On The Forms Of Garden Image In Marvell’s Poetry

Andrew Marvell(1621-1678) was a representative metaphysical poet who played an irreplaceable role in the English 17 th century. He is celebrated for not merely bestowing the traditional Petrarchan romantic sentiment to the poems, but also leading others to the rational classicism of the 18 th century. He is once recognized as the “the greatest sonneteer”. Although his poetry is scant in quantity, his poems bridges two main periods in the English literary history. His pastoral poems and lyrics are saturated with startling conceits, diverse meter, rich imagery and sharp emotions, merging the careful observation of the real garden, the retrospect and reflection of the Mythological Eden and the longing for an ideal harmonious artistic garden. Marvel finally creates a series of emotional and unique works by employing “Garden Image” which is traditional and profound in imagery themes. This thesis makes a thorough description of the praise of nature, the reflection of the mythological garden and the yearning for an ideal paradise by presenting different forms embodied in the garden image according to the close reading to those poetry. It also embodies Marvell’s philosophical consciousness as well as his process of ideological transformation—retreats to the garden with disappointed to reality, receives the salvation and renascence in meditation and pursues the ideal paradise of art and get the epiphany. This thesis consists of three chapters:Chapter one portrays the realistic form of the garden image, showing the happiness human acquired after retiring to the village. The development of British garden image has a long history not only in reality but also in literary garden, and the life experience of Marvell from one garden to another garden forms a closely relationship between the poetry and gardens. The British garden in the 17 th century was a normal garden and also people’s spiritual home, so what the garden image manifests was in a well-regulated and harmonious condition, which was in contrast with the turbulent social status quo. In order to stay away from the political and religious conflicts and divorce from the pressure in the special period, people retreats to the tranquil garden for their inner peace. Chapter two probes into the mythological form of the garden image, manifesting Marvell’s meditation and exhilaration in the mythological garden. From the spectacular depiction of Eden, we may sense his longing for harmoniously beautiful life in Eden as well as regret and nostalgia for the ruined Eden. At the same time, from the seeking and analysis of cemetery, we may feel his firmness in redemption and revival. As a puritan, Eden and cemetery were his Holy Land. Marvell has warned us incessantly that only by retrospecting shall we attain the revival of the soul. Chapter three depicts artistic form of garden image, demonstrating his pursuit of the ideal garden and his realization of the soul. Bermuda, for human beings, remains exceedingly alluring but fathomless a paradise to reach. His permanent pursuit of a Bermuda-like artistic paradise is implicitly revealed between the lines. However, after baptism of the soul, he falls back to reality, reassessing the garden in front of him with a fresh and appreciative sight, realizing that the garden he is facing mirrored the whole universe. From the continual time cycle does he penetrate into the eternity of life.The different forms of garden image in Marvel’s poetry show us the garden in his sight, inner side and even his dream. His philosophical speculation of into or out of the secular world is reflected in his developmental outlook on life: escaping from the reality to the garden, meditating by facing the reality and pursuing the ideal garden, the sublimation of his thought is step by step. In the end, he returns to the reality, and takes the nature as the micro cosmos. His garden images are varied and afford for thought.