You know that song by Olivia Newton-John, "Physical" (warning: Speedos were involved in the making of this music video)? Well we're going to take it a step further and get metaphysical, because this, folks, is what Andrew Marvell is all about. He deals with big questions about tough topics, and "The Garden" is no exception. The mind, soul, and human existence are at the heart of this poem; it just takes a little bit of digging to figure that out.
Questions About Philosophical Viewpoints: Metaphysics
- Pick one of Marvell's metaphysical metaphors and explain how it works. How does it relate to the rest of the poem? Why do you think he chose that specific metaphor? Is the metaphor necessary?
- Compare and contrast the view of time in "The Garden" to the view of time in "To His Coy Mistress".
- How is the mind presented in "The Garden"?
Chew on This
Marvell uses a natural setting, the garden, as a stage for his metaphysical thoughts to play up the contrast between the physical and the metaphysical. Sly move, Andrew.
The natural world as described in "The Garden" is an example of metaphysical thinking; Marvell is describing a garden, not as it exists, but as one of the "far other worlds" the speaker's mind is capable of dreaming up. Trippy.