True Love or Womanizer?

One love letter written in three stanzas confesses the Andrew Marvell's speaker's love for this "Coy Mistress". Each stanza focusing on a specific element and condition of time. The first portrays a love scenario where time stands still for all and the speaker would love his mistress for all of eternity, to further display his immense affection towards his partner. But as we all know, time is an obstacle everyone must face and the speaker realizes this ugly truth as well. Shifting in tone due to this undeniable truth, Marvell's speaker discusses imagery of aging and the mistress' unfortunate circumstances brought about by time. Therefore, the speaker attempts to coax this woman into "seizing the day" with him through the commitment of the ultimate act of love. As cute and persuading this argument may be, one question constantly arises: Is this true love or a scheme for some pleasure?

In order to answer this first question, the definition of love must be established. Does someone who loves another admire their beauty and tell their partner kind and amorous compliments to them? Does someone who love another describe the horrors of what would happen if their partner were not to be with that person, vividly creating a horrible situation of loneliness and loss of beauty. Does someone who loves another attempt to persuade the other into performing the act of unifying two individuals? Most would only agree about the first condition and disagree with the other two. Although the speaker does display some affection, this affection should not be mistaken for love. This carpe diem love poem is not a love poem but rather a method of luring women. What true loving partner would say how if she does not love him fully with the final act that she will turn ugly through time and die alone. It is fair to conclude the speaker of "To His Coy Mistress" not a lover but a womanizer.