| Carpe diem means SEIZE THE DAY! It is a term that urges living and loving in the present moment, since life and earthly pleasure cannot last forever. The first line of this little lyric, Herrick's most popular poem, has been a metaphorical part of our language ever since the nineteenth century, when Herrick was discovered by people interested in Renaissance literature. Instead of courting one woman, as in most carpe diem poems, Herrick addresses all virgins, or young women. In the poem, the term "virgins" means "young women." | You may also read the poem in your online textbook on page 265. If you click on the bullhorn icon, you can listen to the poem be read. To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a flying:
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.
The glorious Lamp of Heaven, the Sun,
The higher he's a getting;
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.
That age is best, which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Then be not coy, but use your time;
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry. | | Assignment: Answer the following questions. Use complete sentences, and check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. 1. Robert Herrick was a priest, but he wasn't a traditional "man of the cloth." He called the place where he preached "dull." He kept a pet pig and taught it to drink beer from a mug. Once, he threw his sermon book at a congregation because he said they looked bored. Also, he wrote this poem. Why might it be ironic for a priest to write a poem with this theme? 2. What threat does the speaker in the poem make? 3. What two examples of nature does Herrick use to demonstrate that time is passing quickly? 4. In your own words, summarize the advice Herrick is giving to young people.
5. Herrick is using "Rosebuds" metaphorically. What do you think the rosebuds represent?
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3 comments:
All I got to say is that I really don't like the message of this poem and I definitely disagree with it. Basically the man is saying live for today for tomorrow is not a guarantee. Have all the fun you want, because it could be gone before you know it. What a whacked out, faith-lacking message! A serious misleading message to the young and to anybody. One claiming to be a man of God should think of living for the promised future. He is actually speaking against a Bible verse, advising young ones to be like the people in Noah's day who were swept away because of that "live for today" attitude.
Does Herrick's advice to live for today mean that he doesn't believe in an afterlife?
From Herrick's advise of "live for today", there could be a chance that he just doesn't have hope period! His poem doesn't give belief to the common Christendom doctrine of an "afterlife" or to the Bible's divine promise of the new world to come. Herrick may be a man who believes that this life is all there is and once one dies now, they will never be brought to life again. His poem shows him to be a vain and faith-lacking man.
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