The Heathen

 1. What do you understand by the term "metaphysical"? Which aspects of Andrew Marvell's To His Coy Mistress can be considered "metaphysical" in nature?

It describes the more complex style of poems relating to heavy ideas on the themes love, life, time, or the universe often in puns, out-of-fashion comparisons, (known as conceits) and highly persuasive arguments. Metaphysical poets tend to involve intellect and feeling as combined in their discussions on almost any theme-a stimulating bit of intellectual exploration.

Some of the essential elements about which "To His Coy Mistress" can be considered metaphysical in Andrew Marvell are:

1. Conceits and Clever Comparisons: Marvell tries to persuade his mistress to become his lover using an unfamiliar kind of comparisons. For instance, he says that he would spend hundreds of years admiring every single part of her body if they were to have infinite time. In this sense, the extended metaphor or hyperbolic comparison is basically very metaphysical since it takes abstract ideas like time, beauty, and mingles them with concrete thoughts.

Intellectual Argument: The poem is as if a logical argument or a debate in which Marvell tries to convince his lover that time is passing and, therefore, the couple should seize the day. This is actually a very intellectual approach because it uses reasoning and logic in speaking about love and time, and it has the feel of metaphysics.

3. Concentration on Time and Death: Marvell points out the short space of time available to them and the inevitability of death. Most metaphysical poets ponder big issues, such as death, eternity, or the meaning of life, which Marvell does by pointing out how life passes and urging his lover to indulge in the present moment.

All of this, in "To His Coy Mistress," comes together to achieve its metaphysical style: complex ideas; brilliant comparisons; large, even grand questions about life and death.