Herrick Analysis
One of the finest poems composed by Robert Herrick, "Corinna's Going A-Maying," assumes a theme of nature and man's interactions within nature, specifically May Day. This celebration was held in numerous cities and was the unofficial commencement of spring. The narrator's tone is one of great excitement and almost no worries, as he fervently encourages those who surround him to join in the festivities. Herrick combines religious and mythological elements with those of familiar English life to enhance the poem, while demonstrating his cognizance concerning May Day customs. Additionally, the author's use of imagery and consistent structure benefit the reader to obtain more from the poem and comprehend its true meaning. Evidence of Herrick's cultural knowledge in "Corinna's Going A-Maying" and ability to write such a work of art can be found in a criticism authored by George Walton Scott. Scott lauds this poem as "Herrick's finest and most sustained poem - perhaps his masterpiece" (Scott 122) and even remarks on Herrick's knowledge of the time-honored customs and traditional decorations most associated with May Day. Imagery and figures of speech play a dominant role in characterizing this poem. In the line "Again
In the first stanza "objects of nature are identified with things human. From the first line there appears a subtle mixture of three of the main strands that make up the body of the poem: the lines of Humanism, Classicism and Anglicanism" (Scott 123). It is crucial for Herrick to incorporate all of these, and even some Christian references, to appeal to an eclectic audience. In line six of the poem, "The dew bespangling herb and tree" (Herrick 668), shows that "Nature is already personified" (Scott 124) according to Scott, reaffirming earlier conjectures. Line seven continues the use of the dew symbol, which "is a usual device for Herrick" (123). The Christian element is clear in lines ten through fourteen, in which hymns are mentioned Corinna is blamed for being late for the church of Nature (124). The two religions of Paganism and Christianity collide in the second stanza, particularly in the line "Till you come forth. Wash, dress, be brief in praying/ Few beads are best when once we go a-Maying" (Herrick 669). Scott imparts to us that "Corinna is asked to brief in praying. She moves from the Church of God to the Temple of Nature. The move is natural" (Scott 124). Herrick encourages the interactions of the "May Dayers" in the third stanza by hoping that "we can cast off sloth" and make "m
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Approximate Word count = 875
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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