To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time
Analysis and review outline
Jeremy Lim
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time, by Robert Herrick
Content:
This poem is essentially a message directed to young, virgin women, urging them to
marry. Robert Herrick uses several nature-oriented metaphors and symbols to impress upon the
audience the message that it is better to get married young. It is a Carpe Diem poem(seize the
day!) Stanza 1: he(author) uses the gathering of rosebuds symbolically. Stanza 2: he uses the
setting of the sun as metaphor for time passing. Stanza 3: he says that being young is a better
time than being old. Stanza 4: he tells the virgins not to be “coy” and to go out and marry now, or
else they might wait forever.
Line-by-Line Analysis:
Gather ye rosebuds, while ye may,
Translates to: gather your rosebuds while you
can. It is a symbol: take advantage of the
opportunity to gather rosebuds.(while ye may)
Old time is still a-flying:
It is saying that time is passing, it is a
continuation of the symbol from the previous
line: take advantage of the opportunity,
because time is running out!
And this same flower that smiles today
Personification: the flower smiling is the same
as the flower just blooming.
Tomorrow will be dying.
It is a symbol in conjunction with the previous
line. The idea that a flower can, and will soon
die in order to reinforce the poem's
message.(Carpe Diem)
The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
A metaphor: comparing the sun to a lamp.
The higher he's a getting,
It's the start of a complete thought, as the sun
gets higher. . .
The sooner will his race be run,
. . . the sooner its path(race) through the sky
will be finished. . .
And nearer he's to setting.
. . . the sooner it will set. It is more symbolism
indicating that time is passing/running out!
The age is best which is the first,
Translation: the best age is youth: being young
When youth and blood are warmer;
Reinforcement: early in life, people are young
and more vibrant(warmer) Think: Young =
warm, Old = cold(more like a corpse)
But being spent, the worse, and worst
After youth, it simply gets worse(at middle
age)
Times still succeed the former.
Continuation of last line: it gets worse even
after middle age, old/very old is worse! Carpe
diem again, last stanza is a warning of time: life
gets worse as you age, so don't wait/waste
opportunity!
The be not coy, but user our time,
Def. Of coy: shy and hesitant. Herrick comes
out and says it: Don't be shy and waste time!
And, while ye may, go marry:
In specific, Herrick wants young women to
marry whilst young, which is the very specific
message of the poem.
For having lost but once your prime
Start of a complete thought: Once you have
past your youth(prime) and become old. . .
You may forever tarry.
. . . you will lose your chance and never marry,
tarry = wait.(forever tarry = wait forever)
Herrick is saying that once they have lost their
youth and beauty they may not get married, on
account of their age.
Literary Devices:
Example(s):
Device:
Explanation:
“Gather ye rosebuds, while ye may,/
Old time is still a-flying”
Symbolism
The act of gathering rosebuds is used
as a symbol of taking advantage of
opportunities. The idea is to take
advantage of opportunities now,
because time is running out.
Reinforces the poems general Carpe
Diem message(Seize the moment!)
“time is still a-flying
Metaphor(1)
Time can't literally fly, comparison to
something that can fly. Common
metaphor.(Cummings 1)
“And this same flower that smiles
today”
Personification The flower “smiling” means the
flower is simply blooming
“And this same flower that smiles
today/Tomorrow will be dying”
Symbolism(2)
A flower that is blooming won't
necessarily be dying the next day! It
just symbolizes that time is passing,
and it isn't a good thing(the flower is
dying!) Reinforces Carpe Diem:
consequences for wasting time!
“may//today”, “flying//dying”
Rhyme
Shows some structure in the poem.
“sun//run”, “getting//setting”
“first//worst”, “warmer//former”
“time//prime”, “marry//tarry”
“The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun”
(also adds a nice sound) Notice for all
stanzas there is an ABAB rhyme
scheme!
Metaphor(2)
Compares the sun to a glorious lamp,
both the sun and a lamp create light.
“The glorious lamp of heaven, the
Symbolism(3)
sun/The higher he's a-getting/The
sooner will his race be run,/And nearer
he's to setting.”
Similar to Symbolism #2: time is
passing and the sun is setting! Time in
which there is daylight is running out!
Reinforces Carpe Diem: consequences
for wasting time!(Shmoop Editorial
Team)
“still a-flying:”,“he's a-getting”,
Parallel
Structure
Used to emphasize those specific
lines.
“When youth and blood are warmer;”
Metaphor(3)
Young people don't inherently have
warmer blood than older people, and
youth (the noun) can't be warmer. It is
comparing youth to being warm and
it is assumed that therefore old age is
being compared to being cold.
Reinforces the message: it is better to
get married whilst young!(warm
rather than cold)(Shmoop Editorial
Team)
“Gather ye rosebuds”,”The glorious
lamp of heaven, the sun”
Imagery
Herrick uses references to beautiful
aspects of the natural world, to create
a positive atmosphere rather than
dreary one.
“Gather ye rosebuds, while ye may,/Old Allusion
time is still a-flying”
The Latin poet Ausonius wrote a
similar line(a translation): “Maidens,
gather roses, while blooms are fresh
and youth is fresh, and be mindful
that your life-time hastes away.”
(Shmoop Editorial Team)
The Tone of the Poem:
A word to describe the poem is encouraging. While Herrick is reinforcing his message
with serious and sad ideas of flowers dying, suns setting, and people becoming old and cold, his
imagery is of beautiful things. For example, the poem mentions rosebuds, the sun as a “glorious
lamp”. It is supposed to have an important theme, but it isn't supposed to make the reader
necessarily dreary.
The Theme(s):
The major, general theme is the idea of Carpe diem: Seize the Day! Take advantage of
opportunities now rather than later. This is exemplified by the symbolism showing the
consequences of waiting(for example, Symbolism #3). This theme, however is derived from
Herrick's very specific theme: the marriage of young women. He want young women to marry
while they are still young, before they get old! The general theme still carries weight today, but
Herrick's specific theme may not be so popular!
Works Cited:
Cummings, Michael. “To the Virgins (Gather Ye Rosebuds): a Study Guide” cummingsstudyguides.net
Michael J. Cummings. 2009. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.
"Introduction." Poetry for Students. Vol. 13. Gale Cengage, . eNotes.com. 10 Dec, 2012.
<http://www.enotes.com/virgins-make/>
Shmoop Editorial Team. "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time (Gather ye rosebuds)"
Shmoop.com.
Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.