“Introduction to literary criticism”

Analyses for 28 lines into the Andrew Marvell’s poem

An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell’s Return from Ireland

Text analysis (1)

Having considered the concepts, procedures and methods of text analysis specific to New
Criticism, discuss Andrew Marvell’s poem An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell’s Return from
Ireland:

1 The forward youth that would appear 15 Did through his own side
2 Must now forsake his Muses dear, 16 His fiery way divide.
3 Nor in the shadows sing
4 His numbers languishing. 17 For ’tis all one to courage high,
18 The emulous or enemy;
5 ’Tis time to leave the books in dust, 19 And with such to enclose
6 And oil th’ unused armour's rust, 20 Is more than to oppose.
7 Removing from the wall
8 The corslet of the hall. 21 Then burning through the air he went,
22 And palaces and temples rent;
9 So restless Cromwell could not cease 23 And Cæsar’s head at last
10 In the inglorious arts of peace, 24 Did through his laurels blast
11 But thorough advent’rous war
12 Urged his active star. 25 ’Tis madness to resist or blame
26 The force of angry Heaven’s flame;
13 And like the three-fork’d lightning, first 27 And, if we would speak true,
14 Breaking the clouds where it was nurst, 28 Much to the man is due, ..

Named metaphysical poet, Marvell is

considered one of the last of the seventeenth-century
noted for his intellectual, allusive poetry, rich in
metaphor. His work combines many of the elements
associated with the metaphysical school: the tension of
opposing values, metaphorical complexities, logical and
linguistic subtleties, and un-expected twists of thought
and argument.1

1
 Andrew Marwell 1621-1678
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“An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell's Return from Ireland” (poem) 1650
1
Source: Wikipedia Free encyclopedia https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Marvell [accessed 9.01.2019]
Although in the past his work has been considered of minor stature next to the artistic
genius of John Donne, the most renowned of the metaphysical poets, Marvell has come to be
viewed as an important poet in his own right.
The poems generally thought to be his best, including “To His Coy Mistress“ and
“The Garden,” are characterized by an ambiguous complexity and a thematic irresolution
which critics believe both define his talent and account for his appeal. In the latter half of the
twentieth century, critics have paid increasing attention to Marvell's Cromwell poems,
particularly “An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell's Return from Ireland.”2
Marvell wrote this poem to commemorate Oliver Cromwell’s return to England after a
military expedition to Ireland. The title “An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell's Return from
Ireland,” informs us that this poem handles historical personalities.
Exploring Marwel's poem the ambiguity occurs even by the second word of the poem.
The word “forward” youth in Marvell’s poem does not mean “high-spirited,” “properly
ambitious”, here we have a case of ambiguity, and this word means naughty, stiff. The
“forward youth” no longer have to be now “in the shadows sing / His numbers languishing”,
he must forsake the shadows and the Muses and become a young man prepared for war, as
we notice in the second stanza of the poem “…amour’s sing…”.3
But the indications of the first two verses focus over to Cromwell: “So restless
Cromwell could not cease / In the inglorious arts of peace”. We just now observe the identity
of Cromwell himself as the “forward” youth. Through the word “so” relate Cromwell to these
verses. The word “restless” is as ambiguous in its meanings as “forward” It is synonymous
with an “active star” and can suggest the ambition that makes it ready for action.
Cromwell is described both as conscious, deliberating agent and as an ineluctable
force of nature (lines 13-16). Using intransitively “not cease”, conducts to idea that the
Cromwell's courage will not allow him to rest “in the inglorious arts of peace.” And this
desire for glory, evidenced at here by negatives, is developed in the ninth stanza (lines 33 -
34). In the next stanza Marvell used a comparison (simile) like stylistic element: “…like the
three-fork’d lightning” (line 13) through shows us that Cromwell is like an elemental force,
and in next line (14) with the metaphor he refers to the government (Caesar): “… the clouds
where it was nurst”.
Cromwell’s valor is called by Marvell through an unusual collocation “industrious
valor,” and his high courage “Is more than to oppose” (lines 17-20). In that stanza Marvell
points out that it is impossible to challenge Cromwell and his desire to punish the monarchy.
The words from (line 22) suggest power (palaces) and church (temples). The analysis of
Cromwell as a natural force is accentuated in the lines that follow (lines 21-26). The words
from line 22 suggest power (palaces) and church (temples).
_________________________________________________

2
”Andrew Marvell.“ Encyclopedia of World Biography. . Encyclopedia.com. 9 Jan. 2019
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/andrew-marvell
3
Web accesed at https://www.enotes.com/topics/andrew-marvell/critical-essays/marvell-andrew [4.01.2019]

The prepositional phrase “at last” illustrates Cesar’s arrival captures the sense of
providence indicated of the image of lightning. The providential determinism suggested in the
sign of lightning and in the poem in general is deviated by the eroticized figure of Caesar’s
head (which is an allusion to the head of King Charles I) blasting through the laurels. The
poet calls it “madness to resist or blame” Cromwell’s force, because clearly “Heaven’s flame”
suggest that Cromwell is the man of divinity and England owes him a lot “much to the man is
due”, that's Cromwell. He is exonerated for the violence and destruction of his campaigns
because he is the instrument of divine wrath, but he is also given credit for character, courage,
and craftiness (lines 25-28). The poem imagines Cromwell marching assiduous with his
sword raised up in battle overthrow the monarchy and “cast the kingdoms old / Into another
mold” using his “industrious valour” in the military world.
Of course what make the difference in “Horatian Ode” is the emotional tremble that pervades
it, recognizing the wrenching destructiveness of massive social transforms. The idea of the
“Horatian Ode” is that “Cromwell has initiated a new era that renders the ancient rights
obsolete.”4
4
Source: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/andrew-marvell [accesed 8.01.2019]

Bibliography:
 Encyclopedia.com “Andrew Marvell - Encyclopedia of World Biography” [accessed 9 Jan.
2019] https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-
maps/andrew-marvell
 Marwell, Andrew. “An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell's Return from Ireland” (poem) 1650
Source” Wikipedia Free encyclopedia https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Marvell
[accessed 3.01.2019]
 Web https://www.enotes.com/topics/andrew-marvell/critical-essays/marvell-andrew
[accessed at 4.01.2019]
 Web source: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/andrew-marvell [accesed 8.01.2019]