Mark KremerMs. BoagniBritish LiteratureApril 4, 2014IntroductionThe 17th century in England was full of political discourse and unrest. The English Civil War took place from 1642 to 1651 between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers and resulted in more than 50,000 casualties. The outcome of the war led to Oliver Cromwall becoming the leader of England. After Cromwall's reign, Charles II ruled England during the early Restoration period which brought the king's return to the English throne. It also brought a new type of literature in which Robert Herrick thrived. Robert Herrick lived at the height of the Restoration era and wrote his most famous collection of poems known as the “Hesperides.” However, Herrick was also known for his poetry on many other themes. Because of his ideas on carpe diem and love, his pastoral/natural themes, and time, Robert Herrick is an excellent example of a 17th century poet, as shown in his poems "To the Virgins, to Save Much Time" , “On Julia’s Clothes.” " and "To Blossoms". Robert Herrick was best known for writing on the theme of carpe diem and love. Carpe diem is a Latin phrase when translated as "seize the day". He came to England of the “classic writers of ancient Greece and Rome” (Glancy, 43) He was very “popular in the seduction poems of the 17th century” (Glancy, 43). live for today, not tomorrow Echoing the use of carpe diem in seduction poems, Herrick is a master of this technique, writing to many "fictional women...on the theme of the brevity of life." ” (Glancy, 43) Perhaps his most famous poem, “To the Virgins, to Save Much Time,” best illustrates this concept of capre diem in the opening stanza, “Gather the rosebuds during.” that... middle of paper ......has a calming feel His poem “To Blossoms” focuses on leaves and how nature shows its beauty, but briefly when he says: “It was a shame that nature brought you into being just to show off your worth, and lost you completely. » (Herrick, n. page). Herrick sympathizes with the leaves because they cannot show for a long time how valuable they are to nature. He further emphasizes this sympathy when he calls the leaves “beautiful leaves, where one can read…” (Herrick, n. page). Herrick talks about flower petals and he alludes to them representing life and how they are tokens from nature. These so-called commitments state that if we live a good life, then nature will be fair to us and help us prosper and realize our goals and dreams. His view of nature and how it serves as a metaphor for life helped make Herrick one of the greatest poets of his generation...