The Poems of Andrew Marvell

by Andrew Marvell, Alexander Balloch Grosart (Contributor), George Atherton Aitken (Introduction)

The Poems of Andrew Marvell With an introduction and notes by G.A. Aitken Letters Translated by A. B Grosart Most of Marvell's poems on political subjects doubtless appeared as broadsides or pamphlets at the time they were written; but of these original issues one only is known to have survived. "The Character of Holland," written in 1653, printed early, probably, in that year, appears to have been reprinted, in folio, in 1665, with the omission of the latter portion, in which praise was given to Blake and other commanders of the Commonwealth. This mutilated version was again printed, in quarto, in 1672. "The first Anniversary of the Government under his Highness the Lord Protector" was printed, in quarto, by Thomas Newcomb, London, in 1665. "Advice to a Painter" was printed as a four-page folio sheet, without date, but apparently in 1679, after Marvell's death. It is not necessary to justify any effort to make Marvell's Poems more widely known. The sole object of this Preface is to acknowledge my indebtedness to my predecessors, who have, in a greater or less degree, done good service by keeping the poet's name and character in the minds of his countrymen. In 1681, more than two years after Marvell's death, his widow published a collection of his miscellaneous poems. Nearly half a century later Cooke brought out an edition which included the political satires. These pieces could not, of course, be given in the volume of 1681, but they had been printed among other State Poems after the Revolution. Another half century passed before Thompson published an edition of the whole of Marvell's works. Thompson was a Hull captain, and a connection of the poet's family, filled with enthusiasm for his subject, but wanting in the critical training necessary for complete success. In spite, however, of all his shortcomings, it is not to be forgotten that we owe to him some of Marvell's finest poems, and that he was the first to print a large number of Marvell's letters, which are of great assistance in studying his life and writings. Errors in the text grew in number in subsequent cheap editions of the poems, until, in 1872, a century after Thompson, and when I was a scholar at the old Granmiar School at Hull which claimed Marvell as one of its most distinguished pupils, Dr. Grosart published the first volume of a limited edition of Marvell's works. It may be said that that edition was the first in which any serious attempt was made to give an accurate text, or to explain the constant allusions to contemporary events. But greatly as I have been indebted to Dr. Grosarfs work, much remained to be done. Many allusions remained unexplained, while some of the notes upon historical events or persons were written under misapprehension, and the errors in identification led to mistakes in the dating of the poems. In so difficult a field it is not probable that I have entirely escaped pitfalls; and I do not forget that it is far easier to correct others than to be a pioneer.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Fiction

334 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1898

About the author

Frequently satirical work of English metaphysical poet Andrew Marvell includes "To His Coy Mistress" and "The Definition of Love," both published posthumously.

A clergyman fathered Andrew Marvell, a parliamentarian. John Donne and George Herbert associated him. He befriended John Milton, a colleague.

The family moved to Hull, where people appointed his father as lecturer at church of Holy Trinity, and where grammar school educated the young Marvell. A secondary school in the city is now named after him.

He most famously composed The Garden , An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell's Return from Ireland , and the Country House Poem , Upon Appleton House .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_...

Reviews

[Hannah Potantus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn’t heard of Marvell until only recently. I like poetry, but I don’t read it a lot. I usually stick with the poets I know I like, but I’m glad I got to branch out and read Marvell.

His poems all have religious undertones, whether Christian or Greek mythology (then usually used to allude to Christianity). The introduction said he was a big fighter of religious intolerance, so I tried to keep that in mind while reading his works. I think his poetry is very much of his time, not really timeless as some poets are. Regardless, there were a few times I laughed out loud, other times I gasped, overall I don’t regret reading this.

[Gilbert Wesley Purdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delightful poet. After Donne he is the best of the Metaphysical Poets. "To his Coy Mistress", of course, is he best known poem and a minor classic much imitated. "Upon Appleton House" is equally as good in its own way. Very much on the downside, for some inexplicable (and unforgivable) reason this volume does not include one of Marvell's best poems "Last Instructions to a Painter". Otherwise, I would have given the book 4 stars.

[André · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laat ons dan, roofvogels gelijk,/
De liefdesprooi der Tijd zo rijk /
Eerder verslinden zonder maat,/
Dan kwijnen in Zijn trage vaat ./
uit Aan zijn kuise geliefde/To His Coy Mistress
Review :
Andrew Marvell (Winestead (Yorkshire), 31 maart 1621 - Londen, 16 augustus 1678) was een Engels dichter. Hij wordt gerekend tot de metaphysical poets (metafysische dichters), een groep waartoe ook John Donne, George Herbert, Henry Vaughan en Abraham Cowley behoorden.
Als zoon van een geestelijke, bezocht hij het gymnasium in Hull en studeerde in Cambridge. Na de dood van zijn vader in 1640 bracht hij vier jaar door op het vasteland van Europa, waarbij hij ook Holland bezocht. In die periode begon hij poëzie te schrijven. In 1651 werd hij huisleraar voor de dochter van Lord Fairfax. Hij verbleef daar twee jaar en produceerde er zijn beste werk, waaronder Upon Appleton House, The Garden en het befaamde liefdesgedicht To His Coy Mistress.
Vervolgens werd hij huisleraar in Eton, voor een beschermeling van Oliver Cromwell. In 1657 werd hij tweede Latijns secretaris van Oliver Cromwells Commonwealth en raakte bevriend met John Milton. Hij toonde respect voor Cromwell in werken als Horatian ode upon Cromwell's return from Ireland en Death of the Lord Protector. In 1659 werd hij parlementslid voor Hull en dat bleef hij voor de rest van zijn leven.
Ondanks zijn republikeinse sympathieën wist Marvell tijdens de periode van de Restauratie, na het herstel van het koningschap onder Karel II, zijn positie te behouden. Hij wist zijn vriend Milton te beschermen tegen een veroordeling naar aanleiding van diens kritiek op de monarchie.
Tijdens zijn periode als parlementslid schreef hij vele brieven aan zijn kiezers, satirisch prozawerk (Last instructions to a painter about the Dutch wars, 1667) en politieke pamfletten tegen de ministers en de koning. Tevens ondernam hij diplomatieke missies naar Rusland en Holland. In het satirische werk The character of Holland uit 1653 vergeleek hij de corruptie in Engeland met die in Holland. Met Holland had hij in het werk overigens ook weinig consideratie.
Zijn bewondering voor Oliver Cromwell blijkt uit An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell's Return from Ireland (1650). The First Anniversary (1655) en On the Death of O.C. (1659) schreef hij eveneens ter ere van Cromwell. Ander bekend werk is ondermeer
1672 - The rehearsal transpos’d, 1677 - Account of growth of popery and arbitrary government in England
Marvells reputatie als dichter berust nu vooral op een klein aantal lyrische gedichten zoals het erotisch getinte To His Coy Mistress (Aan zijn minnares), dat als een klassieker van de metafysische poëzie geldt.
Heden ten dage staat het werk van Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) misschien wel meer in de belangstelling dan dat van zijn grote voorgangers Donne en Herbert. Marvells tijdgenoten kenden zijn werk nauwelijks; de eerste uitgave ervan verscheen pas drie jaar na zijn dood.
Vertaler Cornelis W. Schoneveld schrijft in zijn inleiding over Marvells intrigerende leven en werk, en hij poneert, na eigen onderzoek, de stelling dat de dichter tijdens zijn verblijf in Nederland van 1662 tot 1663 niet als spion werkte zoals men steeds aanneemt, maar Engels onderwees aan de 12-jarige prins Willem III, neefje van koning Karel II, en later stadhouder van de Republiek en koning van Engeland.

Behalve beroemde gedichten als The Garden en To His Coy Mistress zijn ook de meeste andere lyrische en verhalende gedichten opgenomen, evenals Marvells eerste politieke satire The Character of Holland (1653). Aan alle vertalingen gaat een korte toelichting vooraf, met daarnaast een fraaie passende afbeelding. De vertalingen houden zich nauwkeurig aan de gevarieerde versvormen die Marvell met zoveel zorg toepaste.
Gedichten van Andrew Marvell is een ongemeen boeiend werk over een toch historisch personage dat me toch te weinig bekend was, en over wiens leven en werk mijn kennis behoorlijk heb kunnen bijschaven.

[Paul Klammer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, rich cowards infect the government and profit from disastrous political policy escapades, their cowardly behaviors, and avoidance of responsibility thereof, after which their government reimburses them for the losses that their incompetence have cost the citizens of their country by placing a taxes on the citizens for heating and cooking in their homes, and having statues of themselves along with excessively decadent homes, erected to memorialize their impotence (Viagra did not exist then), plus coercing the gathering of casques of gold by 'public' donations so that they could better endure the complaints of the powerless populace against them by fleeing to set up shop in the countries whose navy's they failed to defeat, who welcomed them w/more gold. As had been said, history does rhyme. read these poems with and eye to history if you doubt. - Marvell skewers all of this magnificently. Reminds me of Al Franken's "Lies: And the Lying Liers Who Tell Them'.

Yeah, that's too cynical. :-) Beautiful poetry, some romantic, some political, some painterly, some regretful, honorifics … etc. All smoothly and 'nicely' written w/o lots of Greek mythological reference. It reads a bit slow w/o awareness of British history 1640 - 1680 (ample footnotes will make up for that but impede the pleasure that can be found in the words). I gained an interest in the history of the era via a time line of Marvell's life, key literature (including publication of Paradise lost by Marvell's college friend, John Milton) and key historical events (Cromwell, the English restoration, Dutch wars, and more).

[Steven Godin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the vain curlings of the Watery maze,
Which in smooth streams a sinking Weight does raise;
So Man, declining always, disappears.
In the Weak Circles of increasing Years;
And his short Tumults of themselves Compose,
While flowing Time above his Head does close.
Cromwell alone with greater Vigour runs,
(Sun-like) the Stages of succeeding Suns:
And still the Day which he doth next restore,
Is the just Wonder of the Day before.
Cromwell alone doth with new Lustre spring,
And shines the Jewel of the yearly Ring.
'Tis he the force of scatter'd Time contracts,
And in one Year the Work of Ages acts:
While heavy Monarchs make a wide Return,
Longer, and more Malignant then Saturn:
And though they all Platonic years should reign,
In the same Posture would be found again.
Their earthly Projects under ground they lay,
More slow and brittle then the China clay:
Well may they strive to leave them to their Son,
For one Thing never was by one King done.

[Blaire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never again.

[Fumiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

One funny guy.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beautiful little book seemed to call to me from the library shelf. Less than 6 inches tall, its blue fabric would seem nakedly dustjacketless if it weren't for the golden title and accompanying little swirly design on the spine. Thick yellowing pages, with thread peeping through and the imprints of the typeface showing through even with those thick pages...And then there's the preface, written over a century ago, in which Aitken refers to being "a scholar at the old Grammar School at Hull" in 1872. And the introduction, detailing Marvell's life, which speaks to a time before the New Critics' insistence that we ignore authorial intent and biographical information had caught on...I think. Though the emphasis on Marvell's satirical writing, and on the importance of understanding context for correcting the work that was clearly written to be read in that context and which had been improperly preserved, makes this emphasis valid even in a more New Critical light.

Notes on the specific edition aside, I'm not a huge fan of Marvell's actual poetry. The simple rhyme scheme doesn't seem to hold complex or compelling content. The imagery is bland, and the messages are kind of what you'd expect reading the poetry of an old dead white guy. Not the clever, crude, funny, or otherwise surprising old writing you might find with Shakespeare, or Donne, or Jonson, or Herrick...just to name a few.

That said, I did like "A Dialogue Between the Soul and Body." Probably because it broke up the tired rhyme schemes and skim-over-able metrical regularity to say something pious in a new and somewhat unexpected way. And "Royal Resolutions" seemed like an interesting piece of satire.

[Buthina Almahbashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually, Andrew Marvell's poems, especially Natural and Religious Poems, can be deducted in terms of three dimensions:
1) Marvell through his poems depicts the perfect cycle every perfect human being undergoes and inevitably experiences its multi-stage journey that commences and ends in the same place.
2) The use of geometric conceit in the poems demonstrates the eternal love between an ephemeral and an omnipotent being. Furthermore, these poems explore the notion that God is perfect and heavenly love for the individual far exceeds any mortal love attainable on Earth.
3) The circular relationship among those poems, though implied, explicitly demonstrates the pure and spiritual love that emphasizes eternal perfection

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought from the thickness of the book it would be a lot longer and have more poetry but it didn't. However I enjoyed all of the poems. "To his coy mistress" and "The nymph complaining for the death of her faun" were my favourites. The commentary at the back of my edition was interesting and offered some unusual ways of thinking about some of the poems.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatest line about his coy mistress: the conversion of the Jews. So brilliant to put that snide joke in this poem.