1. LO: How is love presented in Lovelace’s “The Scrutiny”?

2. How is Love presented in “The Scrutiny”?
Another Cavalier poet. Perhaps one of the most famous cavalier poets.
All of these poets were influenced by Elizabethan poet Ben Jonson and like him paid little attention to the traditional sonnet form.
They were supporters of Charles I during the English Civil War (Roundheads vs Cavaliers)
Marvell is referred to as a Cavalier poet by many. Marvell and Lovelace wrote after Donne and Shakespeare at the end of the renaissance period. Both poets did not enjoy wide success during their lifetime as poets. Marvell became popular in England after receiving critical praise from TS Eliot (after first world war). Lovelace died in poverty. He became popular as a Cavalier poet in the late 18th century after receiving praise from Percy.
FR Leavis wrote that the line (of wit) ran from “Ben Jonson and Donne through Carew and Marvell to Pope.”

3. JIGSAW GROUPS – Looking at Marvell and Lovelace (Marvell’s “noble friend” )together as Cavalier poets
1. Feedback on the questions we discussed last lesson so you each have a fully annotated copy of “THCM”. Please ask me if unsure about your ideas.
Write FOR and AGAINST responses to the following statements. Use evidence from the text as well as your knowledge of context to support your ideas.
A. Marvell is a misogynist.
B. Marvell is not meant to be taken seriously. He is using humour to seduce his lover.

4. FEEDBACK Planning an argument….
First thing you need to do is make points for and against the statement you are given!
We are going to look at “The Scrutiny” now and plan a response to the question “How is love presented in The Scrutiny”?

5. The Scrutiny Straight forward and easy to analyse poem.
In true cavalier style, Lovelace is asserting his right to not conform to any social norms of monogamy.
He wants to be free to date other women and then come back to the woman he addresses if she is still calm and “pleasant” on his return.
Travelling around Europe was something many privileged bachelors did before they settled down in the mid 17th century. Lovelace was meant to be particularly handsome. It seems he was aware of this too.

6. The Scrutiny
Scrutinise “The Scrutiny” – look for overall message of your verse/use of rhyme/meter/structure/enjambment/alliteration/imagery including phallic/sexual imagery/punctuation/
Verse 1/2/3/4
How is Love presented in your verse?

7. Attacking your argument Where might you go from here = focus on AO1 - 4
The notion of love and what defines love is subjective and determined by our own individual experiences. There are also many different types of love in existence. For example, filial love, platonic love, sexual love as well as the widely acknowledged and celebrated romantic form of love. Therefore to establish how love is presented in Lovelace’s “The Scrutiny” it is important to first ascertain what type of love, if any, is in existence in the poem.

8. PLAN
Love – sexual type of love. Not romantic. He is impatient with the woman he addresses. He implies they have already spent the night together but he is now keen to pursue other women. “Have I not loved thee much and long/A tedious twelve hours’ space?” (effect of the enjambment/alliteration/rhetorical question in terms of conveying his frustrations)
It could be argued that this impatience has more to do with the time period Lovelace writes in as opposed to a clear indication that he is merely presenting a form of sexual love. Lovelace was writing in a time period when Carpe diem poetry was popular and this was because England was embroiled in the English Civil War. His promiscuous nature and seemingly dismissive attitude towards romantic ideals of love could arguably be a result of the turbulent time period he writes in. Modern readers might be less sympathetic to this denial of romantic love and label him a misogynist.