Marvell

Name: Andrew Marvell

Achievements:  Great English metaphysical poet

Born: March 31, 1621, in Winestead, Yorkshire, England

Died: August 18, 1678; London, England (Aged 57)

Field & Discipline: Literature; Politics; Poet; Politician

Language: English

Father: Andrew Marvell

Mother: Anne Pease

Siblings: Anne; Mary; Elizabeth

 Spouse: None

Children: None

Education: Hull Grammar School; Trinity College, Cambridge University.

Major Work:

Poems:

"To His Coy Mistress"

"Thoughts in a Garden"

"An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell's Return from Ireland" (1650)

Pamphlets:

"Last Instructions to a Painter" (1667)

 "The Rehearsal Transposed" (1672-3)

"Account of the Growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government in England" (1677)

Life & Times:

In the spring of 1643 Marvell left England for the European continent, where he spent the next four years.

His plan was to learn modern languages in preparation for a public career, so he visited Holland, then France, Italy and Spain.

From 1648, it is thought that he lived in London, writing his early lyric poems, such as "Daphnis and Chloe" and "Young Love,” which show the influence of the earlier metaphysical poet, [influenced by] Donne*.  The first version of "To His Coy Mistress,” now one of the most famous poems in the English language, was probably written around this time.

During the English Civil War, Marvell's sympathies were with the King, possibly influenced by the Royalist friends he made at Cambridge, but by 1650 he was writing in praise of [a supporter of] Cromwell* on his victorious return from Ireland.

In 1651, Marvell went to work in Yorkshire, teaching modern languages to the daughter of Lord Fairfax, who had led the army that defeated Charles I at  Naseby six years before. While he was there, he wrote "The Garden" and other poems celebrating the quiet country life but, two years later, bored with rural obscurity, he applied for a government job in London.

The poet [a supporter was] Milton* recommended him for the foreign affairs department,  but Marvell did not get the job.  Instead, Cromwell appointed him tutor to his protege, William Dutton,  and in 1654, he accompanied Dutton to Eton College, one of the oldest and most respected schools in the country.

Marvell kept his links with government and wrote the verses which were sent with Cromwell's portrait to [work sent to] Christina* of Sweden.  He also wrote a state poem, "The First Anniversary of the Government under Oliver Cromwell" (1654) which was published by the government printer.

After two years at Eton, Marvell went with Dutton on a trip to France, where they spent nearly a year at Saumur in Touraine.  In 1657, he was given the job of Latin secretary to the foreign affairs department, where his linguistic talents were employed meeting ambassadors in London or writing letters to foreign countries.

He also engaged to write songs for the wedding of Cromwell's daughter, Mary, in November 1657 and, when Cromwell died in September 1658, he wrote "A Poem Upon the Death of Oliver Cromwell."

Marvell then gave his support to Richard Cromwell, who took over from his father.  In 1659, he became Member of Parliament for Hull.

In 1660, the monarchy was restored under Charles II and Marvell kept his job with the government, in spite of being a Cromwellian and was re-elected as Member of Parliament for Hull.

In July 1663, he went abroad on leave of absence for nearly two years, as secretary to Lord Carlisle on his mission to Russia, Sweden and Denmark.  They sailed to the port of Archangel and then went inland, by barge and sledge, to Moscow.   Marvell was responsible for writing Carlisle's speeches and all the letters sent by the mission.

They stayed in Moscow for five months,  but left without having agreed a trade treaty. Then, after visiting Stockholm and Copenhagen, they travelled overland from Hamburg to Calais.

By the early 1670s, Marvell blamed a fault in the King's character for the nation's problems and began to call for the abolition of the monarchy in favour of a republic.  At this time, Samuel Parker had published a number of pamphlets against religious tolerance and Marvell answered them, getting himself tied up in religious controversy.

In 1672-3 he published the "The Rehearsal Transposed.”  The title referred to a play by the Duke of Buckingham called "The Rehearsal,” in which the Duke mocked [satirized] Dryden*, then Poet Laureate, calling him 'Mr. Bayes'.  Marvell portrayed Parker as 'Mr. Bayes' and tore apart his arguments with wit and eloquence.

Government censors wanted to ban the second part of Marvell's work, but the King, a strong supporter of religious tolerance, intervened to ensure publication. The satirist [a fan was] Swift* later praised Marvell for his attack on Parker.  Later, in 1675, Marvell published  "A Dialogue between Two Horses" mocking both Charles II and his father. The King, impressed by its wit, knew most of it by heart.

In 1677, Marvell angered his opponents when he opposed a bill in Parliament, on the grounds that it would give too much power to bishops in the event of a Catholic monarch taking the throne.  In the same year, he anonymously published his "Account of the Growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government in England.”

The pamphlet claimed that there was corruption in Parliament, had plans to return to an absolute monarchy in England and to make Roman Catholicism the established religion, which prompted the government to offer a reward for any information about the author.

Nothing was proved, but Marvell had expressed to friends his belief that the authorities wanted him dead,  and when he died suddenly in 1678, there were rumours of poisoning. These were without foundation, as he died through mistreatment of a fever.

Little of Marvell's poetry was published in his lifetime.  What was published mostly dealt with affairs of state but, after his death, his housekeeper, who claimed to be his wife, published a collection of poems she found among his manuscripts.

Extra Connections: He knew [knew] Hartlib* and [knew] Cotton*

Assessment: He is remembered as one of the finest metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century.

Oneliner: Andrew Marvell, author of ‘To His Coy Mistress’

Bibliography:

• Craze, Michael, The Life and Lyrics of Andrew Marvell, The MacMillan Press Ltd., London, 1979.