The garden by Andrew Marvell Summary and analysis

 

The garden is one among the most renowned poems of the great metaphysical poet Andrew Marvell. The poem is deep rooted in romanticism as it focuses on the nature and spirituality at its core. Its didactic in tone as the speaker expresses his life philosophies along with worldly wisdom.  

 

How vainly men themselves amaze

To win the palm, the oak, or bays,

And their uncessant labours see

Crown’d from some single herb or tree,

Whose short and narrow verged shade

Does prudently their toils upbraid;

While all flow’rs and all trees do close

To weave the garlands of repose.

The speaker considers how futile the existence of humankind and their struggle for fame and glory. Men work constantly and tirelessly in order to get laurels, which stand for honor and success. The speaker points out that these accomplishments eventually pale in comparison to the little shade provided by a single plant or tree. This color serves as a reminder of the confined and ephemeral nature of human efforts. The final line of the poem depicts a harmonious union of flowers and trees that forms a garland of peace and calm. The first stanza of the poem strikingly reminds the line “The paths of glory lead but to the grave” in the poem elegy written in a country churchyard by Thomas gray. Hence the poem begins in the tone of a memento mori (Remember you must die).

Fair Quiet, have I found thee here,

And Innocence, thy sister dear!

Mistaken long, I sought you then

In busy companies of men;

Your sacred plants, if here below,

Only among the plants will grow.

Society is all but rude,

To this delicious solitude.

The speaker could find out relief and serenity in the garden. He acknowledges that he had previously looked for these traits in the midst of the the busy and noisy masses of people, but now understands that they may be discovered more easily in the peaceful and seclusion of the garden.

 

The speaker praises the garden’s lush greenery for its vivid and passionate beauty. He suggests that green has more allure than any white or crimson (symbolizing purity and passion) ever seen by equating it to the love and desire. The speaker makes a statement on how lovers engrave the names of their loved ones on trees but regrets their ignorance of and disregard for the natural beauty of the trees. He promises to avoid giving the trees any names since he believes that their natural beauty is more important than anything.

The speaker thinks about how love finds comfort and fulfillment in the garden. Love finds its ultimate form in this serene setting after human passions have run their course. The speaker makes reference to Greek mythology, pointing out how the gods, who chased earthly beauty obsessively, eventually turned into trees. Pan pursued Syrinx, who changed into a reed, while Apollo sought Daphne, who changed into a laurel tree. The concept that a garden is a place where love and beauty find their ultimate fulfillment is reinforced by these fabled stories that show the connection between celestial creatures and the natural world.

The speaker says in the fifth stanza what a great life he has in the garden. He loves the sweet juice of the bunches of apples on the vine as they fall ripe from the trees around him. He is joyfully welcomed by the nectarine and peach fruits, and as he makes his way through the garden, he comes across melons. The speaker’s encounters with the abundant fruit and the exquisite flowers.

The speaker claims that while his body stays on the grass, his mind disengages from the body because it is uninterested in the inferior or secondary pleasures that the fruits provide. A distinct form of enjoyment that comes from the mind itself is what my mind desires.

The speaker’s soul sheds the outer covering of the body and slips silently into the branches of the trees here in “The Garden,” next to fountains where my feet slide due to the moisture of the ground or close to certain fruit trees whose lower sections of the trunks are covered in moss. His soul may be seen sitting there on the trees singing like a bird.

Such was that happy garden-state,

While man there walk’d without a mate;

After a place so pure and sweet,

What other help could yet be meet!

But ’twas beyond a mortal’s share

To wander solitary there:

Two paradises ’twere in one

To live in paradise alone.

 

The speaker is in the same joyful condition that Adam was in while he was walking by himself in the Garden of Eden. No comparison could have been acceptable for him while he was in such a pure and lovely location. Another possibility is that Adam could not have desired a companion while in the Garden of Eden since no partner could have been suitable for him. If he had remained to live alone in the Garden of Eden, he would have experienced the bliss of two Paradises: the Garden of Eden Paradise and the Paradise of solitude. The speaker talks about the talented gardener who trained the plants and flowers to grow in a way that allows them to collectively function.

Marvell employs vivid and intricate imagery throughout the poem. The garden serves as a central metaphor, representing both a physical space and an allegory for the idealized state of the speaker's mind. The lush and vibrant images of the garden evoke a sense of natural beauty and harmony, contrasting with the chaos and impermanence of the outside world.

 

One of the primary themes in "The Garden" is the tension between the natural world and human ambition. The speaker contemplates the idea of retreating to a secluded garden, distancing himself from the hustle and bustle of society. This withdrawal is driven by a desire for a tranquil existence, free from the corrupting influences of power, wealth, and worldly pursuits.

The poem also explores the theme of the transient nature of life. Marvell uses the metaphor of the garden to highlight the ephemerality of beauty and pleasure, suggesting that even the most exquisite things are subject to decay and impermanence.

The Garden, indeed delves into profound philosophical themes through the spectacle of a secluded, idyllic garden. Marvell's use of imagery, themes, and his unique metaphysical style contribute to the enduring appeal and complexity of the poem. Through its exploration of nature, human ambition, and the transience of life.