Eric Bond
3/11/2011
Sex, Death and Intertextuality: In “Farewell to Arms” by Ernest Heimingway and “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell
In “Farewell to Arms”, Ernest Hemingway alludes to other texts in order to create depth, and offer opposition and agreement about the limitations of time and death. Specifically, Hemingway alludes to many of the same messages and ideas that are used in Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress”. Here, we will reflect upon the similarities (and differences) between the young man and his mistress, and Henry and Catherine. In the poem, Marvell writes in a very ‘carpe diem’ style that creates a mood of urgency, passion and impatience. The narrator of the poem (the young man) attempts to weaken his mistress’s coyness by overstating how little time they will get to share together in the grand scheme of the world. He explains that if they had as much time as they wanted, they could wander for days in their love, as far as the Ganges River of eastern Asia. Moreover he analogizes his patience for her love to extend from before the great floods of the Old Testament, to beyond the conversion of the Jews to Christianity. But as he knows, time does not slow down, and youth is fleeting, there is neither time to take long journeys nor time to watch Christianity forego Judaism, he needs her to submit to him now. Henry and the young man have many of the same characteristics, though for different reasons. Shortly after Henry arrives in Milan, Catherine comes to see him. When she arrives, Henry feels very passionate and affectionate at the sight of her and makes advances towards her but she thinks he’s “not well enough” (92). He assures her he’s fine and “held her tight” as he pleaded over and over to “come on please” (92). As she starts to give in to his demands, in a last stand she makes Henry reaffirm his love for her by making him answer the same question, “you really love me?”, and as he keeps answering yes, the last of her defenses fall, until she gives in. In both instances, each piece of text have quite similar plots and motives, though one ends with one getting what he wants while the others is unknown, they are very much alike. Ironically, the actual outcome of Catherine and Henry’s love affair is alike, yet, the complete opposite of the young man’s reasons TO engage in a love affair. As it’s known, the consequences of Henry and Catherine’s relationship was ultimately Catherine’s death. But, in “To His Coy Mistress”, death itself and its impending doom, is the reason the young man thinks that he and his mistress should elope. He thinks he can feel “Time’s winged chariot hurrying near” and that their time together is limited so they should be hasty with their love because the opportunity is closing. When in fact, in “Farewell to Arms”, Henry and Catherine’s hasty love affair caused their time together to be so limited. Conclusively, on the outside, both pieces of text are alike in both plot and motive, but when broken down, Hemingway alludes to this text to show the harsh reality and consequences of something borne by love and passion.
