The Gallery by Andrew Marvell

Repetition: opening and closing

The poem opens and closes with identical lines ('Clora come view my Soul'). This circularity suggests the gallery has no exit—the lover remains trapped in these competing images of Clora.

Clora come view my Soul, and tell

Whether I have contriv'd it well.

Now all its several lodgings lye

Gallery as mind metaphor

Marvell literalizes the Renaissance commonplace of memory as architecture. The soul becomes a building with 'lodgings'—a direct reference to the classical memory palace technique.

Compos'd into one Gallery;

Arras-hangings: tapestry term

Arras refers to Arras tapestries, expensive woven wall coverings. Using tapestries instead of paintings suggests these images are fabric, temporary, and can be removed—not permanent fixtures.

And the great Arras-hangings, made

Of various Faces, by are laid;

That, for all furniture, you'l find

Only your Picture in my Mind.

II.

Here Thou art painted in the Dress

Of an Inhumane Murtheress;

Examining upon our Hearts

Thy fertile Shop of cruel Arts:

Engines more keen than ever yet

Adorned Tyrants Cabinet;

Of which the most tormenting are

Cruel Arts catalog

The poem lists beauty as weaponry: 'Black Eyes, red Lips, and curled Hair' are presented as torture instruments sharper than anything in a tyrant's collection. This inverts the blazon tradition by making beauty explicitly violent.

Black Eyes, red Lips, and curled Hair.

III.

But, on the other side, th' art drawn

Aurora mythological shift

Aurora is the Roman goddess of dawn; the erotic detail of 'milky Thighs' and her 'slumb'ring' state moves her from classical dignity to sensual vulnerability. This is the counter-image to the murtheress.

Like to Aurora in the Dawn;

When in the East she slumb'ring lyes,

Aurora mythological shift

Aurora is the Roman goddess of dawn; the erotic detail of 'milky Thighs' and her 'slumb'ring' state moves her from classical dignity to sensual vulnerability. This is the counter-image to the murtheress.

And stretches out her milky Thighs;

While all the morning Quire does sing,

And Manna falls, and Roses spring;

And, at thy Feet, the wooing Doves

Sit perfecting their harmless Loves.

IV.

Like an Enchantress here thou show'st,

Vexing thy restless Lover's Ghost;

And, by a Light obscure, dost rave

Necromancy and divination

The enchantress reads entrails to predict Clora's fading beauty—a dark parody of classical prophecy. The lover's 'Ghost' is already dead; her magic is literally killing him through knowledge of her own mortality.

Over his Entrails, in the Cave;

Divining thence, with horrid Care,

Necromancy and divination

The enchantress reads entrails to predict Clora's fading beauty—a dark parody of classical prophecy. The lover's 'Ghost' is already dead; her magic is literally killing him through knowledge of her own mortality.

How long thou shalt continue fair;

And (when inform'd) them throw'st away,

To be the greedy Vultur's prey.

V.

But, against that, thou sit'st a float

Like Venus in her pearly Boat.

Halcyons: mythical calm-bringers

Halcyon birds were believed to calm seas during their breeding season. Marvell uses them to suggest Clora's power to create perfect conditions—nature itself submits to her presence.

The Halcyons, calming all that's nigh,

Betwixt the Air and Water fly.

Or, if some rowling Wave appears,

Ambergris: luxury substance

Ambergris (whale vomit) was the most expensive perfume ingredient in the 17th century. Even the waves carry luxury near her; nature itself is monetized in her presence.

A Mass of Ambergris it bears.

Nor blows more Wind than what may well

Convoy the Perfume to the Smell.

VI.

These Pictures and a thousand more,

Of Thee, my Gallery dost store;

In all the Forms thou can'st invent

Either to please me, or torment:

Colony metaphor

She has become a 'num'rous Colony'—a population filling his soul. This shifts from artistic possession to demographic colonization; she has invaded and settled his interior landscape.

For thou alone to people me,

Art grown a num'rous Colony;

And a Collection choicer far

White-hall and Mantua galleries

[CONTEXT] White-hall Palace held the royal art collection; Mantua's Gonzaga collection was legendary. Marvell claims Clora's images surpass both—a hyperbolic compliment that makes her the most valuable artwork.

Then or White-hall's, or Mantua's were.

VII.

But, of these Pictures and the rest,

That at the Entrance likes me best:

First impression paradox

The final stanza reveals the 'Shepherdess' image—the simplest, most natural pose—is his favorite. This undercuts all the mythological grandeur and suggests genuine attraction resists artifice.

Where the same Posture, and the Look

Remains, with which I first was took.

A tender Shepherdess, whose Hair

Flowers as self-adornment

She 'Transplanting Flow'rs from the green Hill, / To crown her Head, and Bosome fill'—she creates her own beauty rather than possessing it innately. This naturalness contrasts with the painted versions.

Flowers as self-adornment

She 'Transplanting Flow'rs from the green Hill, / To crown her Head, and Bosome fill'—she creates her own beauty rather than possessing it innately. This naturalness contrasts with the painted versions.

Hangs loosely playing in the Air,

Transplanting Flow'rs from the green Hill,

To crown her Head, and Bosome fill.

Clora come view my Soul, and tell

Repetition: opening and closing

The poem opens and closes with identical lines ('Clora come view my Soul'). This circularity suggests the gallery has no exit—the lover remains trapped in these competing images of Clora.

Whether I have contriv'd it well.

Gallery as mind metaphor

Marvell literalizes the Renaissance commonplace of memory as architecture. The soul becomes a building with 'lodgings'—a direct reference to the classical memory palace technique.

Now all its several lodgings lye

Compos'd into one Gallery;

And the great Arras-hangings, made

Arras-hangings: tapestry term

Arras refers to Arras tapestries, expensive woven wall coverings. Using tapestries instead of paintings suggests these images are fabric, temporary, and can be removed—not permanent fixtures.

Of various Faces, by are laid;

That, for all furniture, you'l find

Only your Picture in my Mind.

Here Thou art painted in the Dress

Of an Inhumane Murtheress;

Examining upon our Hearts

Thy fertile Shop of cruel Arts:

Engines more keen than ever yet

Adorned Tyrants Cabinet;

Cruel Arts catalog

The poem lists beauty as weaponry: 'Black Eyes, red Lips, and curled Hair' are presented as torture instruments sharper than anything in a tyrant's collection. This inverts the blazon tradition by making beauty explicitly violent.

Of which the most tormenting are

Black Eyes, red Lips, and curled Hair.

But, on the other side, th' art drawn

Like to Aurora in the Dawn;

Aurora mythological shift

Aurora is the Roman goddess of dawn; the erotic detail of 'milky Thighs' and her 'slumb'ring' state moves her from classical dignity to sensual vulnerability. This is the counter-image to the murtheress.

Aurora mythological shift

Aurora is the Roman goddess of dawn; the erotic detail of 'milky Thighs' and her 'slumb'ring' state moves her from classical dignity to sensual vulnerability. This is the counter-image to the murtheress.

When in the East she slumb'ring lyes,

And stretches out her milky Thighs;

While all the morning Quire does sing,

And Manna falls, and Roses spring;

And, at thy Feet, the wooing Doves

Sit perfecting their harmless Loves.

Like an Enchantress here thou show'st,

Vexing thy restless Lover's Ghost;

And, by a Light obscure, dost rave

Over his Entrails, in the Cave;

Necromancy and divination

The enchantress reads entrails to predict Clora's fading beauty—a dark parody of classical prophecy. The lover's 'Ghost' is already dead; her magic is literally killing him through knowledge of her own mortality.

Necromancy and divination

The enchantress reads entrails to predict Clora's fading beauty—a dark parody of classical prophecy. The lover's 'Ghost' is already dead; her magic is literally killing him through knowledge of her own mortality.

Divining thence, with horrid Care,

How long thou shalt continue fair;

And (when inform'd) them throw'st away,

To be the greedy Vultur's prey.

But, against that, thou sit'st a float

Like Venus in her pearly Boat.

The Halcyons, calming all that's nigh,

Halcyons: mythical calm-bringers

Halcyon birds were believed to calm seas during their breeding season. Marvell uses them to suggest Clora's power to create perfect conditions—nature itself submits to her presence.

Betwixt the Air and Water fly.

Ambergris: luxury substance

Ambergris (whale vomit) was the most expensive perfume ingredient in the 17th century. Even the waves carry luxury near her; nature itself is monetized in her presence.

Or, if some rowling Wave appears,

A Mass of Ambergris it bears.

Nor blows more Wind than what may well

Convoy the Perfume to the Smell.

These Pictures and a thousand more,

Of Thee, my Gallery dost store;

In all the Forms thou can'st invent

Either to please me, or torment:

For thou alone to people me,

Colony metaphor

She has become a 'num'rous Colony'—a population filling his soul. This shifts from artistic possession to demographic colonization; she has invaded and settled his interior landscape.

Art grown a num'rous Colony;

White-hall and Mantua galleries

[CONTEXT] White-hall Palace held the royal art collection; Mantua's Gonzaga collection was legendary. Marvell claims Clora's images surpass both—a hyperbolic compliment that makes her the most valuable artwork.

And a Collection choicer far

Then or White-hall's, or Mantua's were.

But, of these Pictures and the rest,

That at the Entrance likes me best:

Where the same Posture, and the Look

First impression paradox

The final stanza reveals the 'Shepherdess' image—the simplest, most natural pose—is his favorite. This undercuts all the mythological grandeur and suggests genuine attraction resists artifice.

Remains, with which I first was took.

Flowers as self-adornment

She 'Transplanting Flow'rs from the green Hill, / To crown her Head, and Bosome fill'—she creates her own beauty rather than possessing it innately. This naturalness contrasts with the painted versions.

A tender Shepherdess, whose Hair

Hangs loosely playing in the Air,

Flowers as self-adornment

She 'Transplanting Flow'rs from the green Hill, / To crown her Head, and Bosome fill'—she creates her own beauty rather than possessing it innately. This naturalness contrasts with the painted versions.

Transplanting Flow'rs from the green Hill,

To crown her Head, and Bosome fill.