An Horatian Ode

After careful contemplation, I have decided to compose an essay based upon ‘An Horatian Ode’ by Andrew Marvell. Having studied the Irish and English Civil Wars as a module in English, I was immediately drawn to this poem which contained rich historical detail of the Civil War period. This essay will firstly examine a piece of secondary criticism on An Horatian Ode and the argument made in this critical piece will be supported and elaborated upon. This essay will then go on to describe in depth the meaning and significance of the poem itself. In addition, technical aspects of the poem, for example, rhythm, measures, language and imagery will be examined and conveyed how their use either enhances or indeed weakens the quality of the context of the poem.

The piece of secondary criticism which was chosen to be supported and elaborated upon in this essay is titled ‘An Horatian Ode’ and ‘Tom May’s Death’ written by Gerard Reedy. Focusing on An Horatian Ode in Reedy’s critical essay, the argument made by him is one that continues to be made by numerous critics having studied Marvell’s work in detail; Marvell’s ambiguous connotations in the poem which leave the general reader somewhat perplexed. I am in support of this argument for a number of reasons. Firstly and perhaps most importantly, it is difficult for the reader to interpret who the poet is in favour for and supportive of most – Cromwell or King Charles the first? Indeed Reedy (1980) is quick to support himself in his presumption that even Marvell himself may not have known who he was more in favour of writing composing this ode. He does this by referring to critic H. M. Margoliouth. Margoliouth, Marvell’s editor, has the following to say based on An Horatian Ode; “The ode is the utterance of a constitutional monarchist, whose sympathies have been with the King, but who yet believes more in men than in parties or principles and whose hopes are fixed now on Cromwell” (Margoliouth, 1971). This quote from...