The speaker’s opening command rings out with a bit of irony, as he commands the
young
women to “gather [their] rosebuds,” while they still are able to do so. … Like a rose that is past its prime, they young woman will wither in physical appearance as she move through to her final years.
What literary device is used in To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time?
Herrick makes use of several literary devices in ‘To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time. ‘ These include but are not limited to
personification, metaphor, and alliteration
.
What is the main message of To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time?
The theme of “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time,” is that
young women should make the best of their beauty and passion while they are young because once they are past their prime, no one is going to want them.
What will happen to the virgins if they don’t marry?
The final imagery of the poem suggests that if virgins do not marry they will
“forever tarry” or linger
.
What is the attitude of To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time?
Though the poem deals with the inevitability of death, the speaker’s attitude is
encouraging
. In other words, the poem is acknowledging the fact that life is short and encouraging the reader to live his life to the fullest.
What does the sun symbolize in to the virgins to make much of time?
The sun as “the glorious lamp of heaven” is often used as it is here as
a representation of life itself
, its path from sunrise to sunset reflecting the stages of human life. As it sets, it seems to be dying, as did the roses, and, eventually, as will the virgins.
List the images Herrick uses in the poem to show the idea of time passing: TIME IS FLYING: “Old time is still a-flying.”
THE SUN IS SETTING:
“The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, The higher he’s a getting.
What is theme of the poem?
Theme is
the lesson or message of the poem
. Does the poem have something to say about life or human nature? That message would be the theme, and there can be more than one theme for a single poem, even something as short as ‘We Real Cool’! … Examine the poem carefully.
What is the speaker suggesting to the virgins in the 2nd stanza?
Having made this broader point, the speaker returns to directly addressing the “virgins” in the final stanza—and the poem’s language here hints that the speaker might have some skin in this game. When the poem urges the young women not to be “
coy
,” the speaker’s suggesting that they be sexually free and easy.
What do Rosebuds symbolize?
The color of a rose is also associated with symbolic meanings. … The red rose symbolizes romance, love, beauty, and courage. A red rosebud signifies
beauty and purity
. A thornless red rose means love at first sight.
What does tarry mean in to the virgins?
“Tarry” means “
delay” or “prolong
,” and here the speaker wants to imply that if the virgins don’t get married while they can, they might put it off (marriage) forever!
What are the virgins being urged to do?
“To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” is a carpe diem poem by Robert Herrick in which the speaker urges virgins
to seize the day by taking advantage of their youth
. Like roses, their beauty is fleeting, and they should capitalize on it while they can.
What kind of poem is to the virgins?
“To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” is a poem written by English Cavalier poet Robert Herrick in the 17th century. The poem is in the
genre of carpe diem, Latin for “seize the day”
.
What does tomorrow will be dying mean?
Tomorrow will be dying. The speaker elaborates on the advice of the first two lines, telling the virgins that “this flower” will die soon – although he probably means that
everything eventually dies
. Flowers don’t literally smile, so the phrase likely means something like “blooms.”
Who is the speaker in To the Virgins to make much of time?
The speaker is most likely
an older male
and he is addressing all young unmarried women. At the time this poem was written, all young unmarried women were indeed, virgins.
What is the glorious lamp of heaven?
The speaker calls the sun a “glorious lamp”
because it gives off light
. “A-getting” is just an older or poetic way of saying “getting.” The sun isn’t actually running a race; “race” can mean “journey, voyage, path.”
