To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

The purpose of Herrick’s carpe diem poem is to encourage readers/the virgins to make the most of life. The main argument for this is that their current state—their youth and beauty—won’t last forever. Everything is transitory. This is most evident in the speaker’s repetition of the phrase “while ye may” in Lines 1 and 14. The speaker encourages the readers to “Gather ye rose-buds” (Line 1) and “go marry” (Line 14) while they still have the chance. The opportunities that they have now won’t last forever. All of these opportunities happen in the first “age,” which “is best” (Line 9). This period of one’s life is “When youth and blood are warmer” (Line 10). However, once youth passes, opportunities become scarcer and scarcer. Youth is succeeded by “worst / Times” (Lines 11-12). Once these golden years of youth, beauty, and life—of one’s “prime” (Line 15)—are over, then individuals will “forever tarry” (Line 16). They will forever languish in what once was or what could have been if they had only taken the chance.

Herrick’s poem is about change. The speaker encourages their readers/the virgins to make a change and to make the most of their lives (by giving into pleasure and sexual gratification).