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Essay Instructions: This paper asks you to compare two poems that deal with a similar theme in different ways. You will want to first establish what that theme is and then develop a thesis that argues for a different treatment of that theme in the two poems. Are different attitudes toward the subject presented in the two poems? Do the poets seems to be coming to the theme from different perspectives? Although the theme is the same, are the arguments or messages of the poems ultimately different from each other? The two poems are "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" by Robert Herrick and "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" by Christopher Marlowe

Although both poems present the idea of carpe diem, you will want to narrow in on one particular theme: for example, what idea of time do the two poems present and what is the response of the speakers of the poem to time? Or, how is romantic passion expressed in the two poems, and how is it used to entice the other person? In other words, you should develop one specific topic to analyze.