Name
Date
“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell
“To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick
“Song” by Sir John Suckling
Reading Warm-up A
Read the following passage. Pay special attention to the underlined words. Then, read it again,
and complete the activities. Use a separate sheet of paper for your written answers.
Charles I was born in 1600, the second son of James I
and Anne of Denmark. In his childhood he was sickly
and stammering child, but in his prime he was an excellent horseman and a strong-willed king.
Upon becoming king of England in 1625, Charles I
immediately found himself in great trouble—his father had
left the kingdom with vast financial and political problems.
Charles’s own marriage to the French Roman Catholic princess Henrietta Maria alarmed Protestant England.
At first, Charles was cold to his wife. For example,
he would not let her French servants tarry forever in
England but sent them home. Later, however, he grew
close to his queen. Echoing the French fashions that
pleased her, he spent huge sums on the arts and his
court, causing further concern among his people.
Charles faced a Parliament hostile to his concept of
absolute rule—a subject he was never mute about—and
King and Parliament quarreled on numerous occasions.
Tired of the ongoing strife, Charles dissolved Parliament
three times and ruled eleven years without it. In 1642,
Charles’s financial and political troubles led to a civil war
pitting English King against English Parliament.
In 1647, Charles was taken prisoner by the forces of
Parliament. Tried for treason and found guilty, he was
beheaded on January 30, 1649 and buried in a vault
beneath Windsor Castle. A week after Charles’s death,
the office of king was abolished.
For some, the lack of an English monarch was a
unique disaster. A true royalist believes that the soul of a
nation lives in its king, and that this soul transpires from
his body with his last breath; the nation’s soul can only
find a home in the new monarch. For Charles’s opponents, however, the soul of the nation was in its people.
For them, the end of English monarchy was an astonishing opportunity for democracy.
Unit 3 Resources: A Turbulent Time
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47
1. Circle the phrase that means
something opposite to “in
his prime.” Explain whether
you are in your prime.
2. Underline the synonym for
vast. Then, name something
else that is vast.
3. Underline the phrase that
shows that the servants did
not tarry. Then, tell what
tarry means.
4. Circle the words that tell
what Charles spent huge
sums echoing. Would you
be annoyed by someone
echoing your ideas? Explain.
5. Circle the words that tell
what Charles was never mute
about. Then, explain what
mute means.
6. Underline the word that is a
clue to the meaning of strife.
Then, describe a situation in
which there is strife.
7. Underline the word that indicates the location of a vault.
Then, describe what a vault
might look like inside.
8. Circle the word that is a clue
to the meaning of transpires.
When an animal transpires,
what part of its body does
it use?
Name
Date
“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell
“To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick
“Song” by Sir John Suckling
Reading Warm-up B
Read the following passage. Pay special attention to the underlined words. Then, read it again,
and complete the activities. Use a separate sheet of paper for your written answers.
For much of history, people used sundials, water
clocks, and candle clocks to determine the time of day.
The scientists and navigators who would gaze at the
heavens and watch the stars knew the importance of
accurate time-keeping, yet quaint old devices, such as
the water clock, remained in use for centuries.
In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, weightdriven clocks with gears began to replace crude timekeepers, but the former were not much more reliable
than the clocks of the past. The quest for accurate timekeeping devices became urgent in the age of exploration.
The cry was “Let us go yonder, beyond the horizon!”—yet
accurate navigation was impossible without accurate
time-pieces.
The invention of the pendulum in 1656 made clocks
more accurate. The English modeled the case to fit the
inner workings, while the French designed elaborate
cases using gilt and different woods, each a different
hue. A clock’s color and style could be coordinated with a
room’s decor.
By the early 1700s, clocks and watches often had striking mechanisms. Calendar displays, with cute, coy
depictions of the moon as a character, were added. The first
accurate time-pieces for navigation were also developed.
In the 1800s, the pocket watch became popular. The
art of decorating the case with enamel paintings of
amorous couples, flowers, birds, or pastoral scenes
reached its peak then.
Even as the technology for personal time-pieces
advanced, scientists worked out a world-wide system of
time-keeping. The establishment of Greenwich Mean
Time in 1884 made possible the consistent conversion of
local time in one region of the world into local time in
another. A traveler could set his or her watch for local
time and then calculate the time back home.
Unit 3 Resources: A Turbulent Time
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48
1. Circle the word that is a hint
to the meaning of gaze.
Name a device that would
help a scientist gaze at the
stars.
2. Circle the word that is a clue
to the meaning of quaint.
Then, give an example of
something that is quaint.
3. Underline the phrase telling
what “the former” refers to.
Write a sentence of your own
using the word former.
4. Circle the phrase that is
a clue to the meaning of
yonder. Describe something
that lies yonder from where
you are now.
5. Circle the word that is a clue
to the meaning of hue. Why
did French clockmakers select
wood according to its hue?
6. Circle the word that is a clue
to the meaning of coy. What
might a coy depiction of the
moon look like?
7. Circle the word that tells
what was amorous.
8. Underline the phrases
that identify the things the
conversion concerns.
Describe another kind of
conversion between systems.
Name
Date
“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell
“To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick
“Song” by Sir John Suckling
Literary Analysis: Carpe Diem Theme
The theme of carpe diem, which is Latin for “seize the day,” expresses a universal view
that first appeared in classical literature. Examples of this theme can be found throughout
world literature. Robert Herrick’s poem “To the Virgins” contains lines that are frequently cited
as an example of this theme.
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
The metaphor of the rosebuds is a particularly appropriate symbol for the carpe diem theme.
The rose is one of the most beautiful of flowers, yet it lives only a short time.
DIRECTIONS: Answer the following questions.
1. In the opening lines of “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time,” Herrick uses the image of
rosebuds as a symbol of the carpe diem theme. What other image does he use as a symbol
in the poem?
2. In the opening lines from “To His Coy Mistress,” the speaker implies that coyness is a
crime. How does the speaker use the carpe diem theme to justify this implication?
Had we but world enough, and time,
This coyness lady were no crime.
3. What other lines from “To His Coy Mistress” reinforce the carpe diem theme? Give one
example.
4. In “To His Coy Mistress,” what is the speaker’s purpose in trying to convince his listener
that life is short? Use an example from the poem to support your statement.
Unit 3 Resources: A Turbulent Time
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49
Name
Date
“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell
“To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick
“Song” by Sir John Suckling
Reading Strategy: Analyze and Evaluate Similar Themes
To analyze and evaluate similar themes in various selections, think about the particular
attitude expressed toward the theme by each writer. For example, Andrew Marvell, Robert
Herrick, and John Suckling have all written poems inspired by the theme of carpe diem, a Latin
phrase that means “seize the day.” This theme expresses the idea that life is short, so people
should act quickly to enjoy what pleasures they can.
When you analyze poems like this with similar themes, look especially at the following:
• images and other language each poet uses to present the theme
• the poem’s speaker—what does he or she seem to think and feel about the theme?
• the poet’s view of the theme—for instance, is the poet treating the theme in a serious or
humorous way? Is the poet breaking from or sticking with tradition?
Finally, decide whether each poet’s approach to the theme is compelling or uninteresting,
valid or not valid, and why.
DIRECTIONS: Complete the chart shown here to help you analyze and evaluate the theme of
carpe diem in “To His Coy Mistress,” “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time,” and “Song.” Then,
write a statement evaluating the three poets’ use of the carpe diem theme.
Marvell
Herrick
Suckling
Images / Language
Speaker's Attitude
Take on Carpe Diem
Theme
Which poem’s approach to the carpe diem theme did you find most compelling, and why?
Unit 3 Resources: A Turbulent Time
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50
Name
Date
“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell
“To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick
“Song” by Sir John Suckling
Vocabulary Builder
Using Context to Determine Meaning
A. DIRECTIONS: Based on contextual meaning, determine if each statement is true or false.
Write true or false on the line.
1. A woman’s coyness indicates that she is ready to make a commitment.
2. If a person continues to languish, it is clear that he or she needs some help.
3. To prevail over a strong opponent, a team would have to be even stronger.
4. If you really dislike someone, you might give him or her amorous looks.
5. A man in his prime would likely be walking with the aid of a cane.
6. A wan appearance gives the impression of great weariness, sadness, or weakness.
Using the Word List
amorous
coyness
languish
prevail
prime
wan
B. DIRECTIONS: In each blank, write a word from the Word List to complete the sentence.
1. At your age, you are just entering your
.
2. His flirting showed his
, since he never made a date.
3. She looked with
eyes at her new husband.
4. When she left him, he became
and went to bed.
5. When her husband left for the army, she began to
6. After several losses, our team was finally able to
Unit 3 Resources: A Turbulent Time
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51
in despair.
.
Name
Date
“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell
“To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick
“Song” by Sir John Suckling
Enrichment: Health
Today, the average American can expect to live almost 78 years. Only 100 years ago, life
expectancy was less than 48 years. In the seventeenth century, life expectancy was about 30
to 35 years. Improvements in disease prevention and treatment, general medical care, diet,
exercise, environmental conditions, and other factors have continued to increase the length of
time people can expect to live. Moreover, not only has the average life expectancy increased but
the average American’s general health and the resultant quality of life has improved as well. The
average American can now expect to be vigorous and active throughout most of his or her life.
DIRECTIONS: Answer the following questions on the lines provided.
1. That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer:
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.
Do you agree with this appraisal of how the quality of life changes as people age? Explain
your answer.
2. Do you think that the short life spans of the seventeenth century had any bearing on the
use of the carpe diem theme by Marvell, Herrick, and Suckling? Do you think their urgency
to live life to the fullest is still valid today? Why or why not?
Unit 3 Resources: A Turbulent Time
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