Like Donne's "The Flea," Herrick's poem, "Corinna's Going A-Maying" is a famous
carpe diem poem. What are the major differences between Donne's poem and Herrick's? What does the speaker in Herrick's poem seem to be urging Corinna to do, and why? Do you think Herrick is being playful, or does he have a more serious message in his poem? (You need not answer all these questions. Choose one that appeals to you and builds upon the comments of your classmates.)
In Herricks poem, “Corinna's Going A-Maying” he talking about how life is short and how everyone should have someone to love them, and take each day at a time. Throughout this poem, he Herrick’s talks about life is too short to waste, so take each day for all its beauty and worth. He mentions to enjoy life’s great pleasures before they pass you by. The poems tone seems to be joyful, happy, and full of anticipation of his and Corinna’s life together. Through his tone he portrays a playful manner, which if you think about deeply has a more sentimental meaning. An example of his playful tone with a hidden secret message is when he says, “We shall grow old apace, and die / Before we know our liberty.” This line comes off as very calm and lighthearted but you can tell that there is a deeper meaning that talks about marriage and being with the same person forever. This poem can be described as carpe diem, meaning seize the day. Herrick shows his heartfelt feelings about his work by adding a deeper meaning to the poem, which is to enjoy life’s little pleasures before time passes them by. Herrick comes off with a playful tone, but is able to incorporate a serious message if you read in between the lines. His words should be the mold for people to live by, because many times people get caught up in life and do not take time to smell the roses.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to Herrick’s poem Corinna’s Going A-Maying, I agree with what threesiblings stated in that Herrick’s message to the reader as well as to Corinna is to simply not waste your life away. Time is a precious gift and Herrick does well in expressing this in his poem, especially when he claims “our life is short and our days run as fast away as does the sun” (ln 61-62). When comparing Corinna’s Going A-Maying to Donne’s poem The Flea, I inferred that Herrick seems to be much more genuine when expressing his feelings and wants to his lover. In The Flea, Donne is trying to convince his lover to sleep with him, an act that she obviously does not want to do. In Corinna’s Going A-Maying, however, Herrick appears much more noble and attempts to convince his love to do something for her wellbeing. In fact, and humorlessly so, the goal of Donne’s poem is to get his lover in bed while the goal of Herrick’s is to get his lover out of bed. This is seen when Herrick speaks to Corinna and tells her to “get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see the dew bespangling herb and tree” (ln 4-6). In my opinion, Herrick seems to be a much better man than Donne. Both poems involve each man convincing their loves to do something, but it is obvious that Herrick has better intensions. The lover in Donne’s poem does not fall for his argument, but Herrick has a much better chance of getting Corinna to agree with his argument and go a-Maying.
ReplyDeleteAbove comment was by decaff13
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to Herrick's poem "Corinna's Going A-Maying", I agree with threesiblings when he or she stated that the poem was basically talking about life being too short. He was telling Corinna simply not to waste her life away and to enjoy life and everything it has to offer before it's too late. Time is very significant and it waits on no one. Once it's gone, it's gone forever and you can't get it back. He says that it would be foolish to remain indoors on such a glorious day. He also says that already, many young men and women are out and about and have even become engaged and chosen a priest for the wedding, so let's not waste time. In that line, I got the understanding that he wants to marry her and he does not want to waste anymore time. He seems to know the value of time. When "Corinna's Going A-Maying" is compared to "The Flea", I can say that in Herrick's poem, it is much more down to earth because I'm pretty sure that everyone can relate to not wasting time and understand that it's something you can't get back. In Donne's poem, "The Flea", to me, it was much more disgusting than anything. In the flea, he was talking about how the blood was symbolic because it had bit both the man and the woman, and surprisingly in the end, all he was trying to do was get the woman to sleep with him. I really don't think he did a good job with trying to persuade the woman; however, Herrick may have done a better job without having to talk about blood and bugs.
ReplyDeleteIn their poems “The Flea” and “Corinna’s Going A-Maying”, Donne and Herrick are both addressing their poetry to a young women. However, there are several distinct aspects that separate the two works of literature. For instance, as decaff13 so eloquently put it, “the goal of Donne’s poem is to get his lover in bed while the goal of Herrick’s is to get his lover out of bed.” Donne was trying to convince his lover that virginity had no more significance than a flea’s life. Herrick, however, based his poem around the theme of carpe diem- seize the day. He wants Corinna to go outside and enjoy the springtime and her youth with him before they “grow old apace, and die (Line 59). One difference that stood out to me was that Donne was trying to convince his lover while Herrick effectively ordered his. For all his gruesome imagery and repulsive metaphors, Donne was trying to use reason and logic to persuade his lover to let him into her bed. Throughout Corinna’s Going A-Maying, Herrick is ordering Corinna to “Get up! Get up for shame! (Line 1)” and “Wash, dress, be brief in praying (Line 27)” and “mark/ How each field turns a street(Lines 29-30).” He tells her what to do and what to think and how to feel. I might be reading too much into it, but it almost comes off as misogynistic. The poem isn’t even about Corinna; it’s about what the authors wants for Corinna to do and feel and be.The poem isn’t even about Corinna; it’s about what the authors wants for Corinna to do and feel and be. Even if what he wants for her is a positive thing, the fact that nowhere in the poem is how Corinna feels or even how she reacts is mentioned is bothersome because forcing anything on someone is bad.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the majority but completely with three siblings. This poem does seem to have a deeper sentimental meaning at least to me when i read it. This is a message to Corinna telling her what he wants her to do, He is simply saying Get up, don't waste anytime of the beautiful morning sky and the unbelievable sunset. He is deeply describing the world and how you have to enjoy the small things in life and not worry on any problem. Herrick is in love and enjoys it, just as much as natures beautiful pieces of art. He uses various greek gods names representing the beautiful things in the world of nature. He is serious in the fact that he loves Corinna and is simply just describing the actions that will take place and how strong his love is. Herrick is playful in the beginning but becomes more serious towards the end with his expressions of love. In the beginning he is just starting with a message to address what she is liable to miss or what anyone is liable to miss if they are not active in life. the poem states "A deal of youth, ere this, is come Back, and with whitethorn laden, home. Some have dispatched their cakes and cream Before that we have left to dream; And some have wept, and wooed , and plighted troth," Herrick is very serious in tone here, Im not quite sure what is being said but I read it as take time slow and deal with the youth that you have and the dreams that are ahead. Don't marry too young but just love and dream instead? Herrick is a little confusing but very deep in meaning.
ReplyDeleteI agree with three siblings and company that said this poem was truly about not wasting the day, and trying to convince the woman of loving him by reminding her of how short life is.
ReplyDeleteIt seems Herrick is similar to Donne in the way that he is trying to convince a woman to be with him, through marriage or sexual relations. I feel like Herrick would be more successful with this poem than Donne would be with his. Donne compared his love to that of a flea- Since the flea has bit them both it holds a marriage of their blood, and represents their relationship. But once the woman kills the flea he changes his point of attack and tries to convince her by saying that giving her maidenhood up is no more consequential than the loss of a flea’s life. First of all, this attempt seems desperate, as he switches his mode of attack midway through after the woman has shown that she is not accurate, and the symbols he used for love and relationship are fairly morbid. Herrick describes great beauty of a spring morning. He claims it is a sin to miss such a sight. “Get up! Get up for Shame! The blooming morn- Upon her wings presents the god unshorn” I feel like he is trying to say that spring is the ripest time of the year, making it the best time to make the most out of the day and act upon emotion. This parallels over to his attraction of the female, saying how she is in the prime of her life and there is no better time to be with him than now. “Come, let us go while we are in our prime”
I agree with decaff13, in the difference between both poems. In Donne's, "The Flea", Donne's motive was to get his lover in bed while Herrick's poem, the motive is to get his lover out of bed. Donne used vivid and truly grotesque metaphors to embody his message, using relevance to flies and blood. While Herrick uses relatable, tangible, and down to earth things to lay his groundwork. Herrick is urging his lover to become aware of life's gift and open opportunities. A carpe-diem poem no doubt about it, he's pushing the idea to seize the day! It starts as very playful, for example, "See how Aurora throws her fair, fresh-quilted colors through the air: Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see, the dew bespangling herb and tree (Line 3)." Its starts fun and soulful, but as Herrick closes his poem he quickly gets to the core message and fact, striking with a serious tone. "Our life is short, and our days run as fast away does the sun; And, as a vapor or a drop of rain once lost, can ne'er be found again, so when or you or I made a fable, song, or fleeting shade, all love, all liking, all delight lies drowned with us in endless night (Line 61)." This idea that are lives are nothing but a vapor is the true motivation for seizing the moment, in love and in nature. His philosophy is deeper than Donne's, its not only a poem, but a mantra for mankind. Live your life in its fullest capacity, and love, being interwoven, will take care of itself.
ReplyDelete-Annie08