Feminist Criticism in "To His Coy Mistress"

Questions for response

line 9 - "And you should, if you please, refuse"
What, according to a feminist critic, would the mistress refuse, and why?



line 18 - "And the last age should show your heart"
For a feminist critic, what significance would the position of the heart at the end of this blazon (a detailed poetic description, usually of a woman) have ?



lines 10, 28, 29 - "Till the conversion of the Jews," "long-preserved virginity," "quaint honor"
What would a feminist critic argue is preserved and/or saved in these lines?



line 35 - "thy willing soul"
Why, in a feminist critic's analysis, is the mistress's soul introduced at this point in the poem?



Bedford/St. Martin's | Order a Book | Instructor Registration | Contact Us | Contact Your Sales Representative