The Writing Post

Biography

Early Authorial Years

Fielding was born April 22, 1707 in Sharpham Park in Somerset, England. As a young man he studied classics and law at the university in Leiden. The Theatrical Licensing Act of 1737, which happens to be an important and pivotal moment that we discussed on the blog, saw Fielding resume his pursuits of law because the theatre had become heavily censored by the British Government.

In contrast, Fielding was a fan of producing rather scathing plays critical of the ruling class. Obviously, these two competing ideas cannot coexist peacefully. As such, he assumed the role that many writers of his era assumed and tackled complex issues in his writing.

As Nasrullah Mambrol states in Analysis of Henry Fielding’s, that the the author himself focused his criticisms and writings through textual expertise. “It is through the role of the narrator that he most clearly and successfully experiments in the methods of teaching a moral lesson,” the author states. “Starting with the voice of direct literary parody in Shamela and moving through the varied structures and voices of the other novels, Fielding’s art leads in many directions, but it always leads to his ultimate concern for finding the best way to teach the clearest moral lesson”(Mambrol).

Turning to Writing

While involved with the law, Fielding continued to write. In 1742, he wrote Joseph Andrews, which is considered by some historians as one of the first novels ever produced in the English language. However, his fame as a playwright takes precedence due to the lowly opinion of novelists during his time. Playwrighting netted the larger audience. As for novels, Fielding wrote Shamela, (1741) The Life and Death of Jonathan Wild, the Great, (1743) The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, (1749) and Amelia (1751) (Britannica).

A Forthright Judge and Final Days

Later in his life, Henry Fielding became London’s chief magistrate and garnered a reputation as incorruptible throughout his career. He started one of the first police forces. They were called the Bow Street Runners. Fielding suffered from gout, asthma, and dropsy, or a swelling of soft tissue due to excess water. He died on Oct. 8, 1754.

Andrew Marvell, the poet and satirist behind the poem “To His Coy Mistress.” Led a remarkably interesting life, and his contributions are numerous. So much so that there is one defining poem that has kept ageless and universal in its appeal into the modern era.

Who was Andrew Marvell?

Andrew Marvell was a “metaphysical” poet and satirist who wrote “To His Coy Mistress,” somewhere between 1650 and 1652. Marvelll went to Trinity College in Cambridge. He wrote a variety of “political verse satires’ from The Last Instructions to a Painter, to The Rehearsal Transpros’d. Marvell was born March 31, 1621 and died August 18, 1678. His housekeeper eventually saw the publication of the aforementioned piece in 1681.

Defining a Metaphysical Poet

As Britannica writes, a “metaphysical poet” is a writer in 17^th-century England. Their work “… is a blend of emotion and intellectual ingenuity, characterized by conceit or ‘wit'” (Britannica). The poetry is often a contrast between a few things that pushes the reader into thinking about the poet’s perspective. There are more modern maetphysical poets as well, including H.D.

In other words, the poet is interested in “exploring the recesses of his consciousness.” The metaphysical poets . These poets have a grandiose, sarcastic interpretation of the world, and they paint this picture with satire and wit.

Marvel’s “To His Coy Mistress”

In Marvel’s “To His Coy Mistress,” the author pokes fun at the conventions of love. He asserts a sort of carpe diem attitude toward the subject of the poem. The virginal woman who is the focus of Marvell’s lust is object of his affections. As such, Marvell is trying to get her to give into her baser desires rather than waiting another day.

He spends time praising the subject’s body, including “Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze” and “each breast.” In addition, he warns her that time marches onward. Therefore, her beauty will fade: “But at my back I always hear / Time’s winged chariot hurrying near.” According to Marvell, she should relent to his wants before she loses her appeal.

Conclusion

In his poem, Marvell wants experience his love’s carnal pleasures before they both get older. The boorish nature of this request is a satirical poke at the chasteness of society (or lack thereof). It is also lampooning the hastiness of love for baser desire. His sentiment certainly critiques courting lovers and how sex is often viewed in society. Similarly, during the time of society, marriage was sacrosanct, therefore lust was frowned upon. One wedded for honor and dignity. In this way, intercourse before marriage was a brutish desire.