Andrew Marvell as poet of nature

Andrew Marvell takes nature as the subject matter in many of his peoms. In his one group of poems Andrew Marvell shows him as ardent nature lover. These poems include upon Appleton House , Upon the Hill, and Grove at Bilbrough, the Garden, On a drop of dew, Bermudas The picture of little t.tc., and the Nymph Complaining for the death of her fawn. Then there are the four other poems which are more or less in the tradition of pastoral poetry though the principal in this poems is a mower, not a shepherd. All these poems show Marvell’s minute and loving observation of the scenery of nature. Nature , indeed, casts a spell upon him. He finds the appeal of Nature to be simply irresistible, and he surrenders to her charm with the utmost will ingness and joy.

He Anticipates the Romantic poets

In the poem mentioned above, he records the phenomena of nature with an astonishing accuracy. In this he ancitipates Wordsworth. Much of his Nature – imagery is richly sensous and in this respect he anticipates Keats. At the same time, he finds a spiritual significance in natural scenes and phenomena. Nature puts him into a contemplative mood, and he then gets lost in his meditations. Indeed, it can be said that Marvell was the first of English poets to feel the charm of nature with romantic intensity and at the same time with scrupulous realism. It may also be pointed that the bulk of his nature poetry was written between his twenty ninth and his thirty- first years, while he was living in country seclusion at Nun Appleton.

Upon Appleton House

As to his close observation of Nature and his precise descriptions of other scenes, Upon Appleton House, provides the finest examples. In this poem we have detailed pictures of the flower garden on Lord Fairfax’s estate, followed by equally graphic descriptions of the meadows, the river in flood and after the flood. These descriptions are followed by perfectly realistic and vivid wood into which the poet withdraws in a contempt. This part of the poem describes the doings of the nightingale, the doves, and pecker. It has been admired by every critic . Here the poet identifies himself with the birds and growing things.

The Garden and Bermudas

The finest examples of Marvell's sensuous Nature-imageries are found in The Garden and Bermudas. In The Garden, the luscious clusters of grapes are upon his mouth; the nectarine and the peach hands of their own accord; he stumbles on melons. These lines make the reader's mouth water. In Bermudas we have an equally alluring description. Here we have bright oranges shining like golden lamps in night.

Marvell's Preference for Wild Scenes of Nature

Marvell was the first to sing the beauty and glory of orchards. In them he tastes his dearest delights. He anticipates Keats by his sensuousness, and Wordsworth's optimistic and serene meditative mood.

Thus, we see that Marvell anticipated the romantic poets in his treatment of nature. In his poems, Marvell celebrates the beauty of nature.