In Andrew Marvell's "The Garden," a curmudgeonly but lyrical speaker rejects all of human civilization in favor of the solitary pleasures of a green garden. Alone in a garden, the speaker says, a person can enjoy what's truly best in life: an unhurried, untroubled, sensuous creativity that mirrors the garden's own. How silly, then, that people spend their lives scurrying around pursuing fame and love when they might be immersing themselves in a "green shade." Though Marvell probably wrote "The Garden" in the early 1650s, it was first published after his death in the 1681 collection Miscellaneous Poems.
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The Full Text of “The Garden”
1How vainly men themselves amaze
2To win the palm, the oak, or bays;
3And their uncessant labours see
4Crowned from some single herb or tree,
5Whose short and narrow verged shade
6Does prudently their toils upbraid;
7While all flowers and all trees do close
8To weave the garlands of repose.
9Fair Quiet, have I found thee here,
10And Innocence, thy sister dear!
11Mistaken long, I sought you then
12In busy companies of men;
13Your sacred plants, if here below,
14Only among the plants will grow.
15Society is all but rude,
16To this delicious solitude.
17No white nor red was ever seen
18So amorous as this lovely green.
19Fond lovers, cruel as their flame,
20Cut in these trees their mistress' name;
21Little, alas, they know or heed
22How far these beauties hers exceed!
23Fair trees! wheresoe'er your barks I wound,
24No name shall but your own be found.
25When we have run our passion's heat,
26Love hither makes his best retreat.
27The gods, that mortal beauty chase,
28Still in a tree did end their race.
29Apollo hunted Daphne so,
30Only that she might laurel grow,
31And Pan did after Syrinx speed,
32Not as a nymph, but for a reed.
33What wondrous life in this I lead!
34Ripe apples drop about my head;
35The luscious clusters of the vine
36Upon my mouth do crush their wine;
37The nectarine and curious peach
38Into my hands themselves do reach;
39Stumbling on melons as I pass,
40Insnared with flowers, I fall on grass.
41Meanwhile the mind, from pleasure less,
42Withdraws into its happiness:
43The mind, that ocean where each kind
44Does straight its own resemblance find;
45Yet it creates, transcending these,
46Far other worlds, and other seas;
47Annihilating all that's made
48To a green thought in a green shade.
49Here at the fountain's sliding foot,
50Or at some fruit-tree's mossy root,
51Casting the body's vest aside,
52My soul into the boughs does glide:
53There like a bird it sits and sings,
54Then whets, and combs its silver wings;
55And, till prepared for longer flight,
56Waves in its plumes the various light.
57Such was that happy garden-state,
58While man there walked without a mate:
59After a place so pure and sweet,
60What other help could yet be meet!
61But 'twas beyond a mortal's share
62To wander solitary there:
63Two paradises 'twere in one
64To live in paradise alone.
65How well the skillful gard'ner drew
66Of flowers and herbs this dial new;
67Where from above the milder sun
68Does through a fragrant zodiac run;
69And as it works, th' industrious bee
70Computes its time as well as we.
71How could such sweet and wholesome hours
72Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers!
The Full Text of “The Garden”
1How vainly men themselves amaze
2To win the palm, the oak, or bays;
3And their uncessant labours see
4Crowned from some single herb or tree,
5Whose short and narrow verged shade
6Does prudently their toils upbraid;
7While all flowers and all trees do close
8To weave the garlands of repose.
9Fair Quiet, have I found thee here,
10And Innocence, thy sister dear!
11Mistaken long, I sought you then
12In busy companies of men;
13Your sacred plants, if here below,
14Only among the plants will grow.
15Society is all but rude,
16To this delicious solitude.
17No white nor red was ever seen
18So amorous as this lovely green.
19Fond lovers, cruel as their flame,
20Cut in these trees their mistress' name;
21Little, alas, they know or heed
22How far these beauties hers exceed!
23Fair trees! wheresoe'er your barks I wound,
24No name shall but your own be found.
25When we have run our passion's heat,
26Love hither makes his best retreat.
27The gods, that mortal beauty chase,
28Still in a tree did end their race.
29Apollo hunted Daphne so,
30Only that she might laurel grow,
31And Pan did after Syrinx speed,
32Not as a nymph, but for a reed.
33What wondrous life in this I lead!
34Ripe apples drop about my head;
35The luscious clusters of the vine
36Upon my mouth do crush their wine;
37The nectarine and curious peach
38Into my hands themselves do reach;
39Stumbling on melons as I pass,
40Insnared with flowers, I fall on grass.
41Meanwhile the mind, from pleasure less,
42Withdraws into its happiness:
43The mind, that ocean where each kind
44Does straight its own resemblance find;
45Yet it creates, transcending these,
46Far other worlds, and other seas;
47Annihilating all that's made
48To a green thought in a green shade.
49Here at the fountain's sliding foot,
50Or at some fruit-tree's mossy root,
51Casting the body's vest aside,
52My soul into the boughs does glide:
53There like a bird it sits and sings,
54Then whets, and combs its silver wings;
55And, till prepared for longer flight,
56Waves in its plumes the various light.
57Such was that happy garden-state,
58While man there walked without a mate:
59After a place so pure and sweet,
60What other help could yet be meet!
61But 'twas beyond a mortal's share
62To wander solitary there:
63Two paradises 'twere in one
64To live in paradise alone.
65How well the skillful gard'ner drew
66Of flowers and herbs this dial new;
67Where from above the milder sun
68Does through a fragrant zodiac run;
69And as it works, th' industrious bee
70Computes its time as well as we.
71How could such sweet and wholesome hours
72Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers!
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“The Garden” Summary
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“The Garden” Themes
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The Delight, Wisdom, and Innocence of Nature
- See where this theme is active in the poem.
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Solitude vs. Public Life
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The Dangers of Female Sexuality
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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “The Garden”
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Lines 1-8
How vainly men themselves amaze
To win the palm, the oak, or bays;
And their uncessant labours see
Crowned from some single herb or tree,
Whose short and narrow verged shade
Does prudently their toils upbraid;
While all flowers and all trees do close
To weave the garlands of repose. -
Lines 9-16
Fair Quiet, have I found thee here,
And Innocence, thy sister dear!
Mistaken long, I sought you then
In busy companies of men;
Your sacred plants, if here below,
Only among the plants will grow.
Society is all but rude,
To this delicious solitude. -
Lines 17-24
No white nor red was ever seen
So amorous as this lovely green.
Fond lovers, cruel as their flame,
Cut in these trees their mistress' name;
Little, alas, they know or heed
How far these beauties hers exceed!
Fair trees! wheresoe'er your barks I wound,
No name shall but your own be found. -
Lines 25-32
When we have run our passion's heat,
Love hither makes his best retreat.
The gods, that mortal beauty chase,
Still in a tree did end their race.
Apollo hunted Daphne so,
Only that she might laurel grow,
And Pan did after Syrinx speed,
Not as a nymph, but for a reed. -
Lines 33-40
What wondrous life in this I lead!
Ripe apples drop about my head;
The luscious clusters of the vine
Upon my mouth do crush their wine;
The nectarine and curious peach
Into my hands themselves do reach;
Stumbling on melons as I pass,
Insnared with flowers, I fall on grass. -
Lines 41-44
Meanwhile the mind, from pleasure less,
Withdraws into its happiness:
The mind, that ocean where each kind
Does straight its own resemblance find; -
Lines 45-48
Yet it creates, transcending these,
Far other worlds, and other seas;
Annihilating all that's made
To a green thought in a green shade. -
Lines 49-56
Here at the fountain's sliding foot,
Or at some fruit-tree's mossy root,
Casting the body's vest aside,
My soul into the boughs does glide:
There like a bird it sits and sings,
Then whets, and combs its silver wings;
And, till prepared for longer flight,
Waves in its plumes the various light. -
Lines 57-64
Such was that happy garden-state,
While man there walked without a mate:
After a place so pure and sweet,
What other help could yet be meet!
But 'twas beyond a mortal's share
To wander solitary there:
Two paradises 'twere in one
To live in paradise alone. -
Lines 65-68
How well the skillful gard'ner drew
Of flowers and herbs this dial new;
Where from above the milder sun
Does through a fragrant zodiac run; -
Lines 69-72
And as it works, th' industrious bee
Computes its time as well as we.
How could such sweet and wholesome hours
Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers!
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“The Garden” Symbols
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The Garden
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Green
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“The Garden” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
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Metaphor
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Imagery
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Anthropomorphism
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Allusion
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Diacope
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Pun
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“The Garden” Vocabulary
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
- Vainly
- Amaze
- The palm, the oak, or bays
- Uncessant
- Short and narrow verged
- Prudently
- Upbraid
- Repose
- Thee, thy
- Sought
- Busy companies
- Rude
- Amorous
- Flame
- Wheresoe'er
- Hither
- Apollo, Daphne, Pan, and Syrinx
- Insnared
- The mind, that ocean where each kind / Does straight its own resemblance find
- The body's vest
- Whets
- What other help could yet be meet!
- 'Twas, 'Twere
- A mortal's share
- Dial
- A fragrant zodiac
- Industrious
- Computes
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- See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.
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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “The Garden”
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Form
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Meter
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Rhyme Scheme
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“The Garden” Speaker
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“The Garden” Setting
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Literary and Historical Context of “The Garden”
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More “The Garden” Resources
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External Resources
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A Brief Biography — Learn more about Marvell's life and times in this short biography from the Poetry Foundation.
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Marvell's Legacy — Learn more about Marvell's mysterious, shifty life (and afterlife) in this review of Nigel Smith's biography of the poet.
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Portraits of Marvell — See some images of Marvell himself (looking rather rakish and piratical) via London's National Portrait Gallery.
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Marvell's Manuscripts — Study images of Marvell's manuscripts and books at the British Library's website.
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The Poem Aloud — Listen to a reading of the poem.
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LitCharts on Other Poems by Andrew Marvell
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