Expert: Ted Nesbitt - 4/14/2003

Question
Hello, I was wondering if you could help me interpret the poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" by Robert Herrick.  I'm doing a presentation on it and I need all the help I can get ASAP.  I have no idea how to go about it because, to me, it seems pretty straight forward and I can't find anything to have to interpret or explain to my classmates...Thank-you!

Answer
Dear Franca:

I'm sorry that you felt I should be penalized for my lack of timeliness in responding to you.  As I tried to explain, I have noticed problems with the Allexperts site in delivering questions to my inbox.  You really should have sent the "9" rating for timeliness to them -- it was not MY fault.  That's like lowering the grade of a student, because the principal came to work late.

TN

I didn't get your question until a few minutes ago.  I have no idea when you posted it, but I hope my response is not too late.  Allexperts seems to be running a little slow!

The idea of the poem -- the Latin phrase, carpe diem [meaning "seize the day"] -- is that time is fleeting.  He is advising the virgins, which does not just mean women -- but ALL young people, that they will not ALWAYS BE YOUNG.
He encourages them to act NOW, because they may not be able to do so in the future.

I think you would be making a BIG MISTAKE, if you interpret this poem as being about young girls ONLY.  He uses "virgins," not just as a sexual reference, but as a symbol of YOUTH ITSELF.  Just dont' forget the boys!

When people look back on their lives and say, "I wish I could have . . . .," they have regrets.  Herrick's advice is to live each day fully, so that you will have no regrets.

This poem is often compared to that of another English poet, Andrew Marvell, as you shall see if you look at the sites [I've excerpted passages to help you!] I've posted below:

Both Herrick and Marvell deal with the philosophy 'Carpe Diem' (live for the day). 'Carpe Diem' means that time should not be wasted and that you should make the most out of time. In Herricks poem 'To the virgins, to make much of time' the philosophy 'Carpe Diem' is a central theme to this poem. The poem is addressed to the virgins and makes the point that time is running out for them. 'Flying', the poet gives you a sense of time running out quickly and the speed of time is increasing. In this poem the idea of time running out links into the idea that death approaching. 'Rose-buds', the poet compares the virgins to rosebuds which shows us that the virgins are yet to experience life. The rosebuds are a symbol of beauty and love.

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Carpe Diem: Seizing the Day in Two English Poems
The powerful Latin phrase "carpe diem" is interpreted into English as "to seize the day." When I hear "carpe diem," especially in the context of literature, I imagine a narrative written in order to explain a theory or moral. To seize the day is a powerful expression that applies to us all in a certain aspect in our life. Making the most out of life that we possibly can is a predominant goal to most all of us. However, themes of "carpe diem" were especially predominant in seventeenth century poetry when literature began shifting away from humanism, and therefor plunged into the lives and feelings of the everyday commoner. In a thorough analysis, one can clearly justify that the two poems, "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time," by Robert Herrick and "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell are works from that period which deliver a clear theme of "carpe diem."
Robert Herrick's, "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" is popular poem in British literature; however, it is a poem about a universal moral to me. The classic first two lines read, "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, / Old time is still a-flying." (Herrick 1-2). We all know the beauty of a rosebud, and we all know how quickly they wither and die. In my opinion, Herrick wrote these opening lines of imagery in order make it clear he is concentrating on those in the prime of their life. The following lines are, "And this same flower that smiles today, / Tomorrow will be dying." (3-4). Again, the youth is compared to the flower. However, Herrick has begun to focus in on the idea of death. Obviously, the author wanted to make prevalent his intentions and theme early on in the poem. The next four lines speak of the swift rise and fall of the sun in its daily course. I think Herrick is using this image in order for his readers to really grasp the concept of just how quickly life can pass you by. Everyone who has lived a day can understand the explanation of how fast one's day can go by. Therefore, he has used a common image from which all of his readers can comprehend, and draw the obvious conclusion that our youth is like the sun. Our youth may come and go as quickly as the sun will rise and fall. The next few lines are extremely blunt, "The age is best which is the first, / When youth and blood are warmer:" (9-10). The words here speak for themselves. I think Herrick is telling us that our youth is the best part of our life when we are full of energy. The last four lines of the poem read as follows:
Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry;
For having lose but once your prime,
You may forever tarry. (13-16)
In my opinion, Herrick uses these last four lines as a brief summary of the entire poem: don't waste your time. Take the time and youth you are given and create happiness and joy in your life. However, be wise because once it is all gone, it is lost and gone forever. I also believe that Herrick's last four words are extremely personal, as if he has spent his own life in regret, forever tarrying about his lost youth. Clearly, one can derive several different conclusions about this poem; however, the predominant theme, as I have discussed, is a certainty Herrick presents to us to make the most of our youth and life: to seize the day.

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One difficulty here lies with the term carpe diem, which is not so simple as it appears. One version is a plain celebration of youth, which one might call naive carpe diem. The locus classicus of this theme in English is Robert Herrick's "To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time." <http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/merge.cgi?483> This poem celebrates youth: "That age is best which is the first,/ When youth and blood are warmer." Herrick, a clergyman by trade, piously and disinteredstedly advises the virgins to marry while they're young.
Unlike Herrick, his contemporary, Andrew Marvell, in "To His Coy Mistress," <http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/marvell/coy.htm> has an agenda, and makes no bones about it: "And your quaint honor turn to dust,/ And into ashes all my lust." He evinces no desire for marriage, and such love as he has for his mistress is subjunctive. Perhaps with world enough, and time, "My vegetable love should grow/ Vaster than empires, and more slow"; but without it love doesn't even enter the picture. "To His Coy Mistress" might be classified decadent carpe diem. The poem's extremely high polish conceals its cold-bloodedness. Marvell even refers to himself in the third person in the title, as if to emphasize his distance from the scene. Although I find things to admire in this poem, I don't, unlike Eddie, wish the poet luck in his designs — assuming they are real, and the poem is not merely an academic exercise.

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I hope this will help you.

Ted Nesbitt

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If you appreciate the time I have spent answering your question, please be courteous and take the time to evaluate and acknowledge my response.  Thank you.  TN