Selected Poems

Front Cover
Taylor & Francis, 2002 M04 12 - 96 pages

"The quality which [Andrew] Marvell had," T.S. Eliot remarked, "whether we call it wit or reason or even urbanity.is something precious and needed and apparently extinct." This selection does justice to every aspect of his poetry and demonstrates why he remains one of the best-loved poets in English.

His life spans three ages: the reign of Charles I, the Commonwealth, and the Restoration. But however much his politics altered with history's altering seasons, his poetry is all of a piece, from the bold fairness of "An Horatian Ode Upon Cromwell's Return from Ireland" to the luminous visioni of nature in 'Upon Appleton House'. Philip Larkin admired Marvell's "hallucinatory images" and his "sudden sincerities that are as convincing in our age as his."

As well as twenty-nine selected poems, this volume includes a concise introduction to Marvell and a brief guide to further reading.

 

Contents

INTRODUCTION
7
A Note on the Text
18
A Dialogue Between the Resolved Soul and Created Pleasure
19
On a Drop of
22
The Coronet
23
Eyes and Tears
24
Bermudas
26
Clorinda and Damon
28
The Definition of Love
46
The Picture of Little T C in a Prospect of Flowers
48
The Match
49
The Mower against Gardens
50
Damon the Mower
52
The Mower to the GlowWorms
55
The Mowers Song
56
Ametas and Thestylis Making HayRopes
57

A Dialogue Between the Soul and Body
29
The Nymph Complaining for the Death of her Fawn
30
Young Love
34
To his Coy Mistress
35
The Unfortunate Lover
36
The Gallery
38
The Fair Singer
40
Mourning
41
Daphnis and Chloe
42
Musics Empire
58
The Garden
59
Upon the Hill and Grove at Bilbrough
61
Upon Appleton House to my Lord Fairfax
64
A Dialogue between Thyrsis and Dorinda
91
An Horatian Ode upon Cromwells Return from Ireland
92
Further Reading
96
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About the author (2002)

Andrew Marvell was born on March 31, 1621 at Winestead-in-Holderness, Yorkshire. He graduated from Cambridge University in 1638. He acted as the tutor of the daughter of the Lord General of parliamentary forces and of Oliver Cromwell's ward. Marvell was also John Milton's assistant. Marvell's best known poem is "To His Coy Mistress." Under false names, he wrote numerous political and religious satires. Andrew Marvell died on August 16, 1678, the circumstances of his death questionable. Some claim that he died of an accidental medical overdose while others feel that he was poisoned by his enemies.

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