Robert Herrick's Poems - Essay Example

Any person that has delivered or been on the receiving end of a statement such as, “C’mon babe, it’s the Prom!  We aren’t ever going to have another night like this again,” understands where Herrick is coming from.  He is urging the ladies not to reject him now because there is only so much time for really good loving.  The poems from Marvell and Donne take different approaches to the theme.  Marvell is telling his mistress that she can stop playing shy because he knows she wants to be with him.  Does Donne seem to be trying to elicit sympathy from his lover by wondering how you could –gasp- reject moi?  Coupled closely to this theme of the lost moment or the tragedy of unrequited love seems to be the notion that the man was to be the aggressor in matters of the heart, seeking to gain the favor or displeasure, of the woman.

I really loved the Herrick poem.  He is such a subtle gentleman on the one hand and a playboy on the other.  He is clearly using a tactic that only works on the inexperienced (thus the Virgins in the title) but he does it so well, one can almost be sure of the outcome.