How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
Society is all but rude,
To this delicious solitude (15-16)
By calling society rude or uncivilized, Marvell inverts what we normally think of as civilization. It creates a really interesting contrast between just how uncivilized people can be towards each other and how easily and peacefully nature seems to coexist.
Quote #2
Fond lovers, cruel as their flame,
Cut in these trees their mistress' name.
Little, alas, they know or heed,
How far these beauties hers exceed! (19-22)
What's the deal here? Does the speaker's comparison of the destructiveness of fire to love and romantic relationships mean that he sees all human relationships as being totally worthless? Or do the trees just make for better friends?
Quote #3
Ripe apples drop about my head;
The luscious clusters of the vine
Upon my mouth do crush their wine (34-36)
It's not explicit, but Marvell is bringing color back into the poem here. We at Shmoop are imagining big, red, juicy apples and dark purple grapes—all rich colors that contribute to the luxuriousness of the picture being painted in the stanza. The awesome thing about poetry, though, is that it lets you imagine things looking anyway you like.