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To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time | Themes

Carpe Diem
The Latin phrase “carpe diem” means “seize the day.” The “carpe diem” philosophy holds that one’s time on earth is shorter than one thinks and therefore must be held on to for as long as possible; those who subscribe to such a philosophy tend to value the present more than the unchangeable past or uncertain future. This attitude toward “living deep” and “sucking the marrow out of life” (as Henry David Thoreau phrased it) is a favorite theme of Herrick’s and, indeed, of many seventeenth- century poets. “To the Virgins, to Make Much of...

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To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Introduction
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Text of the Poem
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Summary
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Robert Herrick Biography
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Themes
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Style
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Historical Context
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Critical Overview
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Essays and Criticism
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To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Topics for Further Study
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: Media Adaptations
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To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time | Themes

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