JOURNAL ARTICLE

Almanac Time and Growing Older in Andrew Marvell's Mower Poems.

  • Published In: SEL: Studies in English Literature (Johns Hopkins), 2025, v. 63, n. 1. P. 83 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Summerfield, Margaret 3 of 3

Abstract

This article reads the violence exhibited by the Mower Damon of Andrew Marvell's Mower poems as a sign of the urgency Damon feels as he enters the prime of his life without the milestones to show for it. By examining the poems' references to seasonal change alongside the folk wisdom of contemporary almanacs, this article shows that July—when Damon labors—was understood in early modern England as an analogy for mature manhood. While Damon has attained this age, he lacks the means to secure a stable future either economically or reproductively, which causes him to feel out of sync with the rhythms of nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:SEL: Studies in English Literature (Johns Hopkins). 2025/01, Vol. 63, Issue 1, p83
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0039-3657
  • DOI:10.1353/sel.2025.a952061
  • Accession Number:183176491
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of SEL: Studies in English Literature (Johns Hopkins) is the property of Johns Hopkins University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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