Andrew Marvell was an uncommon poet who sat in the House of Commons, which was the elected house of British Parliament.
Marvell was born on March 31, 1621. His father was Rev. Andrew Marvell, was a lecturer at the Holy Trinity Church, and master of the Charter house.
Although Andrew Marvell wrote much, little was published. A collection of Marvell’s writings appeared only after his death in 1681. His work was given the attention it deserved only in the twentieth century, and today Marvell is regarded as one of the greatest poets of the seventeenth century. His poetry is marked by biting political satire. A satire is a form of writing that uses humour to expose or criticize people’s stupidity. ‘A Horatian Ode Upon Cromwell’s Return from Ireland’, is Marvell’s political satire.
‘To His Coy Mistress’ is a love song, while ‘Upon Appleton House’ and ‘The Garden’ are about a nobleman’s house, and a garden respectively.
