In the poems “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell and “The Rights of Woman” by Anna Letitia Barbauld, violence is used in contrasting ways. Marvell uses violence to manipulate his lover into a position of helplessness, while Barbauld uses it to incite rebellion against precisely such a power structure. Although violence is not the primary thematic concern in most of both works, it plays an essential role in the development of the plot. and helps convey the authors' messages. Within Marvell's piece, the speaker describes a timeless love that is not reciprocated. Barbauld, as you might guess from the title, challenges the role of women in an ambitious and powerful way. In both pieces, violence becomes evident when speakers use various types of diction emphasizing the juxtaposition of similar-sounding words. Violence and love are often the result of intense passion, and this is no exception in Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress." The speaker is clearly infatuated with a woman, the subject of the poem, and believes that these feelings should be reciprocated. This is made clear when the speaker states: Because, lady, you deserve this state, nor would I love at a lower rate. But behind me I always feel the winged chariot of Time hurrying by (19-22). In this, the speaker intends to convey his dedication to this woman. He fears, however, that her tendency to be coy will not allow them to be together before the “winged chariot” (22) takes him to the afterlife. Although the speaker believes her affection is eternal, stating that "nor would I love at a slower rate," she fears that time will not allow them to be together unless she eliminates this part of her personality. This point is emphasized further... in the center of the card... based on gender are not important because mutual love makes all differences equal. Marvell, through his poem To His Coy Mistress, approaches violence in a slightly different way. The speaker uses the threat of violence as a last resort to convince his demure lover to lie with him. Although both poems use violence, they begin and end at opposite ends of the spectrum. Barbauld begins with violence and ends with love, Marvell takes the same path, but in the opposite direction. Works Cited Barbauld, Anna Letitia. "Women's rights". The Norton Anthology of English Literature. The main authors Ninth ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. 1444. Print.Marvell, Andrew. "To his demure lover." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. The main authors Ninth ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. 751. Print.