonAs yet the early rising sunHas not attained his noon.This first part of the poem uses the iambic foot. What this office is that the stresses fall on every second syllable and and then when reading the poem the stresses always fall on the last word at each line creating a sing song effect that suits Herricks lyrical style.However in the second part of the poem instead of using his regular structure he uses a compensate between long and short lines using enjambement. For example lines five to seven use a pattern of one six syllable line sandwiched between two, two syllable lines. This part of the poem is particularly effective as by putting Stay, stay twice on the one line the verbalizer sounds more urgently pleading as thought the daffodils would wither away before his eyes unless he begged them not to. This structure of the two part stanza is repeated in the second verse as once more it begins with Herricks usual lyrical form, before changing in the latter(prenominal) half to a more irregular one. This second half of the stanza uses enjambment to put an tension on certain words.We dieAs your hours do, and alterAwayThe way the words We die are placed on their own line reminds the reader that we share the same fate as the daffodils. The effect is mirrored with the word away and by putting this emphasis on these words it creates a more drumming rhythm. The manner in which the word Away is put onto a lineof its own suggests the cakehole finality of death.To Blossoms uses a similar technique as To Daffodils as once more there is a contrast between long and short lines ranging from eight syllables to four. The rhyme scheme is also slightly more complex with an ABBCCB structure. These factors help to produce a slightly more interesting rhythm as it speeds up and slows down. For example in Stanza 1Fair pledges of a fruitful treeWhy do ye fall so fast?Your date is not so pastThe longer line followed by the two shorter lines creates a fast first two lines, but when typical Herrick structure dictates that line two should be followed by a another line of eight syllables and it does not then it creates a slower rhythm which makes line three stand out. This is evident to a greater completion of the last lines of each stanza, which are also the shortest at only four syllables. The lines And go at last and Into the grave ar e the most perceptible of these. The words Into the grave end the poem on a scarey note. The fact that the poem is fairly fast paced up until that point means that the words are given a particular stress and reveal a particularly sudden and abrupt end the very nature of life.Herrick reflects the relative simplicity of his narrative with an exceedingly uncomplicated structure, both with rhyme and rhythm. Even his more complicated verses still hold the musical flavor that his simpler poems contain. This is one of Herricks merits as an over adorned structure would clash with the content and would ruin his poetry. On the other hand, when he ventures slightly outwith his simplistic sphere he creates very effective structures that help to emphasis the theme as can be seen in To Daffodils and To Blossoms.In conclusion it is evident that Herrick uses structure, symbolism and aninteresting blend of religious ceremonies in his exploration of the theme Carpe Diem. Through the simplicity in the rhythm and rhyme of his poems, Herrick has invoked the fleeting quality of life and the beauty of the world we live in. These two ideas are portrayed in the content of these poems through the use of symbolism and imagery. Yet the reason why Herrick, despite having somewhat dated opinions on the role of women, is still a poet of our time is because of his simplicity and ceremonial universality.To describe his poetry one would have to say simple but beautiful, for throughout his writings Herrick pays homage to the flowering of the earth and uses it to show how brief and temporary our nominal head is a parallel that all can understand. Herricks blend of different cultures and religions in his writing has also helped to immortalize him as it gave his poetry an grateful but care free moral tone that remains relevant and enjoyable today.BibliographyA. Leigh DeneefThis Poetick LeturgieDuke University Press 1974ISBN 082230323XH.R SwardsonPoetry and the Fountain of LightAllen and Unwi nISBN 0048210161 1962Robert H. DenningRobert Herricks innocent CeremonyJohn Hopkins University Press 1967Roger B. RollinRobert HerrickTwayne Publishers 1992ISBN 0805770127Sarah GileadUngathering Ye Rosebuds Herricks misreading of Carpe DiemCritisism A Quarterly for Literature and the Arts 1985Other Resources UsedWebsiteshttp//www.luminarium.orghttp//people.whitman.edu/dipasqtm/herrick.htmhttp//athena.english.vt.edu/jmooney/renmats/cavaliers.htmhttp//www.bartleby.com/217/0107.htmlhttp//encarta.msn.com/text_761566707___2/Versification.html